Time sure flies when you’re having fun. Never has this been truer than over the past seven months spent with the Swift Sport. CT 61 HR GP has just reached the halfway mark of its 20 000 km at CAR and it continues to serve in the long-term fleet with ease.
More team members have been picking up the Suzuki’s ke fobs, whether for the odd errand or to use it as a support vehicle on photo and video shoots. On one of the latter, the Swift bit at the heels of a Subaru WRX and Audi S3 Sedan on Franschhoek Pass – if only for the briefest moments. Despite the lack of outright grunt, the Sport fared well enough to make whoever was behind the wheel smile as the Championship Yellow warm hatch took the fight to the bigger and faster machinery
Unfortunately, the increased number of times the 1,6-litre motor has called upon its full 100 kW and 160 N.m has had a negative affect at the fuel pumps – recording up to 10,83 litres/100 km on a recent jaunt. But, with the winter rains in the Cape gradually becoming more frequent, I expect the average to return to the low sevens shortly.
There are a few trips planned for when the weather clears up, but these will have to be thought through carefully as the Swift Sport doesn’t come with a spare wheel (a mobility kit’s standard). There might even be time to squeeze in its first service at 15 000 km.
After 7 months
Mileage now: 11 178 km
Average fuel consumption: 9,06 litres/100 km
We like: hassle-free hard driving
We don’t like: no spare wheel
