2006 Suzuki Verona Full Review - Consumer Guide Automotive

Suzuki's largest car trims its model offerings and gets additional standard equipment for 2006. Verona drops its S, LX, and EX trim levels and now comes in base and Luxury versions. Both have a 2.5-liter inline 6-cyl engine and 4-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment includes front side airbags, and--new for '06--antilock 4-wheel disc brakes. Also standard are power windows/locks/heated mirrors, keyless entry, air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, height-adjustable driver seat, CD/cassette stereo with steering-wheel controls, and split folding rear seat. The Luxury adds 16-inch alloy wheels to replace 15-inch steel wheels, plus automatic climate control, sunroof, leather upholstery, heated front seats, and power driver seat; optional is a traction-control system.

Competition

Consumer Guide® Automotive places each vehicle into one of 17 classes based on size, price, and market position. Midsize Cars represent the heart of the U.S. car market. Most are price-sensitive, conservatively designed, family oriented sedans and wagons.

Our Best Buys include Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Our Recommended picks include Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, and Subaru Outback and Legacy.

New or significantly redesigned models include Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Volkswagen Passat.

News

Verona won't be back for 2007, a victim of early quality problems and an undersized engine that held sales way below Suzuki's projections. A Suzuki spokesman says an improved version or a different midsize sedan may be substituted at some point, but would not say when that might happen.

2006 Suzuki Verona Road Test

Pros	Cons

Ride	Acceleration

Consumer Guide® Road Test Ratings

Acceleration

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
3	5.6

Verona disappoints with sluggish takeoffs and mediocre midrange power. Automatic transmission smooth, but slow to kick down for more passing power. One test car's engine ran erratically when first started on cool mornings.

Fuel Economy

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
5	5.2

Test cars averaged 19.8-20.9 mpg in a mix of city/highway driving. Suzuki recommends regular-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
6	6.1

Comfort-calibrated suspension and tires smother most bumps, helped by solid-feeling structure. Large humps and dips can induce mild float, however.

Steering/Handling/Braking

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
5	6.1

Slightly overboosted steering, moderate cornering lean, but less agile and grippy than Mazda 6. Better-quality tires would help. Good stopping power. We'd like traction control available for all Veronas, not just the top-line Luxury model.

Quietness

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
6	6.2

Smooth-running engine sounds strained in full-throttle acceleration, but isn't unduly loud and cruises comfortably at highway speeds. Tire and wind noise about par for the class.

Controls

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
6	6.8

Conventional-looking dashboard with clear instruments and reasonably handy controls. However, shifting to reverse from drive or neutral requires awkward motion of pushing down on knob while moving lever through notchy zigzag gate. Materials appropriate for the price. Detail workmanship quite good.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
6	6.6

Adult-size head and leg room, though lanky riders may feel squeezed. Ordinary seats, but comfortable enough. Visibility average.

Room/Comfort (rear)

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
6	5

Three adults will be pinched, but two six-footers have decent leg room even behind a tall front-seater, plus good foot and head room. Seatback seems raked a bit much for long-haul comfort.

Cargo Room

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
3	4.5

Sickle-shaped trunklid hinges intrude some into a usable but average-size trunk. Releases for folding rear seat are inside and mounted inboard and require a stretch to reach. Cupholders and cabin storage nothing special.

Value within Class

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
6	6.1

Verona is nicely equipped for its price and boasts a strong warranty, but it's plug-ordinary in performance, where its 6-cyl acts more like the 4-cyl engines of many rivals. Also, this Suzuki is likely to suffer lower resale values vs. more-established competitors.

Total Score

Luxury w/traction control	Class Average
52	58.2

Scores for all Midsize Cars

Low Score		44
Average Score		58
High Score		70

2006 Suzuki Verona Prices & Equipment

Model Prices

Prices Updated: 06/13/2006

Trim Name	Retail Price	Dealer Invoice	Destination Charge

Base 4-door sedan	$18,299	$17,567	$580

Luxury 4-door sedan	$20,299	$19,487	$580

Pricing Key: Retail prices listed with each report are set by the vehicle's manufacturer. These figures appear on each car's federally mandated window sticker. Most price lists also include dealer-invoice prices. Dealer-invoice prices are what the dealer pays the manufacturer for the car and its factory-installed options. The destination charge is not included in the suggested-retail or dealer-invoice price and must be added to the cost of the vehicle. Car companies change prices frequently throughout the year. If the prices published do not match those on the vehicle's window sticker, the manufacturer has probably altered the price recently.

NA = price note available, NC = no charge.

Rebates and Incentives

There are no rebates or incentives at this time.

Consumer Guide®'s Rebates and Incentives represent a summary of national manufacturer programs available. Regional restrictions may apply, and offerings may vary by model. For a complete list of Rebate & Incentive programs click here.

Standard Equipment

Base

Powertrain

2.5-liter 6-cylinder engine, 4-speed automatic transmission.

Safety

Dual front airbags, front side airbags, antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, tire-pressure monitor, emergency inside trunklid release, daytime running lights.

Comfort and Convenience Features

Power steering, tilt leather-wrapped steering w/radio controls, cruise control, air conditioning, interior air filter, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, driver-seat height and lumbar adjustment, center console, cupholders, split folding rear seat, heated power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, digital clock, tachometer, variable-intermittent wipers, illuminated visor mirrors, map lights, rear defogger, floormats.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

Theft-deterrent system, fog lights, 205/65R15 tires, wheel covers.

Luxury adds to Base:

Comfort and Convenience Features

Leather upholstery, heated front seats, 8-way power driver seat, automatic climate control, power sunroof, outside-temperature indicator, automatic day/night rearview mirror.

Appearance and Miscellaneous

205/55R16 tires, alloy wheels.

Optional Equipment

Powertrain	Retail Price	Invoice Price
Traction control
Luxury	$500	$480

2006 Suzuki Verona Specs & Safety

Vehicle Dimensions

Specification	Suzuki Verona 4-door sedan

Wheelbase, in.	106.3

Overall Length, in.	187.8

Overall Width, in.	71.5

Overall Height, in.	57.1

Curb Weight, lbs.	3380

Cargo Volume, cu. ft.	13.4

Standard Payload, lbs.	--

Fuel Capacity, gals.	17.2

Seating Capacity	5

Front Head Room, in.	39.1

Max. Front Leg Room, in.	42.2

Rear Head Room, in.	37.3

Max. Rear Leg Room, in.	37.8

Specifications Key: NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Engines

	dohc I6

Size, liters/cu. in.	2.5 /152

Horsepower @ rpm.	155 @ 5800

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm.	177 @ 4000

Availability	Standard

EPA City / highway mpg

4-speed automatic	20/27

Engine Key: l/cu in. = liters/cubic inches; ohv = overhead valve; ohc = overhead camshaft; dohc = dual overhead camshaft; I = inline cylinders; H = horizonally opposed cylinders; V = cylinders in a V configuration; W = cylinders in a W configuration; rpm = revolutions per minute; CVT = continuously variable (automatic) transmission; NA = not available; "--" = measurement does not exist.

Safety Features

Antilock Brakes

Traction Control

Antiskid System

Front Side Airbags

Curtain Side Airbags

Rear Side Airbags

NHTSA Crash-Test Results

Test	Suzuki Verona 4-door sedan

Front Impact, Driver	3

Front Impact, Passenger	4

Rollover Resistance	4

Side Impact, Driver	4

Side Impact, Rear Passenger	3

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests a vehicle's worthiness in front- and side-impact collisions and rates its resistance to rollovers. Front-impact crash-test numbers indicate the chance of serious injury: 5 = 10% or less; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-35%; 2 = 35-45%; 1 = More than 45%. Side-impact crash-test numbers indicate: 5 = 5% or less; 4 = 6-10%; 3 = 11-20%; 2 = 21-25%; 1 = More than 26%. Rollover resistance numbers indicate the chance for rollover when the vehicle leaves the roadway: 5 = Less than 10%; 4 = 10-20%; 3 = 20-30%; 2 = 30-40%; 1 = More than 40%.

Manufacturer's Warranty

Class	Years/Miles	Comments

Powertrain	7/100,000	--

Bumper-to-bumper	3/36,000	--

Corrosion	3/unlimited	--

Free roadside assistance	3/36,000	--

Free scheduled maintenance	None/--	--

Manufacturers may periodically offer additional coverage as a purchase incentive. There offers are not reflected on this chart. The federal government requires two other warranties. The Exhaust Emission Warranty covers corrosion-related parts for 2 years/24,000 miles, plus 8 years/80,000 miles on the catalytic converter and any on-board diagnostic device. The Passenger Restraint Warranty covers seat belts and airbags for 5 years/50,000 miles.

Built in: South Korea

Drivewheels: front-wheel drive

Tester's Comments

(what's this?)

Vehicle Evaluated: 2006 Suzuki Verona
Trim Level: Base
Arrival Date: 01/20/2006
Engine: dohc I6
Bodystyle: 4-door sedan
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
4WD/AWD: No
Base Price: $18,298
Price as Tested: $18,299
Mileage at Beginning of Test: 3429
Mileage at End of Test: 3734
Total Measured Miles:
Total Fuel Used: 11.944 gals.

Major Options: N/A

Consumer Guide® Fuel Economy: 20.93 mpg (what's this?)

Problems During Test: None

From The Back Seat
Damon Bell The Verona fails to impress dynamically, but assembly quality is decent and the price is right.

John Biel The Verona sells on price and, frankly, it has to. If you get a great deal on one, fine. Otherwise, there's nothing here that says "you must possess me!"

< 2006 Suzuki Verona Photos

Also in the 2006 Suzuki Verona Review:

Suzuki Verona

Suzuki Verona Road Test

Suzuki Verona Prices & Equipment

Suzuki Verona Specs & Safety

Suzuki Verona Photos

Suzuki Verona Full Review

All Suzuki Veronas

All Suzukis

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