Toyota Matrix

nippononly · March 2004

that is 400 pounds heavier than the corolla is the AWD. And the AWD is adding about 175 pounds over the regular model.

The corolla's tires are chosen for cheapness, smoothness, and comfortable ride, and are also smaller than the Matrix's tires, all of which are the reasons why they make more noise in the Matrix (believe me, the huge handling improvement over corolla is worth every decibel). Also, the Matrix is higher with a more vertical rear end and will therefore have more wind noise, all other things being equal.

Just to elaborate a little on #2453! :-)

deg856 · March 2004

Ive had my XR auto FWD for about 3 weeks and 600 miles. Its great in every way except one significant problem for me  driving position. The steering wheel is too far away for me (6 w/ 32 inseam), which makes driving uncomfortable. I havent had much trouble with getting comfortable in 23 years of driving of many different cars, trucks, vans, etc., of all sizes, domestic or foreign, except with the current CR-V during a test drive, and now the Matrix. Its got to have something to do with the up-right, space-efficient packaging of these cars. I just called two different dealers and asked if the steering column could be extended somehow to bring the steering wheel closer. They basically said NO WAY due to safety/liability issues.

A relatively minor gripe: the power steering feels a little heavy, slow and numb.

thel · March 2004

This car is ill-suited to long-legged folk.

maverick04 · March 2004

I'd like advice from the experienced crowd on replacing the "summer" Continental tires that came on the Matrix XR. I live in the SW where it rains about five times a year - however - there are snowy mountains nearby I'd like to drive to in the winter and I have read that the summer tires are not good on wet pavement.
Also, is there an after market spoiler made that can be mounted on the rear roof area to decrease high speed drafting? I noticed the car is affected by taller vehicles when passing at highway speeds.
Thanks.

thel · March 2004

I wasn't aware the Matrix came with summer tires. My XRS was m + s (all-season) tires. I had REAL summer tires on my Miata and they were fine in the rain and terrific on dry pavement. If I planned on driving in the snow often, I'd probably buy winter tires. Here in Missouri, we just had one of the worst winters for awhile and I got around OK in the wide no-season tires on my XRS.

nippononly · March 2004

does come with all-season m+s radials - that is what the Continental ContiTouringContacts are that maverick is referring to.

I would say to anyone planning to drive to the snow all winter long to get real winter tires and swap them for the season when the time comes. However, for a couple of snow trips a year, just buy some chains!

deg856 · March 2004

On passenger cars are more for style than function. It would hardly have any effect on reducing cross-wind sensitivity from a passing vehicle.

deg856 · March 2004

XR auto FWD. 756 mi total. 395.7 mi on last tank (could have gone another 30-40 mi; the gas needle wasn't all the way down). 12.284 gal fill up. -> 32.2 mpg. Very good mpg for a car with this much interior space, and pretty cool to have a 400+ mi range between fill-ups.

This was mostly from a 36 mi round trip daily commute between San Jose and Fremont, CA, with about 1/4 local and 3/4 freeway (1/3 stop and go with the rest cruising). Still under the break in period so I drove very gently. Kept it around 2000 rpm during acceleration if I could help it and never over 2500 rpm. Max speed on freeway kept under 60 mph.

tyler · March 2004

I just bought a new Matrix, and I've noticed that the thermometer on the dashboard (right below the odometer) that gives the outside temperature only reads in farenheit. Does anyone know of a way to display this in celsius? The owners manual (page 90) is most unhelpful in this matter.

Aside from this, it seems like a great car. I've only had mine (light blue, XR, manual) for 1000 miles, so I haven't yet found any flaws beyond that thermometer. I get between 30-32 mpg on mostly highway driving.

maverick04 · March 2004

The reason I'm asking is because the dealer told me the engines are ready to go and there is no "break-in" period. However I read to the contrary in the manual, as deg856 has mentioned...I have 250 mi. on my Matrix.
Thanks.

maverick04 · March 2004

I found the summer tire rating vs. all season at the Continental Tire website - I matched my tire numbers with theirs. There is information regarding the type of tire and the maximum speed the tire is rated for as well.
Interesting. I had never heard of Continental Tires from North Carolina.
Thanks.

thel · March 2004

I waited until 500 miles or so before I redlined it or kicked in the VVT the first time. Better safe than sorry I figure.

thel · March 2004

As far as I know it only reads in Fahrenheit. If it really bothers you, I guess you could sell it.

deg856 · March 2004

Break-in period: Whether it is necessary to baby a new car like I do or not, I choose to do it to make me (not necessarily the car) feel better.

Thermometer - Along with keyless entry, outside temp thermometer is a very pleasant suprise that came with the car. I love it. I'm out of town so I can't check, but I'd be really suprised if there is no way to change the reading to Celcius.

proimion · April 2004

My last 3 cars have been Camrys, although I only owned one of them a few months before it was totalled in a wreck. I love Toyotas, wouldn't dream of getting a differend brand, but frankly, I'm getting bored of the Camry. That's why the Matrix caught my eye as I'm looking to replace my aging 96 Camry.

I like everything about the Matrix. There's just one stupid thing holding me back--the demographic the car is marketed to. I'm mid-30's professional, clean-cut, straight arrow type. A co-worker of mine (Acura TL owner) laughed when I mentioned the Matrix--like it is a kids car. Part of me says so what, just get what you want. But I have noticed in the brochure, web site, etc that the Matrix does seem aimed at the young, hip, urban type. Seen the picture with the dreadlocked guy and two young women playing trash-can drums with the Matrix parked alongside?

I know this is a stupid, unfair thing to judge a car by, but it does have me thinking. What kind of people drive a Matrix?

stillageek · April 2004

The Matrix kind of missed it's mark...just like the Honda Element. Both were marketed to the Gen X an Y, however many older persons have purchased them. I see more people 30+ in Elements and Matrix than I do people in my age group (27). Go for it, you won't regret it.

deg856 · April 2004

Im a straight laced engineer whos almost 40, and I was also a little concerned about the edgy image that the Matrix is being marketed. Before I bought the car I thought the optional, deep front air-dam looked too boy-racer for my age, but now it looks just right for the car. The Matrix owners Ive seen all seemed to be in their mid-30s and up, and I suspect that they, like me, were all drawn to the versatility and space/fuel efficiency of the Matrix more than the racy image that Toyota tried to project. The Matrix functions like a station wagon except it looks much more interesting. Next to the Matrix most three-box sedans look incredibly plain and boring. By the way, I agree that they got the demographics wrong with this car. if I was under 30 and still single, I wouldnt have gotten the Matrix; Id get something sportier and less practical.

nippononly · April 2004

deg, that is echoes of me! I am early 30s, single, and bought the Matrix squarely on its looks. Ultimately I traded it in on something more sporty and less practical! :-)

However, lots of folks in my area have a Matrix that are older than the targeted demographic, and none seem to care a whit. There is a lady who works at the post office who has a base model and has to be at least 45. I asked her about it once, you know, if she had any regrets. She lit up and said NO WAY! very emphatically...

I have a couple of friends also my age, one married with kid, one single, that both want one.

thel · April 2004

you can sell a "young persons car" to an old person, but you can't sell an "old persons car" to a young person.

Forget the image, go with what you like...I've learned that the hard (expensive) way.

herzogtum71 · April 2004

I read an article somewhere that talked about Honda missing the targeted demographic with the Element and Toyota with the Matrix because 20-year-olds are going for less expensive cars. The Matrix drivers in my area do seem to be older for the most part, including a number of elderly-looking ladies. My wife and I are 45+, and I know a guy in his 30's at our church who drives a bright yellow Matrix. According to the author of the article, Toyota realized they had missed the mark, looked around, and found that the Scion was very popular in Japan among the demographic group they had targeted for the Matrix. That's why they brought the Scion to America. I have yet to see anyone other than a 20-ish male driving a Scion xB. I haven't really noticed any xA's on the road, but that may be because they look a lot like cars available from other manufacturers.

mjtd · April 2004

Matrixes and Vibes sold in the US get the miles and *F gauge cluster. those sold in Canada get kilometers and *C clusters. If you want the thermometer to read in *C, you'd have to replace the whole cluster, and then your speedometer, odometer and trip meters would read in kilometers instead of miles.

nippononly · April 2004

easy to say Matrix missed the youth mark by being too expensive, and that happened because it is a large vehicle, but then what about Scion xB? That is a big car too. What happened is that Matrix got typical Toyota pricing, while the Scions are starting a whole new lower-priced line. Which is a big part of the reason for xB's popularity, I am sure.

The sticker on my Matrix, which wasn't even an XRS, was $19,5 in 2002 when I bought it, and that is getting up there for "youth budgets".

herzogtum71 · April 2004

I rode in the back seat of one, and it feels as big as the Matrix. But I believe the overall length is 155 inches. I don't know about the xB pricing, but it looks like you can get a nicely equipped xA for $12,000. Even with the discounts now available on the Matrix at various dealerships, a base Matrix would be at least a couple thousand more than that.

capitano · April 2004

I guess if money is tight, then the xB is an option, but for me it just doesn't work. It looks smaller in person than the pictures suggest. It's like a 2/3 scale van. Just odd. But I saw two of them today. Someone is buying them.

thel · April 2004

might make a Wrangler 4cyl look fast. At least the top goes down in the Wrangler!

capitano · April 2004

Yeah, but the xB is supposed to a mobile ganja wagon where all the kids can get stoned. Hard to do that in a wrangler.

I keep wondering if the xB is going to be something we see on VH-1 when they are running "I love the 2000's" in a couple of decades. People bought gremlins and pacers too.

nippononly · April 2004

but then, the Scions are designed for short lifespans, to ride the wave then be replaced.

Question to you Matrix fans in here: if Matrix had been a Scion, would you still have put it on your shopping list, and would you have been as likely to buy it? I only pose the question because I suspect it will become a Scion the next time the Corolla is updated...

capitano · April 2004

I don't think the branding is an issue for me. If, by becoming a Scion, it has to get some cost cutting, power reduction and silly things like a gauge cluster in the center, then it would likely have dropped from consideration. If, however, the car was identical to what I have purchased but wore only a Scion badge I would still get it. The car is more important than the badging.

herzogtum71 · April 2004

... my wife is the one driving the Matrix, and she things the Scion xB is UGLY.

Nippononly, I don't know if I agree with about the demise of the Corolla. Wasn't it "common knowledge" a few years ago that the Echo was going to replace the Corolla? Now they have redesigned and resized the Corolla, and sales of both the Echo and Corolla seem to be strong enough.

newcarbuyer · April 2004

I am looking at a Matrix (the base Matrix) all I can afford at this time. I currently drive a 2000 Vitara JLS. I like the car but it is not holding up on the rural desert roads (read dirt/washboard)that exist where I live now. Will the Toyota Matrix hold up MUCH better? TIA.

capitano · April 2004

I don't know. What you describe can be rough on any vehicle. Have you considered one of the cute-utes? The matrix may not have enough ground clearance.

newcarbuyer · April 2004

I realize that that any car I buy will get rough treatment due to the roads so I am looking for the one that will hold up best in my price range. (not much).

Also while I know a lot of different horse breeds, I know little about car makes and models. What's a Ute??? TIA.

capitano · April 2004

Ute is short for Utility. Cute Utes are Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute etc. Jeep Liberty is one too. These may all exceed your price range. Cute doesn't mean cheap. Still, something with at least modest off road capability should do better than a pure street machine.

We're you thinking about an AWD matrix?

deg856 · April 2004

XR auto FWD. 1095 mi total. 338.9 mi on last tank (needle on 1/4 mark). 9.693 gallons fill up. -> 34.96 mpg. This mpg seems a little high and I suspect the gas nozzle I used this time did not fill up the tank as full.

This was mostly from a 36 mi round trip daily commute between San Jose and Fremont, CA, with about 1/3 local and 2/3 freeway (mostly cruising). Still under the break in period so I drove fairly gently. Kept it around 2000-2400 rpm during acceleration if I could help it and never over 2500 rpm. Max speed on freeway kept under 65 mph. Drove a little harder and faster than the last tank but mpg still went up form about 32 to about 35; I think it's mainly from the traffic being lighter on the freeway - less stop-and-go.

deg856 · April 2004

If I had to drive on rural dirt roads much and wanted a vehicle that lasts, I'd get a truck or a truck-based SUV.

deg856 · April 2004

It's not for me (I'm close to 40 - too old for that), but I appreciate cars that break the mold. It being odd looking is exactly the point - having the courage to be different is a part of being cool. You can't help but being amazed at its interior room when you eyes see such a small exterior, it also defies logic.

nippononly · April 2004

newcarbuyer already drives a truck-based cute ute - the Vitara. If that has not held up to the roads he travels, then I wouldn't recommend any of the car-based cute utes, or Matrix. More likely a small pick-up is the ticket...think Tacoma or Ranger.

herzog - you have puzzled me with this one. I don't think I said that corolla's demise was imminent, did I? It certainly isn't - it sells better than ever in its history, and I was merely referring to the fact that in the normal cycle of things it will most likely be updated around model year 2008. At that time Matrix may break off as a separate model under the Scion tag. As for Echo, I am sure it was never intended to replace the Corolla, and given its extraordinarily slow sales, I doubt it will make another generation in the U.S. (it sells well elsewhere in the world though).

herzogtum71 · April 2004

So you didn't mean that next time Corolla is updated, the Corolla will become a Scion? But you think the Matrix will become a Scion model next time the Matrix is redesigned?

Dunno about that, but the Scion xA is pretty Matrix-like in apearance. So maybe they could merge the two models. BTW, Scion is supposed to be coming out with a couple more models, but I don't know anything about them. Do the current Scions share a platform with the Corolla/Matrix?

tnlandsailor · April 2004

I'm planning to buy a Matrix XRS in the next couple of weeks and want to make sure the pertinent TSB's have been addressed on the car I'm buying. Is there a comprehensive list somewhere or can someone point me in the right direction?

riccd2001 · April 2004

I've done enough research here and elsewhere to make our lease-renewal decision. Of course, I had to select from the best balance for our needs considering manufacturer's lease rate, pros & cons of each vehicle, dealer performance ( or lack thereof), and best bang for our buck.

The final three were Saturn Vue with Honda V6, Mazda3 Sport GS and Toyota Matrix XR.

The true final dealbreaker - Wife wanted Indigo Ink. That did it. Game over.

nippononly · April 2004

No, Corolla is such a revered Toyota model, I am sure they will not rename it a Scion after 2008. But the Matrix, which is currently the Corolla Matrix technically, may well become its own stand-alone model. I think it already should be - there are so many differences between Matrix and Corolla.

xA and xB are built on the global Toyota Echo platform (also Yaris etc in other countries). And i think if you sit in and drive an xA, you will agree it is a lot smaller than the Matrix. (I like Matrix better for many reasons). I think they could market Matrix and xA side by side. But of course, the thing is that Scion is designed to have quick model turnovers, so maybe by MY 2008 there will not BE an xA any more...

speedracer007 · April 2004

The final dealbreaker was the color?!?!?!?!? Man, I can't agree with that logic. Once I decide which car to buy, there are certain colors I will not get (black and white in my case) - but I would never let the color of the car decide which model I got. I am in the same boat of trying to decide between the Mazda3 and the Matrix, and color will not be the dealbreaker. I will decide based on engine performance, handling, fuel economy, build quality, etc...

capitano · April 2004

I can see color being a tie-breaker if all other factors are considered to cancel each other out.

riccd2001 · April 2004

As far as my final Mazda3/Matrix comparison, the technical advantage of a telescoping SW together with lever pump-up controls for driver seat comfort were cancelled in favour of the daily covenience of an in-car & key fob hatch release.

Sometimes, for us, the seemingly "trivial" things go a long way to level the playing field. But it's great to have the freedom of choice between such fine products. And, of course,I completely respect and accept my wife's abilities in colour selection.

acaciarose · April 2004

I thought the posts about one's age, the car's color, and purchasing a Matrix were interesting. I bought a standard matrix in February. Right off the lot. I didn't have many choices in color; there were only two to choose from. The one I chose is lunar mist. It's fine. Now, I am what one might call old -- 53 and still counting. The salesman told me that Toyota erred in terms of their target audience for this car. Far more "older" people in our city (Albuquerque), like me, were buying the Matrix than were the younger, but targeted, crowd.

I didn't want to buy a Matrix, or any car. I loved my 1987 Camry. But too bad for me. I was rear-ended in January of this year by a loaded sand-and-gravel truck. The Camry went to the graveyard for parts. The next dilemma was what to get. I got to drive a rental car, as part of the accident settlement, and they gave me a 2003 Camry. You know what, I thought the thing was too sleek for me. So first I headed to the Chrysler dealer. I drove the PT Cruiser, which I had pined for for years. I had a pit in my stomach. Something wasn't right. I went to Toyota and saw the little Matrix. I fell in love with this odd-looking creature. I drove the thing, and it felt like my old Camry. I could hear the road. But it was different, like a spaceship. And in the back, I could load things. One's life changes. In 1987, I was concerned mostly with my professional work. By 2004, I had also become a farmer. Do old people become farmers? Yes, they do. And this little Matrix is perfect for taking all my gear and produce to market. All the seats fold down perfectly, unlike the Cruiser whose seats tilt upward when folded down.

And about my friends. They are mostly "old" too. Everyone of them who has seen my Matrix now wants one, too. I think I might become a Toyota salesman. All I have to do is sit one of my friends down in the back seat and she is sold on the car.

nippononly · April 2004

of the Matrix is one of its biggest selling points. The Gen Y advertisers always go on about how the youth want lots of space for their surfboards, bikes and whatever, but the fact is that lots of useable space is good for people from all age brackets...

oac · April 2004

When we were car shopping last year. My wife first saw the PT Cruiser and told me she wanted something like that car. If she wants a wagon, I suggested why not check out a Matrix. My kids are very picky, ditto my wife (figures, of course), so when we first looked at the Matrix, the wife liked it immediately, BUT once the kids sat in the back seat, they were sold as well.

Me, I simply love the Matrix. It is my favorite car. On the freeway, this car is an excellent cruiser. It'll do 80 without a sweat. The only problem is while climbing upgrades/inclines, the engine struggles quite a bit. BUT, it's a keeper, and will drive it until it dies. It is such a fun car....

Nippon: did I read you right that you have gotten rid of your Trix ? What did you replace it with ? And WHY did you get rid of it ??? Just very curious, since you were one of the early owners.....

nippononly · April 2004

there was a lot I loved about the Matrix but I traded it for an RSX - smaller, sportier, and faster, which is more suited to my tastes. I will miss the back seat and the space though, that is for sure.

One of the problems with the early Matrixes like mine is that squeaks rattles and vibrations were rampant and could never be completely chased away. I hear the new ones have that totally fixed. Good. This is a great car in many ways - utility, versatility, economy. Not to mention those looks I still love even though I don't own mine any longer...

deg856 · April 2004

Got asked for the third time if my Matrix was a hybrid. Seems that the unusual styling of the Matrix outside/inside (it looks kind of futuristic to me) is making more than a few people confusing it with the Prius.

deg856 · April 2004

My only complain (and a big one, for that matter) right after getting my Matrix was the reach of the steering wheel seemed too far. I just couldn't get comfortable with the driving position initially. I kind of noticed that during the test drive but didn't pay too much attention to it. My big fear was that I either had to live with a car with an uncomfortable driving position for a long time, or I'd be forced to sell it soon if I truly couldn't live with it. It took a little time (perhaps 3 weeks) but I'm happy to say that I got used to it so it's no longer an issue. Now the car is just perfect in every way. (Well, the doors in the back are kind of high so shorter people and kids may not have the best sight line to see out from the back seats.) In fact, when I switch to driving our Sienna on the weekend the Sienna (which has always been pretty comfortable to drive) feels pretty weird for the first few minutes.

Toyota Matrix

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