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Compact car; Built in South Korea
  • 4-door hatchback
  • transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $2,300 – $4,900*


2004 Suzuki Verona


2004 Suzuki Verona


2004 Suzuki Verona


2006 Suzuki Verona

Pros:
  • Ride
Cons:
  • Acceleration

Veronas are nicely equipped, but they’re plug-ordinary in performance, where their 6-cyl acts more like the 4-cyl engines of many rivals. Verona’s lower resale values vs. more-established competitors are an advantage to used-car buyers, as is Suzuki’s transferable warranty.

Overview

Suzuki introduced a South Korean-built compact-size sedan with an unusual-for-the-class engine arrangement for 2004. Verona offered S, LX, and top-line EX models. All came with a transverse-mounted 2.5-liter inline 6-cyl engine plus a 4-speed automatic transmission and 4-wheel disc brakes. LX and EX included ABS, which was not available on the S. EX also offered optional traction control. Side airbags were unavailable. All Veronas included fog lamps, heated power mirrors, power door locks with keyless entry/alarm, power windows, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, CD/cassette stereo with steering-wheel controls, and split folding rear seat. The LX added 16-inch alloy wheels to replace 15-inch steel wheels, plus automatic climate control. EX added a sunroof, heated leather seats, and a power driver seat. Against the midsize Honda Accord and Toyota Camry it targeted, Verona was slightly shorter in both wheelbase and overall length, but a bit wider and some 250-300 lb heavier. Like other Suzukis, Verona carried a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that included roadside assistance, and transferable 7/70,000 powertrain coverage with provision for a free loaner car. Verona was designed by the bankrupt Daewoo Motor Company, Ltd., and built by GM Daewoo Automotive Technologies, which GM formed after buying parts of Daewoo. GM also owned a stake in Suzuki.

Yearly Updates

2005 Verona
Front side airbags and a tire-pressure monitor were made standard. The LX added a sunroof to its list of standard equipment.
2006 Verona
Model offerings were trimmed to just Base and Luxury. Base equipment mimicked that of the former S, Premium that of the former top-line EX. ABS was added as standard on both.

Engines

transverse front-engine/front-wheel drive

A 2.5-liter 155-hp 6-cylinder engine with 177 lb-ft of torque was offered only with a 4-speed automatic transmission.

dohc I6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 2.5/152
Engine HP 155
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 177
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

20/27

19.8

Road Test

Verona disappoints with sluggish takeoffs and mediocre midrange power. The automatic transmission shifts smoothly, but is slow to kick down for more passing power. One test car’s engine ran erratically when first started on cool mornings. Test cars averaged 19.8 mpg in a mix of city/highway driving. Suzuki recommends regular-grade fuel. Verona’s comfort-calibrated chassis and tires smother most bumps, helped by a solid-feeling structure. Large humps and dips can induce mild float, however. Handling is pleasant but hardly sporting, with slightly overboosted steering along with moderate cornering lean and grip. The brakes supply good stopping power. Unfortunately, traction control is only available on the top-line EX. Verona’s smooth-running engine sounds strained in full-throttle acceleration, but isn’t unduly loud and cruises comfortably at highway speeds. Moderate tire and wind noise are about par for the class.

The conventional-looking dashboard has clear instruments and reasonably handy controls. However, shifting requires an awkward motion of pushing down on the shift knob while moving the lever through a notchy zigzag gate. Materials are appropriate for the class, and detail workmanship is quite good. In front, there’s adult-size head and leg room, though lanky drivers may feel squeezed. Seats are quite ordinary but comfortable enough. Visibility is about average for a sedan. In back, three adults will be pinched, but two 6-footers have decent leg room even behind a tall front-seater, plus good foot and head room. The seatback seems raked a bit much for long-haul comfort. Entry/exit is about class-average. Sickle-shaped trunklid hinges intrude some into a usable but average-size trunk. Releases for the standard split folding rear seatbacks are inside and somewhat inboard, so they require stretching to reach. Cabin storage is nothing special, but a self-propping hood with gas strut is an upscale convenience.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2004 Suzuki Verona

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 3
30%
Fuel Economy - 5
50%
Ride Quality - 6
60%
Steering/Handling - 5
50%
Quietness - 6
60%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Front - 6
60%
Room/Comfort Rear - 6
60%
Cargo Room - 3
30%

Other

Value - 6
60%

Total: 52

Specifications

4-door hatchback
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
106.3 187.8 71.5 57.1
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
13.4 17.2 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.1 37.3 42.2 37.8
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2005 Verona 4-door hatchback

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 3
60%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Audio system
Description: The radio may do strange things such as turn off when the remote (steering wheel) control for volume is pressed, may switch stations randomly, or go off without command due to a bad ground connection in the steering column. (2004)
Steering problems
Description: A campaign was conducted to replace the power steering pulley which could come apart. (2005-06)
Electrical problem
Description: Damaged insulation on wiring harness between left fender and its liner results in a short or opens, causing various components (from lights, fuel pump, rear defogger, etc.–about 40 circuits in all) to quit working. (2004-05)
Electrical problem
Description: A false trouble code (and possible check engine light) due to software problem and dealers were flashing computers on all vehicles in for any service. Look for reprogramming label (BNH, 1BNL, 1BNF or 1BNJ) in glove box indicating work done. (2004-05)

Recall History

2004 Verona
Description: A malfunctioning brake-light switch could cause the brake lights to remain on, even without the driver’s foot on the brake pedal. Following drivers would not be able to tell when the brakes had been applied, which could result in a crash. The dealer will replace the brake-light switch.
2005 Verona
Description: The power-steering-pump pulley may separate from the pump, causing sudden heavy steering due to a lack of power assist. It can also lead to engine overheating, battery discharge, or engine stalling. The dealer will inspect, and if necessary, replace the power-steering-pump pulley.
2006 Verona
Description: The power-steering-pump pulley may separate from the pump, causing sudden heavy steering due to a lack of power assist. It can also lead to engine overheating, battery discharge, or engine stalling. The dealer will inspect, and if necessary, replace the power-steering-pump pulley.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on November 6, 2014.
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