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 Verona I love you but. - 2005 Suzuki Verona
  By Andy Cloutier - November 1 - 10:40 am

  We liked what we saw, the style was very attractive, The 20" wheels look real racy and it has disc brakes all around, wow. I like the ABS and air pressure check from the dash. The 6 cylinder engine is very smooth. The pneumatic hood lifters are a plus, no need to raise the hood bar. The automatic shifter very smooth. The interior wood applique and chrome trim very are attractive. The leather intrerior, heated seats and heated outdoor mirrors are a luxury you wouldnt expect from a car this price. BUT, its gas mileage is not impressive. I am only getting 15 MPG on average. My car wobbles too much on windy days and the transmission is a little clunky when shifting, It is not a perfect world, we love it and we would give it a B+ all in all, the Verona is a nice city car.

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  VERONA, IN A CLASS BY ITSELF. - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By one800bob - July 27 - 10:00 am

  THE OTHERS HAD BETTER WATCH OUT FOR THE NEW ENTRY FROM SUZUKI. THIS IS A VALUE LIKE NO OTHER. THE WARRANTY SAYS IT ALL ON THIS NEW VEHICLE. A GREAT CAR AT A GREAT PRICE. NO OTHER CAR COMPARES. FOR THE VALUE THERE IS NO OTHER CAR ON THE MARKET. WE WERE TREATED SO WELL AT THIS DEALERSHIP. THE STAFF NEEDS TO BE COMMENDED BY THE SUZUKI HIGHER UPS ON THE WAY THE PRESENTATION OF THE CAR TOOK PLACE. THE TEST DRIVE WAS THE SELLING POINT FOR ME. GET ONE WHILE THEY STILL HAVE THEM AT THIS PRICE. CALL RICHARDSON SUZUKI, AND FEEL THE EXPERIENCE OF DEALING WITH "THE LITTLE DEALER WHO CARES" YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED.

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  2004 Suzuki Verona - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By etoufee - July 15 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely love my car. Its very roomy (nice hip room) and very comfortable inside. I love the driveability of this car. The looks are very classy. Most of all I love the standard features at this price point. I had nothing to add on and I got everything I wanted. I think it was a very good buy.

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  My Verona - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By pAUL bRAUTIGAM - June 17 - 12:40 pm

  My wife and I have enjoyed this vehicle very much. The interior and exterior styling is classy. The driving experience in town and on the highway has been extremely pleasant. The Veronas gas milage is as good as advertizied. It is the nicest vehicle we have owned in our 64 years.

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  You Cant Go Wrong With This Car! - 2005 Suzuki Verona
  By Trevon M. - June 3 - 5:36 pm

  My fiancee and I were looking for a new car and were actually were looking at a Kia Optima. But once he offered to let us test drive a 2005 Suzuki Verona, we both were drawn to it because of its design and features. It shares its lines with Toyota Camry, but is indeed a Suzuki! I was impressed with the woodgrain accents, as well as the placement of the easy to use controls in the cars interior, but was even MORE impressed with the cars handling during the test drive. It has plenty of power and a very smooth and quiet ride. The keyless entry and trunk release built into the key itself are also a plus. This is a must have ride! This comes from a die hard GM owner, whos just been turned to imports!

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  Great car for the money - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By bgdady834 - April 18 - 12:50 pm

  My Verona is a great car for the money and its is packed with a lot of features. The only problems are the wipers slip and become loose and get caught together and there is a lot of wind noise with the moonroof open. Other than that the car runs and rides great.

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  Suzuki Verona - 2006 Suzuki Verona
  By allonmyon - March 31 - 4:00 am

  I love the Suzuki Veronas great feel. It has a great ride and a great price. It just needs a little more power and youll have a great car.

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  Nice car - 2005 Suzuki Verona
  By john315 - January 5 - 7:20 am

  I bought my Verona last year and I now have about 9,000 miles and I havent really had any problems. Its only been back to the dealership for scheduled maintenances and once because the transmission had to be replaced. The car used to spuck and skit all over the place until the transmission was replaced at 3,000 miles at no extra cost. Now it runs like a gem. It has a smooth, quiet, relaxing ride, with a fairly responsive inline-6. The interior has high quality materials with a pretty decent 6-speaker audio. If you are looking for a midsize sedan and cant go over $20,000, I dont think it gets much better than this.

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  not bad but could be better - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By No - December 29 - 6:33 am

  My 2004 Suzuki Verona LX has a smooth ride, but does not deliver enough power. I cant wait for the 2007 model.

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  THIS CAR OFFERS MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK - 2004 Suzuki Verona
  By dibick99 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON THE 21ST OF OCTOBER 2003 AFTER TAKING A TEST DRIVE AND AFTER 2 WEEKS OF CHECKING IT OUT. YOU CANT BEAT THIS CAR FOR THE MONEY. IT MAKES TOYOTA AND HONDA LOOK SICK. SUZUKI WENT ALL THE WAY ON THIS ONE.IT HAS FEATURES THAT YOU CAN ONLY PAY EXTRA FOR ON THE CAMRY AND ACCORD. WHERE WAS SUZUKI ALL MY LIFE