Vehicle: 2004 Suzuki Verona GL
Price as tested: CDN$22995

Performance: The Verona is the 2nd FWD vehicle that uses a straight 6 powerplant, other than Volvo S80. The 2 and a half liter straight 6 bumps out 155 horses and 177 lb/ft of torque. While its smoothness and refinement are enough to challenge BMW’s benchmark quality, its power is somewhat lacking even when compares to its rival’s 4 bangers. Its 177 lb/ft of torque arrives at 4k rpm barely feels adequate when accelerated off the traffic light, however, its top-range feels pretty decent thanks to its in-line 6 quality. The throttle response is quite responsive and linear. The saving grace for this I-6′s sluggishness is the smart 4-speed auto tranny. Its fuzzy logic system learns the driver’s right foot really quickly. That means it never hunts for the right gear and adapts each driver’s behaviour very quickly.

Handling: Verona is one of the most comfortable riding cars in its class thanks to its softly sprung setting. The ride quality has rivalled some of the more expensive cars available on the market, say a Mercedes E-Class. However, there are lots of body rolls and understeer when pushed through corners. While the steering has decent response, its somewhat lacking in terms of driver feedback and communication. Its also has a rather vague feel when doing left/right transitions. The 15″ tires standard on the GL model we tested tend to scream out when going out of each corner. Hopefully, the extra inch on the uplevel GLS can solve that.

Brakes: Another criticism of the Verona is you can’t get ABS in the base GL model, regardless of cost. That’s despite the brake pedal provides good pedal feel and modulation. Suzuki should make ABS as standard feature considering Verona’s starting price is 22 grand.

Interior: The use of materials inside the Verona can surprise many of the so-called luxury cars. Seats are covered with classy velour that feels soft and smooth to the touch, they also provide good supports. There are many soft-touched plastic on the center console and dashboard. The white instrumentation gauges are clear and easy to read. Although the climate control switches are small, they are ergonomically enough to use. The back seat is comfortable with plenty of head and legrooms.

At the back of the trunk, it got a low liftover with 60/40 split fold-down rear seats. However, the use of instrusive hinges is not a smart idea because it would crash into any lugguge right below it.

Conclusion: Verona should serve well as the first Suzuki mid-sizer. It good enough for those who are driving an Aerio and Vitara to upgrade to a mid-size sedan without going to the competitors. It would also be a good buy for those who want a V6 sedan at a very affordable price which is a few thousand dollars undercut its rivals.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 SUZUKI VERONA GL
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3.75/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 3/5