The Mk 4 SEAT Ibiza has been given a mid-term facelift, and the reinterpretation is featured across the entire three body-style range, from the three-door Ibiza SC to the five-door Ibiza and the Ibiza ST estate.

Exterior changes include a reworked front trapezoidal grille – the flatter proportions as well as redesigned horizontal honeycomb structure and a lower air intake help emphasise the car’s width. The front and rear bumpers have also been redesigned, as have the headlamps, which are available in two halogen versions or with optional bi-xenon lamps and LED daytime running lights.

The interior, meanwhile, gets improved material quality, with a wide choice of new paint surfaces and materials, which range all the way to fine leather upholstery. Among the items that have been reworked in the cabin is the glove compartment, which is significantly larger than pre-facelift – at 10.7 litres, it now offers space for a lot more than just a pair of gloves.

The equipment line-up for the car has also been revised, independent of bodyshell form, and among the new kit is the SEAT Portable Media System with touchscreen monitor. Available for the car later in the year, it combines the functions of a navigation system, on-board computer, audio system and hands-free device.

As for available engines, the range is broad, from a base 1.2 litre 60 PS mill to a range-topping 1.4 TSI twin charge lump which has 150 PS and a DSG transmission as standard fitment. Ecomotive variants include the 105 PS 1.2 TSI Ecomotive and 75 PS 1.2 TDI E Ecomotive. A choice of five- and six-speed manual gearboxes are available, and DSG is available as standard or as an option with a number of engines.

The new Ibiza runs on wheels ranging in size from 15- to 17-inches, and several new designs have come about for the facelift, which is set to make its European market debut sometime in spring.

The Seat IBX Concept that was shown at this year’s Geneva show has been green lighted for production, according to a report by Spanish newspaper ABC. The IBX will be built in Martorell, Spain, alongside platform sibling Audi Q3.

The IBX Concept that was shown in March was a two-door concept, but the production model is likely to be a a five-door version to compete with mainstream compact urban crossover/SUV models. According to the report, the IBX would debut sometime in 2014.

Despite less than stellar contribution to the cause, it looks like the Volkswagen Group isn’t giving up on its Spanish brand yet. Seat also recently revealed the Mii city car, its version of the Volkswagen Up!, which will start selling in Spain late this year.

SEAT has unveiled its new Mii city car, which it will begin selling in its home market, Spain, before the year is out, with the rest of Europe to follow in spring 2012.

The 3.55 metre long Mii will first be introduced as a three-door, with the five-door version arriving next year. Drivetrain is a 1.0 litre three-cylinder MPI unit, with two output tunes available for the Ecomotive – 60 PS and 75 PS.

If it’s all starting to sound like you’ve seen those numbers before, well, you have, because the Mii is the SEAT version of the Volkswagen Up!, and together with the recently announced Skoda Citigo, form a trinity of hatchbacks utilising the same base platform.

Like its relatives, the Mii has 251 litres of boot space, increasing to 951 litres with the rear seats folded. Other numbers include a 35 litre capacity fuel tank and an 854 kg base weight. Aside from a five-speed manual transmission, the Mii is available with an automated manual box boasting two electric motors to offer smoother gear changes.

Features include a start/stop system, brake energy regeneration, City Safety Assist and a removable SEAT Portable System with a five-inch screen, navigation system and hands-free phone system with voice control.

In Spain, the Mii will be available in three equipment lines – the base version as well as Reference and Style, the latter offering features such as power windows and central locking. Chic and Sport packs add alloy wheels and leather steering to the equation, and for the Sport tinted windows and a sports suspension

Another brand joins the fray in that very important automotive market known as China. Spanish brand SEAT announces its impending arrival there with its participation at the Shanghai Motor Show, which begins later this week.

The aim, of course, is to establish the SEAT brand among potential customers before sales begin with the export of Spanish-assembled Leon and Ibiza models to the country in 2012.

The brand says it has identified a large demand for distinctive European cars among Chinese consumers, and believes that the timing is right to expand into that key market.

The company says its research shows that Chinese car buyers are a very design-conscious lot, valuing performance and dynamism as well as technology and state-of-the-art engineering, according to SEAT’s president James Muir. Doesn’t sound very different than in most places, does it now?