The SEAT Málaga was SEAT’s family saloon of the late 1980s. Built from 1985 to 1991 and named after the Andalusian city, it took the place of the SEAT 131, shared its underpinnings with the SEAT Ronda and Ibiza, and 196,929 examples were made.
SEAT Málaga at a glance
| Maker | SEAT, Spain |
|---|---|
| Production | 1985–1991 |
| Internal code | 023A |
| Body | four-door saloon |
| Basis | SEAT Ronda, itself a restyled Ritmo |
| Engines | System Porsche petrol units shared with the Ibiza |
| Facelift | 1987, new grille; 1989, bumpers and body-coloured grille |
| Export name | SEAT Gredos in Greece |
| Built | 196,929 |
| Replaced by | SEAT Toledo |
This page is based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the SEAT Málaga.
History of the SEAT Málaga
A saloon from the Ronda
The Málaga was launched in 1985 as a four-door saloon, and although it is often described as a saloon version of the SEAT Ibiza, both cars were in fact based on the underpinnings of the SEAT Ronda. The Ronda was itself a heavily facelifted SEAT Ritmo, which in turn was the Spanish version of the Fiat Ritmo. In shape the Málaga came closest to the Fiat Regata, Fiat’s own saloon version of the Ritmo, but the two were developed separately: the partnership between SEAT and Fiat had already ended when both saloons were launched.
Updates and life cycle
In 1987 the Málaga received a minor redesign that changed the front grille, replacing its checkered pattern with horizontal lines. In 1989, in order to extend the model’s life until a successor arrived, SEAT gave it a second, smaller facelift: changes to the lower bumpers, different side mouldings, a grille painted in the body colour with a recess for the new SEAT logo and some minor interior alterations. The car sold relatively well in Spain but was less popular in export markets, even though it shared the same System Porsche powertrain as the Ibiza.
Gredos and the end
In Greece the car was marketed as the SEAT Gredos, after the Sierra de Gredos mountain range, because the word Málaga was considered too close to a common Greek swear word. In the United Kingdom the Málaga went on sale in September 1985 alongside the Ronda and the Ibiza, competing largely with budget cars such as the Hyundai Pony and the Lada, Škoda, Yugo and FSO. The Ronda itself was briefly sold in Britain as the SEAT Málaga hatchback. Production ended in May 1991, by which time the Volkswagen Group had taken over SEAT; the Málaga was replaced by the SEAT Toledo, the first SEAT developed entirely under Volkswagen ownership, while the Ibiza-based Córdoba saloon did not arrive until the end of 1993.
Design and features
- Saloon of the Ronda: a four-door body on the same base as the Ronda and the Ibiza.
- System Porsche engines: the same powertrain family as the Ibiza.
- Two facelifts: a new grille in 1987 and a fuller update in 1989.
- Greek alias: sold as the SEAT Gredos to avoid an unfortunate word.
SEAT Málaga versions
- Málaga (1985–1987): the original car with a checkered grille.
- Málaga (1987): grille changed to horizontal lines.
- Málaga (1989): new bumpers, side mouldings and body-coloured grille.
- Málaga hatchback: the name used in Britain for the Ronda.
The Málaga was based on the SEAT Ronda, shared its engines with the SEAT Ibiza and replaced the SEAT 131. More Spanish cars are in the SEAT collection.
Sources
- SEAT Málaga, English Wikipedia: origin, facelifts, export names, production
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