Suzuki Verona

rasup

I must say that was a balanced review. The review left it to the reader to almost go in for a test ride to check the plus and minus of the Car. My Verona's doing exceedingly well. The trans also seems to get into its own after the miles. One wonders why fewer ad's of the Verona appears on TV nowadays. I loved the Ad. Is Verona doing very well on the sales front that AD's are not needed too many?.

veronaowner

I think that was an invitation to test drive the vehicle and if accepted form ones own opinion of the car. He did mention some of the finer points of the standard equipment. I too have not seen many ads lately. As for the waiting ten seconds at idle when first starting the car, I think that is a good standard to have. Also allows for the flowing of the oil to various engine parts and may help eliminate excessive engine wear. I also have noticed the cruise control slow to react to the speed selected or I an doing something wrong when setting it. It does seem to lose 2-4 mph. I still like to drive my Verona.
I hope all owners enjoy theirs.

lngtonge18

This is a Suzuki trademark. My 03 Aerio was constantly aggravating me with how slow the cruise was to engage.

lngtonge18

This is a Suzuki trademark. My 03 Aerio was constantly aggravating me with how slow the cruise was to engage.

rasup

I just completed 1000.... The going has been smooth as silk. The Car is really appreciated by one and all who see and experience the ride. My kids love the space in the rear seat. The heating and sound system work very well. The Car has got smoother and the tranny has " adapted". There is absolutely no problem getting on the highway from ramps.... The brakes feel solid. I just feel the car is doing better and better as the miles go by. I have no cold start problems or hesitation on gear shifts. I'm glad I got the Verona. The going's been great so far.

tekrek

My Verona just turned 3400 miles and I took a short trip this past weekend. I drove 100 miles highway and about 280 city/highway combined for a total of 380 miles. Upon fill up I computed 25.99 mpg. The 100 mile highway driving portion was at speeds of 75+ mph.. Prior to this trip I’d been averaging 23 mpg.
  I’ve noticed upon startup with the climate control on auto the defroster comes on for the first minute or two. This may be in part responsible for the cold start stumble some have written about as the air conditioner will be used to assist the defrosters. Just an idea.

rasup

I have noted that with miles the accelaration and performance of the Verona dramatically improve. My Car does better than before even after 1100 miles. What do other Verona owners feel?. Also how do you guys feel about the company service provided by suzuki dealers?
Happy driving!

veronaowner

I have about 1300 miles on my Verona now and I am still only getting about 18 mpg, but that is in town. I have not been on a trip with it. The transmission is still shifting very smooth. I have adopted the 10 second idle at start up before shifting the transmission to D or R.
As for service, my dealer is also the Chrysler dealer and I own a Chrysler Concorde and I get very good service at the dealer for both vehicles. I have to find out what SAE oil they use, as the Verona manual says one should use only 5W-30 or 10W-40 it the 5W-30 is not available. The manual also says 10W-30 should not be used. I am getting a lot of owner surveys from different marketing survey companies. I completed one from Suzuki and refuse to complete the other ones.

boughtaverona

I just had my first oil change this past weekend. Probably waited too long, 5,600 miles. The manual recommends 7,500 miles for normal conditions and 3,000 for extreme conditions. My mechanic tells me that urban driving is extreme conditions and I should stick with 3,000 mile intervals from now on. Anyway, when I gave my mechanic the owner manual recommendations of 5w30 SL grade or 10W40 SJ grade, he came back at me by saying that in this climate (I live in San Diego) everyone uses 10W -30 and so that's what I agreed he should put in. My question for you, VeronaOwner, is where exactly in the manual did you see that 10W -30 is NOT to be used and for anyone else out there....is this really something important. By the way, my mechanic had to get the filter from the Suzuki dealer. According to him, comparable aftermarket filters are not showing up in his database yet. He showed the filter to me. It looks like a pretty much run of the mill standard size filter to me. He did tell me it took almost 7 quarts of oil to fill it up.

veronaowner

Check page 5-9 upper left corner second para and I quote" Do not use other viscosity oil such as SAE 10W-30 or 20W-50 under any conditions." What kind of engine oil to use starts on page 5-8.
There was another post (don't remember who or when) about the oil filter. Some one had the oil changed and the one doing the oil change did not have a filter. And yes, it takes almost 7 qts, check page 5-48. If your mechanic has to get the filter from the dealer, why not let the dealer do the oil changes as they should know the type of oil to use and always have a record to use if needed for the warrantee. I find my dealer is no more expensive than the oil change stations around town as I checked on cost. Hope this helps. By the way, I am in East Central Florida.

boughtaverona

Thanks Veronaowner. I see it in the manual now...although I still don't understand it. I'm not going to run out and get the oil changed, but next time I guess I'll insist on 5W-30. My dealer is by appointment only and a hassle to get to, so for basic oil changes I am hoping to go elsewhere. Car is running great.

lngtonge18

How odd that Suzuki states that about 10W-30. That oil is no worse then 10W-40 so it doesn't make any sense. The 5W-30 is being used more often nowadays to help increase fuel economy, but its not like its any better at lubricating the engine. I'd have to question what their reason is behind not using 10W-30.

fwatson

The only reason I can see for the 40 instead of 30 is that it would protect better at extreme high engine temperatures. OTOH, the reason for 20 instead of 30 would be that it is thinner at very low temperatures.

Under normal driving conditions I can't imagine needing the 40, expecially with 7 quarts of oil in your engine, but if you live in a cold climate the 5 or 10 rating might help with starting and immediate oil circulation in the winter.

Their recommendations don't seem to make any sense. Whatever their reason though, it doesn't cost any more to follow their advice than to ignore it. I'd follow it for warranty reasons.

hsche

Hello all. have about 2,000 miles on my Verona and still love it.

Had a disturbing occurrence on Friday. I parked the car and ran into a store. When I came out, I started the car, but I could not shift out of Park. I pressed and released brake a few times, but still could not get it to catch. I turned the car off, waited a minute or two, restarted the car, but still could not get the car to shift out of Park. I was parked on an incline, so that might explain why I could not get it out of park. Finally, I popped off the plastic cover (not easy) and put my key into the shift lock space and I was able to shift out of park. I attributed the problem to being parked on an incline.

However, when I left work a few hours later, the car was parked in a level space in a garage. I started the car and could not shift out of park. Had to go the shift lock key route.

Have not experienced the issue again. Any thoughts?

rctennis3811

The Verona was in the IIHS bumper test lately. Score: marginal

veronaowner

There is something in the owners manual about the experience you had with the shift lever. I do not remember in what area of the manual. I have not experienced that problem.

tekrek

I thought I'd provide the address for the IIHS 5 MPH crash ratings so some of our readers can conveniently compare some other midsize vehicles with Verona. It is: http://www.hwysafety.org/news%5Freleases/2004/pr022904.htm

tekrek

Since this forum has been a little quiet lately I thought I'd throw my two cents in about the IIHS crash tests and how they aid me in my buying decisions. They don't! And as for the IIHS, any group starting with the words "Insurance Institute" makes me instinctively reach for my wallet. The IIHS serves only one purpose, to further increase the profits of the insurance industry. Any other perceived benefits are merely illusory. Don't misunderstand me as I come to praise them not to criticize them.
Regarding bumper tests I suggest you try not to bump your car(any car for that matter) into any object more sturdy than an empty plastic trash can and expect not to damage it. If you do have a mishap while driving do whatever it takes to keep your insurance company from finding out and god forbid have them pay anything. When I say do anything that includes paying for the damages yourself and bribing public officials.
Now insurance companies are really great folks. If you are a good boy or girl, pay them outrageous fees to cash and keep your checks on a regular basis and never ever trouble them with any other paper work you will (if you are lucky and live to attain an older age bracket) realize a general decrease in the fee you pay them to cash and keep your checks. I should add that if you should be involved in an accident and are not able to pay for the damages or bribe public officials then the insurance industry is more than happy to serve you/themselves. For further information see usurious.

bmcclain

I feel the same way, tekrek, especially considering all of the other industry scandals and conspiracies (Got Milk? One of the biggest www.notmilk.com)The problem these bumper tests have absolutely nothing to do with "Highway Safety". Shouldn't they spend that time for making more sensational to dooms day reports?

I would like bumpers that cost little to replace. However, the IIHS comes up with the huge figures for such a small test because it pays to have the car repaired to be sold as new. Every scratch, dent, broken plastic, and so on. In reality, most (from my prospective) would simply drive around without replacing anything. Pop the bumper back out, or replace a headlight. I would, vs. making a claim or paying out of my pocket. Most of the "damage" is invisible anyway. Even if the other car was at fault, wouldn't it be tempting to pocket the money?

I've thought about this: since they buy these cars off of the lot with no one knowing, how can they possibly explain the damage to the shop repair guy without blaming it on "driving under the influence while parallel parking?" Heh. Front bumper, side fender, rear into a pole, and so on.

rctennis3811

Well, you don't have to listen to them. They are in fact funded by insurance companies to find out figures on anything that could cause one to file a claim. People file claims to get their bumpers fixed, so why not do a test on it? Somehow I think the IIHS is a good thing since it tells automakers their faults and they then have the chance to improve it if they want. Nothing bad! I really do wish the Verona did better, but thank goodness it didn't get a POOR! I'm only expecting good things from a front crash test!

rasup

I agree with rctennis and others in their varied opinion. Whatever the results the Car makers do get cues to improve their models. I would however like to know what relationship does the bumper test have with the Overall safety of the car and the frontal crash test. Like others I am waiting for the crash test results for the Verona. Nevertheless the most important aspect of safety is Safe driving practice. No matter what the test ratings are, if you overspeed or do not follow safe driving rules ( that includes alchohol levels ) the chances of fatalities are very high.

rasup

Thats a strange problem...Have you asked your dealer?.I have not had this problem. I hope you can get the solution and share it with us..

pat

Consumers' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2004 Survey is posted and ready for your input!

carrino

Hello all, 4000 miles in 3 months and what a great car. Regarding crash tests on the verona, I e-mailed the institute that performs the crash tests,and they said there was no plans to crash test this vehicle. So unless they change their mind,we will never find out.

rctennis3811

The Verona has already been side-impact tested by the IIHS and details are probably going to be released probably in a month. It'll also be featured on Dateline when released. The Verona was side-impact crash-tested along with the Galant, Malibu, MAZDA6, Accord, Camry, and the rest.

chuck1

They are called different things but there is a switch on the brake pedal that does something to release the gear selector so you can switch to drive (or first gear) in cars. It's a little strange but the Daewoo Leganza had a known problem with this part. I wonder if it's showing up again!

aristotle

in order to compete in this overcrowded segment you have to offer horsepower of at least 200 hp. I agree that the current 170 hp should be more than adequate in most /all situations. But when comparing 2 cars with the same EPA (mpg) ratings people generally tend to favor a car with more horsepower. Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are very fuel efficient despite the higher horspower on their V6 engines.

This cars needs more horsepower and better fuel efficiency. I will concede that the car looks very very nice inside and outside. Let them fix the 2 things and I will buy a 2005 Verona.

tekrek

Please notice Aristotle this isn’t directed toward you directly just the likes of you. Give up on the possibility of buying a Verona and go to the likes of Toyota and Nissan groups to vent on the lack of horsepower and MPG. There is no likelihood of Suzuki dropping a more powerful and frugal engine in the Verona or Toyota and Nissan dropping their price by $4,000.00 to $6,000.00. The savings I get from buying a Verona will more than make up for any lack of performance or mileage the 2.5 liter engine gives me when compared to other more powerful and efficient vehicles. It’s power is way more than adequate for daily driving needs and I can live with the MPG with gas prices at $2.00 a gallon. The need for more horsepower and MPG is a simplistic argument against the Verona (or any auto) and not sufficient to meet the needs of today’s auto buying public. If you want to be an auto buying snob then there are lots of other cars out there to buy such as BMW and Porsche. Perchance the BMW 745LI Porsche 911 Turbo will drop their prices to meet your pocketbook. The Verona doesn’t begin to meet their stats! There was a time when all autos had to have a vinyl roof to be considered a luxury car and today I dare you to tell me one that has such a roof. So give it up. Seek out another group and buy another auto.
I went to the local Auto Show here in Kansas City and was overwhelmed with acute sticker shock! I mean the price other manufacturers want for cars comparably equipped to the Verona is just stupefying. And I’m not talking about the likes of Lexus, Acura and Cadillac. Chevrolet seems to be married to the new Malibu. I found the Suzuki display to be a safe haven from the high price of owning an automobile. And lets face it, aren’t all cars going to end up in the junkyard one of these days? So save your hard earned money and buy a car that gives you a nice blend of price, performance and luxury.

boughtaverona

I'm a huge fan of the Verona and the value one gets with it. I also get tired of the car getting dismissed as not worthy based on comparisons of engine performance with the competition. I've got 6,000 miles and the car and it has been great...but Tekrek I think you are being a bit harsh on Aristotle and similar thinkers. Value is also realized through reliability, not just the sticker price, and you can't argue that some of the Verona's competition (e.g. Honda and Toyota) has an excellent track record of reliability. History is replete with plenty of low price models that have wound up in the junkyard way before they should have precisely because they were pieces of junk. I'm very optimistic that my Verona will be reliable and have a long life, but despite the value for the dollar in the purchase price, you should accept that the car still needs to prove itself.

aristotle

Well said! Your point is well taken. I am not offended in any way by your statements because you do tell the truth, even though you were a little harsh in your criticism of people seeking more power from their cars.

I am not in the market for a BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar or a Porsche. Am looking for a car in the $20K - $23K range because it does not make sense to me to pay much more than that for any vehicle.

I drive about 46 miles each way to work and most of it is on the highway where the speed limit is 75 mph. Most cars drive at 80 mph on that road. There are some places where the road climbs rather steeply. I carpool with 2 other people. In this kind of a situation a little more oomph is not all that bad IMHO.

I don't know if the Verona will do the job with its 155 hp. May be it will. Hard to say without trying. But I do know one thing. I will give it very serious consideration if they give it a few more ponies. I know that your blood pressure is shooting up when reading this. So I will shut up now.

Best regards to you. Verona is a a great car. I have already said that before.

rctennis3811

Remember guys, there is still hope for the 05 Verona! GM is putting a lot of money on Daewoo this year and GMDAT is working on a new 6-cylinder engine. Whether it is an I6 or V6 we are yet to see. Plus, word is that the Verona may be restyled next year. It may seem early, but this is actually a 3-year old design! KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED!!!

mopar67

the verona will have more HP next year.

Facts: (yea, I know this pertains to SUVs but try to follow what I am saying here and don't dismiss this as a "verona" forum w/o at least trying to learn a pattern).

XL7: First HP ratings on new model.....170. Upgraded to 183, then 185. Engine size stayed the same.

Grand Vitara: First engine rating 155, then upgraded to 165 next model year. Engine displacement remainded the same.

Aerio: First power rating was 141, then following year, 145. Engine displaced 2.0 liters or 122 cid. 2004 model year, it gets punched out to 2.3 liters, or 140 CID and puts out 155 HP.

If nothing else, from a marketing perspective, I seriously doubt zuke will have a mid size car with the same HP rating as their entry level Aerio. A few tweaks to intake and exhaust, freer flowing cats, some changes to the PCM along with the stroke of an engineers pen, and voila! Power increase. Bet on it. Your money is safe.

rasup

There is a discrepancy in the User Manual and schedule of maintenance charts for the Suzuki Verona Engine Oil, The Schedule of maintenance states that 10W30 is acceptable but the user manual specifically states that " UNDER NO CONDITIONS SHALL 10W30 BE ADDED" AND SPECIFIES 5W30 OR 10W40 OR UNDER SEVERE CONDITIONS USE A SYNTHETIC OIL". This is contradictory!!.
I have emailed Suzuki and am waiting for the reply. My dealer put in 10W40 ( By mistake had the sticker 10W30...as he was making stickers for a lot of other cars...Dealer is GM..) They had to order the oil from outside.
Any Opinions or experiences?. How good is synthetic Oil?.
My Verona is doing very well..no complaints.

rctennis3811

Yes, Suzuki has been upping their HP ratings, well, about every year! The problem is that they don't produce the Verona and have very little say in how the car is made. Let's just hope that new 6-cylinder engine in the works at GMDAT makes it here soon!

mopar67

can you point me to a web site. I am curious.

rctennis3811

Sorry about that. I didn't mean to say it was exactly confirmed. It's just some rumor floating around the web...

veronaowner

Can someone please post the E Mail address for Suzuki? Rasup, you say you sent them an E Mail?
Thanks,
Ken

rasup

Ken,
For Tech issues do the following:
Go to www.suzukipitstop.com and look at the top for "contact". Click on that and an email window will open up. Fill in the details and your email address and they will reply your question. This is for tech issues only.
I got a reply for the reco. oil for the verona. The tech team confirmed what the user manual says....."Do not add 10W30 under any circumstances" . You can use 5W30 or if this is not available the manual recommends 10W40. I did some reading on oil. Here is what I found...In the term 10W40 10 refers to the temp in F. and 40 refers to the weight or viscosity. More the weight , more viscous the oil is. Usually a thinner oil is used in winter for easy starts and a thicker oil in summer. 10W40 it seems has better all round performance at diff. temp. It looks like the inline needs a thicker oil and more than 7 quarts. Readers may come to their own conclusions and decide on their own and not on what I say. Follow the user manual or consult the manufacturer!!. My Verona is running great!!

pat

Those who are interested in this subject should be able to find a ton of related information over on the Maintenance & Repair board -- try using "oil" in the keyword search for that board and see what you get.

Keep us posted here on what you learn!

veronaowner

Thanks, rasup. At my dealer the service writer stated they used Chrysler oil and then stated it was 5W-30. The tech that performed the oil change when asked about the 5W-30 gave me the impression the oil used was a bulk 10W-30, stating he would check with his service management.

rasup

Just to get the forum moving on...any news of crash tests on the verona?.
What is the mileage generally obtained by the forum members..on city roads and highway?. Also do give how many miles have you travelled?.

tekrek

My Verona has just turned 4850 miles. On the last two tanks I have driven 380 and 377 miles. Both times my mileage has been 25.41 and 25.40 MPG respectively. My daily commute is about one-third city and two-thirds highway driving.

veronaowner

Just over 1300 miles now. Milage around 17-18mpg in city, have not had it on the hwy for a trip. I have had only very minor problems (2) with my Verona and they were taken care of in a timely manner by the dealer. I still like the car and think I got a very good auto for the money

mopar67

Cannot recall if it was posted before so forgive me if it has.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_- id=7599

rasup

Thanks for the input forum members. My Verona is at 1300 miles. I am still evaluating milage. Most of my driving is in the city. Mopar67, that review was one of the first that came out on the Verona. Veronaowner..what were the "minor" problems?.

veronaowner

One was the rr seat belt. It would not expand (pull out). The dealer replaced the complete seat belt and no problem since. One was a cover like panel on the right side of the mechanism for the sun roof. A piece was broken and again replaced by the dealer and no problems since. The broken piece made a rattling noise.
That is the extent of "problems" and the dealer was more than cooperative to make the repair.

boughtaverona

Six months old, 5200 miles and very satisfied with my EX. I don't pay close attention to gas mileage but believe it is 20 to 25 mpg. A couple of scratches on the plastic rear bumper (I guess from loading and unloading the trunk) and a strange little dent on the hood (popping out). Otherwise, I'm very impressed with the ride, performance and fit and finish. Especially with the fit and finish. No squeaks, rattles, loose or flimsy parts. I've been a volvo owner and fan for many years and this car has not dissapointed in comparison. I just hope the car is successful, gains a loyal following and aftermarket parts become readily available. I wonder how well it is selling for Suzuki.

rasup

Thanks veronaowner and boughtaverona for your comments. I went online and saw figures for sales of verona. I think I saw that in feb they sold 770 units. Generally the Sales of Suzuki have been on the upswing with the surprise surge being ...guess...Forenza!!!.The Forenza sold more than 1100 units I think. The sales of the aerio appeared to be on the downswing. Do verify from the internet about my reading...the figures may have changed.

tekrek

My goodness it’s such a coincidence you mentioned Volvo boughtaverona. Just this morning I was admiring a new Volvo S40 as I drove to work. It had all the styling cues of the Toyota Corolla CE. Those bold , brash accents of anodized black trim certainly emboldened the the harmony of angular curves. I checked out the base price of the S40(stripped) and learned it was just $4500.00 more than the fully loaded Verona EX. And all that safety delicately disguised beneath the pedestrian styling. The engine is a turbo 1.9 and has 177lbs of torque. It comes with a five speed automatic transmission as well. That drive train nets an additional 2 mpg both city and highway over the Verona’s 2.5 inline with a four speed auto. That’s just $2500.00 per MPG. It also has a “marginal” rating on the 5 mph bumper bump tests administered by the IIHS. It’s enough to give a Verona driver “owner’s envy”. Just think of the smug pleasure you would get by paying all those extra taxes and registration fees. It’s tempting me to trade in my Verona.

boughtaverona

Tekrek - Since we are both Verona owners maybe Pat the host will cut us a little slack in digressing I can't spout off the specs like you, but I have read favorable reviews on the 2004.5 model of the Volvo S40 about to come out and they have a wagon model too. Should give the Passat competition. I do have a little envy, but no regrets. I won't be trading in my Verona.