'Chapter 23: Starting and stopping under the flight path of a Chinook helicopter.' Had I read one more chapter I might not have needed Suzuki Rescue.
As it was, I fell asleep at Chapter 22 of the Swift handbook, and missed the bit about not switching off the engine when you are deafened by a low-flying Chinook - a common occurrence if you live on top of the North Downs. But I did switch off, and overnight the battery went flat because I did not hear the gentle 'Ping-Ping' sound, which, as you open the driver's door, warns you that although the engine may have stopped, the ignition is still live, and current continues to flow.
One of the features of the Suzuki Swift Sport is a form of smart-key ignition, in which the engine is started and stopped by a rotary switch on the side of the steering column. It has an 'off' position - engine stopped and ignition lights off - and a 'really-off' position, which also isolates the ignition circuit. But if you fail to go that extra notch, and don't hear the 'Ping-Ping' warning (cue Chinook), come next morning, the battery is flat.
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a whole second faster than the Renault Twingo GT |
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Anyway, thank you Suzuki Rescue. Can I suggest you send the bill to RAF Odiham?
So, having wasted the best part of a day by a false start - or rather, stop - I was anxious to do some serious testing of Suzuki's moderately hot hatch. The really hot version is currently picking up vast numbers of points in the Junior World Rally Championship, and the road-going Swift Sport is based on that car.
Reaching 62 mph from standstill in 8.9 seconds, the Suzuki is a whole second faster than the Renault Twingo GT, and quicker than a Citroen C2 VTR, and for that matter, quicker than a MINI Cooper. Top speed is 124 mph, although I wasn't about to drive to Germany to prove it.
But unlike the Twingo, which seems like a small car made fast, the Swift is more like a fast car, made small. The figure-hugging sports seats are superb, and should say Recaro, although they don't. Add the direct steering, firm suspension, and 17-inch alloys, and you feel in competition mode, even on a trip to Sainsbury's.
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