2004-2006 Suzuki Verona
Although we tend to associate Japanese car maker Suzuki with low-cost econo-boxes and compact SUVs (plus motorcycles, of course), it briefly fielded a mid-size sedan in North America, from 2004 to 2006.
Nicely styled and well-equipped, the Verona was distinct in one other area; it had an inline-six-cylinder engine, mounted transversely. By far, the majority of front-drive cars have either a four-banger or V-6 for power, and the Verona was one of a kind in that regard.
Virtually identical to the then-new Chevrolet Epica, the Verona was one of the first products of the General Motors/Daewoo collaboration, and was built at the General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology Co. - or GMDAT - facility in Bupyong, South Korea. Suzuki also had a financial stake in the South Korean company and, aside from badging and equipment levels, there wasn't much to separate the two cars.
Displacing 2.5 litres, the Verona/Epica's powerplant had four valves per cylinder and dual overhead camshafts. It developed 155 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 177 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm.
When you consider that Honda's four-cylinder Accord DX of the same vintage developed 160 horses and the Camry LE only slightly less, that kind of put the Verona at a disadvantage. But what the Verona's engine did have in abundance was a nice flat power curve and built-in refinement. Inline-sixes are the smoothest of engine configurations - just look at BMW -and this one worked nicely in a front-drive configuration.
There was only one transmission choice, a four-speed automatic with a "learning" function that adapted to the driver's driving habits.
The Verona came in two trim levels (GL and GLX), was roughly the same length as the Honda Accord Coupe or Hyundai Sonata and was almost identical in width to the Accord sedan. It weighed 1,533 kg and the trunk had 380 litres of cargo capacity. These dimensions were, and are, pretty typical of most import, mid-size, four-door sedans.
For the just-below-$23,000 base price, you got four-wheel disc brakes, air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, dual stage front airbags, engine block heater, 50/50-folding rear seat and a full-size spare tire. The GLX was $2,700 pricier and featured ABS, a climate control system, alloy wheels, power sunroof and a power driver's seat. Both versions had wood trim.
The Verona was a capable cruiser and effortless to drive around town. Fuel economy was decent, but not outstanding: 11.9 L/100 km around town and 7.9 on the highway. These numbers were quite close to the Accord/Camry V-6 models.
Where it held its own was in NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) suppression. Thanks to multiple layers of sound-deadening material in the floor and firewall - and that inline-six - it was on a par with the segment leaders.
Styled by Giorgietto Giugiaro's ItalDesign studio, the Verona had a subtle European flavour to it with typically conservative lines, and definitely did not stand out in a crowd. That's because it wasn't supposed to.
There are two safety recalls to report from Transport Canada. One concerns a potentially faulty brake light switch, the other a possible glitch in the electronic control module. Both are apparently easily fixed.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has these two on file as well, plus seat belt buckle and airbag problems for the 2004 models. The latter of these two sounds serious and involves airbags going off in "improper" sequence in a front-ender, with potentially disastrous consequences.
NHTSA also reports a possibly flawed power steering pump pulley that can allow the belt to slip off, resulting in an overheated engine or drained battery.
NHTSA has more than 40 technical service bulletins for the Verona, and they run the gamut. Engine cooling and transmission issues seem to predominate, but there are goodies like a loose-fitting oil drain plug, "electrical" noise from the radio when tuned into AM stations, an unco-operative sunroof mechanism and so on.
Consumer Reports has almost nothing on the Verona, but market research firm J.D. Power doesn't like it much at all. This organization gives it failing marks in just about every category, with the exception of styling and interior quality, and its predicted reliability is rated below average.
Depending upon the year and trim level, you can expect to pay anywhere from about $7,500 to the mid-$13,000 range for a Suzuki Verona. Considering its less-than-stellar ratings, these numbers are a bit of a surprise.
2004-2006 SUZUKI VERONA
Original Base Price: $22,995; Black Book Value: $7,150-$11,500; Red Book Value: $7,575-$13,575
Engine: 2.5-litre, inline-six-cylinder
Horsepower/Torque: 155 hp/177 lb-ft
Transmission: Four-speed automatic
Drive: Front-wheel-drive
Fuel Economy (litres/100 km): 11.9 city/7.9 highway; regular gas
Alternatives: Hyundai Sonata, Chrysler Sebring, Honda Accord DX, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Camry LE, Nissan Altima