| Drivetrain |
|---|
| Drive type | Front-wheel Drive |
| Engine type | Naturally aspirated, direct-injected inline-4, flex-fuel |
| Displacement (cc/cu-in) | 2,384/145 |
| Block/head material | Cast aluminum/cast aluminum |
| Valvetrain | DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake + exhaust-valve timing |
| Compression ratio (x:1) | 11.2 |
| Redline (rpm) | 6,500 |
| Horsepower (hp @ rpm) | 180 @ 6,700 |
| Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) | 171 @ 4,900 |
| Fuel type | Flex fuel (E85 or 87-octane) |
| Transmission type | Six-speed automatic with console shifter and manual mode |
| Transmission and axle ratios (x:1) | I = 4.58; II = 2.96; III = 1.91; IV = 1.45; V = 1.00; VI = 0.75; FD = 3.23 |
| Chassis |
|---|
| Suspension, front | Independent MacPherson struts, coil springs, twin-tube dampers, stabilizer bar |
| Suspension, rear | Semi-independent twist beam-axle, coil springs, twin-tube dampers, watts link |
| Steering type | Electric-assist, speed-proportional, rack-and-pinion power steering |
| Steering ratio (x:1) | 15.5 |
| Tire brand | Continental |
| Tire model | Conti ProContact |
| Tire type | All-season front and rear |
| Tire size, front | P235/45R18 94H |
| Tire size, rear | P235/45R18 94H |
| Wheel size | 18-by-8 inches front and rear |
| Wheel material | Cast-aluminum alloy |
| Brakes, front | 11.8-inch one-piece ventilated cast-iron discs with single-piston sliding calipers |
| Brakes, rear | 11.5-inch one-piece ventilated cast-iron discs with single-piston sliding calipers |
| Test Driver Ratings & Comments |
|---|
| Acceleration comments | There's almost a full second to be gained with pedal overlap and a wisp of wheelspin. Either way, the Verano doesn't sound overtaxed or sluggish, shifts smoothly/precisely at redline with every upchange, no head toss, no flat spots in rev range, well-spaced gear ratios. This is a completely acceptable level of performance for a compact car, especially one with an inline-4, and a good one at that. This is not a consolation prize at all. |
| Braking rating | Good |
| Braking comments | Moderate-to-mild dive, medium-firm pedal, intuitive jump-in, zero fade or odor, straight and steady across four stops. |
| Handling rating | Good |
| Handling comments | Skid pad: Crystal-clear steering without unnecessary faux weight/resistance. Mostly neutral attitude right up to the point of mild understeer. Remarkably similar clockwise/counterclockwise times -- that's unusual. With ESC on, slight (almost imperceptible) throttle closure just before understeer begins. Slalom: No on-center dead spot at all, crisp turn-in, immediate yaw response without the rear threatening to step out, little body roll, really good in transition with trustworthy grip and only a little ability to rotate off-throttle. If the car had a little more power, I could probably make it go just a bit quicker from cone four to six where I was already at wide-open throttle. In both skid pad and slalom, the ESC showed very little intrusion unless I yanked the steering wheel abruptly, then it would apply a brake rather abruptly. When it did intervene, it quickly returned control back to the driver. Good ESC tuning. |
