Overview & Reviews

Quentin Crisp once said, "If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style." It's a message Suzuki wisely took to heart in its expeditious handling of the short-lived Verona.

Sold as the Daewoo Magnus internationally, the Suzuki Verona was launched on U.S. shores in model-year 2004, a reflection of Suzuki's desire to carve its niche in the lucrative midsize sedan segment. The Verona came armed with one of the lowest price tags in the segment, along with a decent interior and pleasant ride quality. Still, it became immediately apparent that the sedan's modest charms weren't enough to lure buyers in this highly competitive segment.

Suzuki's sales goals were by no means overly ambitious -- the manufacturer hoped to sell a meager 25,000 Veronas per year. Sales fell short of even these humble expectations as consumers were turned off by the car's lack of key safety features and unimpressive handling and performance. Suzuki quickly called it a day, killing the Verona in 2006. However, the manufacturer hasn't let go of its dream of conquering the midsize sedan segment. Suzuki has announced plans to re-enter the category in the near future with an all-new vehicle.

Most Recent Suzuki Verona

Available in a single generation spanning 2004-'06, the Suzuki Verona midsize sedan was the largest car in Suzuki's roster at this time. With one of the lowest price tags in its segment, this Suzuki was designed to appeal to buyers wanting an inexpensive way into the midsize sedan category.

Verona buyers got a car with handsome though nondescript looks, and a wheelbase roughly equal to that of a Honda Accord. The most inexpensive Verona was the S trim, which came with keyless entry, 15-inch wheels, cruise control, air-conditioning, full power accessories and a CD player. Next up was the LX, which added climate control, 16-inch alloys and auxiliary remote steering wheel controls. Those who chose the Verona EX benefited from additional features like an electrochromatic rearview mirror, heated seats and a power moonroof. Traction control was the only option, available solely on the EX.

This family sedan was more notable for what it didn't offer than for what it did. Convenience features like a tilt and telescoping steering wheel and one-touch up/down windows weren't available, even though they were commonly found elsewhere in the midsize segment. Also absent was an in-dash CD changer. Its safety features list also came up short, as the Verona initially failed to offer side and head curtain airbags. (Side airbags were eventually added, however.)

Inside its cabin, the Suzuki Verona drew favorable comparisons to the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Passat. Gauges were pleasant to look at and some materials did a nice job of conveying an air of quality. Materials weren't universally up to snuff, though. The Verona's leather was coarse to the touch, and plastics on the dash felt cheap. Control stalks were flimsy relative to those of other cars in its class.

The car's engine, a 2.5-liter inline six-cylinder producing 155 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, struggled laboriously to help the Verona accomplish even the most basic passing maneuvers and distinguished itself as one of the weakest in its class -- even relative to competing sedans' inline four-cylinder engines. On the plus side, the car's four-speed transmission made the best of the situation with well-timed shifts.

Suzuki took steps to make the Verona more palatable. In 2005, the car got long-overdue side airbags, along with a standard tire-pressure monitoring system and a trunk-mounted tool case. LX models benefited from a standard sunroof. Antilock brakes became standard in 2006; the trim lineup was also condensed into two trims, the Base (which was similar to the former S) and the Luxury (similar to the ES).

In editorial reviews, the Suzuki Verona's driving experience proved to be a disappointment. Acceleration was lackluster and the car was wobbly around turns; steering, too, came up short, feeling disconnected from the road. In its favor, the Verona offered capable brakes and a comfortable ride.

In the end, though, even Clarence Darrow would be hard-pressed to win a case for the Verona. Although inoffensive, it simply didn't measure up to its rivals; in an Edmunds.com comparison test of 10 midsize sedans, the Suzuki Verona was the last-place finisher. Used-car buyers seeking dirt-cheap prices in this segment would be better served by choices like the Hyundai Sonata or Chevrolet Malibu instead.

User Reviews:

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  My NEW Car - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By val - December 28 - 4:30 am

  This car has been great, other than a few minor problems (break light and heater malfunctions). The dealership quickly fixed both problems with no expense to me. Although, I have had an ongoing problem with the steering wheel stereo controls. The dealership was unable to find the cause of the problem. In December of last year we drove all the way to northern Florida with no trouble at all. In fact, the ride was quite nice and enjoyable.

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  complaint - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By febaby - November 30 - 10:00 am

  My Verona was fine the first two months. I got an oil change and two months later the oil light started coming on and off. Finally, it stayed on continuously. The car started to tick while the light was on and the car sounded like a tractor. I took it to be serviced on July 19, 2004 and it is still there. They told me it was the oil pump, oil gauge, and then they relaced the motor. Now they are saying it is idling high. I think they need to replace my car. It has been a month and a half since I have driven my car.

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  Good Car - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By RallyKoRn - October 19 - 10:00 am

  This car really is big. Compared to other sedans, such as the Accord and Camry, this to me was the biggest. The exterior design is okay and its a pleasure to wash. Leather is really nice on road trips as well as the sunroof. Planning on keeping this car for quite a while.

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  Love the car - hate the gas milage! - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By Cquick - September 16 - 2:00 am

  Love our Verona - got a great deal. But the gas milage during city commutes is not a good as I had hoped. Seat belts in back are difficult to manuever - but otherwise, look and feel is great.

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  My Verona - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By James2 - June 12 - 10:00 am

  I own a 2004 verona, I traded in my 2000 Daewoo Leganza which is basically the same type of car, the Verona has a bunch of std. features on it that you dont usually find on a $17,350 car, such as fullsize spare tire,heated outside mirrors, cruise/tilt and my favorite audio steering wheel controls along with pw,pl, pwr mirrors, the Verona has been in the shop twice, once for the recall of slow acceleration, andf the second was because it seemed like it wanted to stall after starting cold. Both were fixxed and the car runs good, I would reccommend this car to anyone on a budget, who wants a good size car for a small price,I am 64 and 360 lbs and fit well

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  Verona, Not Bad. - 2005 Suzuki Verona
  By Alienpath - January 4 - 9:36 pm

  The Veronas ride is probably one of its best features. In my opinion, it blows the Accord away in comfort. Its design is maybe a bit old school, but very nice and classy. Its engine is smooth running and rather quiet, until you step on it. Theres a lot of bang for the buck with the Verona Luxury model. Its only unknown is its reliability, which remains to be seen.