Driving
The front-wheel-drive Verano gets a larger four-cylinder than the Cruze. It's normally aspirated, as opposed to the Cruze's available turbocharged four-cylinder, but it makes for smooth starts and enough passing power. The standard six-speed automatic kicks down readily on the highway, arriving at the right gear with little hunting. It's a decent cornering partner, too, downshifting readily to get you back up to speed. Armed with the right gear at the right time, the Verano makes the most of its 180 horsepower. GM hasn't had the most responsive six-speed automatics, and it's good to see the latest generation — installed across many of its 2012 models — improve on that. Should you want more power, hold your horses: GM will offer a turbocharged four-cylinder down the road.
The Verano will need more than a power bump to be fun, though. The linear brakes and sharp steering show promise, but throw the Verano into a corner and its nose-heavy balance and precipitous body roll will have you dialing back the antics. Most Verano drivers will keep to straight-line stop-and-go, I suspect, where the car fares better. The front-drive TSX feels similarly mushy at the limits. Driving enthusiasts should look elsewhere.
The Verano rides as well as the Cruze — no slouch itself. The suspension reduces expansion joints and potholes to distant clunks, and it isolates the cabin well on the highway. EPA gas mileage with the four-cylinder is a modest 21/32 mpg city/highway, but the Verano runs on regular unleaded. So do comparable compacts — most of which beat the Verano by a few mpg — but luxury cars like the TSX and IS want premium and lose a few mpg, too.
See also:
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
: Airbag Readiness Light
: Air Conditioning
...
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do any of
the following:
• Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
until the parking lamps turn off.
• Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
...
DVD Distortion
There may be an experience with audio distortion
in the wireless headphones when operating
cellular phones, scanners, CB radios, Global
Positioning Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios,
mobile fax, or w ...