What else don't I like? While soft and cuddly I'm not a big fan of the 'mouse fur' seat upholstery. This stuff is even the exact color I'd expect a mouse to be, making matters worse. The driver's seat, despite its 6-position power adjustment, could be more comfortable too. Having a relatively bad back I notice less than perfect seats more than healthier folks I suppose. The rear seat is pretty comfortable though, and there's loads of legroom. To be specific the Verona features more rear legroom than both the Altima and Accord and more front legroom than the Camry - not bad. The same goes for the trunk. Well, not for legroom, but there's a fair amount of cargo capacity at 436 L (15.4 cu ft).
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| The Verona features more rear legroom than both the Altima and Accord and more front legroom than the Camry. (Photo: Suzuki Motors) |
Getting back to the mouse fur cloth upholstery, I U.S. customers can opt for a leather package. Along with a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, it also comes with an auto-dimming rearview mirror and 8-way power adjustable seats, the latter that may be more comfortable than the standard chairs, plus all-important heated cushions. Because the EX package is not available north of the 49th, that means neither are heated seats. Go figure, you can get heated seats in California or Florida, but not in Canada. If a Verona with these features intrigues you, then ask your dealer why Canadians can't get it.
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| Strangely enough, you can get heated seats in California or Florida, but not in Canada. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
I should probably mention that tilt steering, power windows and power central locks with remote access come standard. With that last point in mind, I've never heard a more belligerent audible locking sound. While I can't stand cars that honk when pressing the remote lock button, the strangled parrot 'caw' that emits from under the hood is horrible!
My test car was equipped with the only two items available as stand alone options, a tilt-and-slide glass sunroof and 16-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels. The former works flawlessly and is quieter than those in some premium cars, while offering a sliding sunshade to keep out sunrays or diminish the sound of falling rain, depending on the time of year. The latter most likely make a difference when it comes to handling and braking performance, but having not driven a Verona with the standard 15-inch tires it's impossible to say for sure.