Toyota Matrix

revka

and thanks for sharing the details. We look forward to hearing more.... Happy motoring!

Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards

dayee

We have a Matrix with the Navigation System. The only other Matrix we have seen with it was the one we originally test drove back when the Matrix was first introduced. We were sold, but waited until we could get better pricing. We finally ordered ours last month and took delivery 2 weeks ago. It's definitely an expensive option, but we're very happy with it.

Matrix XR (automatic)
Sport Package
Sport Plus Package
All Weather Package
Cruise Control
ABS Brakes
Side Airbags
Navigation System

Dave
(SF Bay Area)

vonnyvonce

Raven: 70 mph and rpms of 4000. Does not sound right. Rpm should be less than 3000. Were you driving with the overdrive off?? My Vibe is 2400rpm at 60 mph, at 70 mph I can't remember but I'm certain it is not 4000. Or was that a typo? Base with automatic, essentially your car.

romhog

I have a Auto XRS coming to a loca dealership, and I really want to go with it. Has anyone here driven the Auto XRS? How did it rank in getting to the power range? I have driven a Auto GTS Celica, but it has power shift on the steering wheel. Im worred how the chip will control the tran shifting for this Matrix.
Please someone fill me in how good/bad it is
thanks

vocus

I have read that their is hardly any difference between the XR and XRS automatics when accelerating, but I have not driven an XRS automatic. I did, however, drive an XR automatic and it felt a little slow to me. It was definitely slower than the 2001 Protege (2.0 130hp) that I had, but it's also heavier.

chas215

I just purchased an auto XRS in Long Island this past weekend. They're rare to find in the Northeast. I test drove both the XR and XRS automatics. IMHO there is a significant difference between the two. XRS has noticeably more power and pickup in streets and highway. Although XRS automatics are hard to come by they're well worth trying to get.

semantics

There are cars available with NAV system. They have to be special ordered unless you sorta stumble upon someone with one in their inventiry who did special-order one for kicks or for a customer who decided to do something different. There are NAV cars out there. I have seen the NAV and I think it's pretty cool. Love the fact that you get the 6-disc in dash CD with it too. That's worth something!

romhog

Chas
I drove the XR auto yesterday to get an idea what the base was like. Im probably going to put the $500 down to hold it.. because its still not made yet. If you stomp on the gass will it hit 7000 and hold long enough to get in the power band?
If you had to say how fast it was 0-60 what would be your guess?
The XR felt like about 10sec

romhog

Yea i really didnt like the power of the XR auto.
My Focus blows the doors off that. Its a 5 speed anyhow.
I want to know that this XRS auto can at least smoke my old Focus, or its going to be hard to win me over. Everything else about the car is much better.. I just want the speed also!!!

nybkli

Try to test drive the auto XRS before you actually buy it. This way you don't have to rely on anyone's opinion. I have one, too. To an average driver like myself, there is a noticeable difference.

nybkli

As the above poster mentioned, the XRS automatic seems rare to find in the Northeast. For those of you that were fortunate enough to purchase an XRS automatic, in what part of the country did you buy it? I heard Toyota has discontinued the XRS automatic on the east coast.

southpaw1

That way you have more control over acceleration. I'm enjoying my XRS 6 speed. I'm not so sure the automatic would be as much fun to drive.

raven18

vonnyvonce, the rpms that i was speaking of was during the grapevine climb-guess i didn't make it clear, yes my rpm on no grade is about 2400 rpm going 70 mph. The grapevine is a steep incline that is a passageway to or from los angeles area to the san joaquin valley.

socal_racefan

Semantics: - If you go with the NAV system it comes with a 6 disk changer under the front seat, not in the dash. Not sure if you made a miss-type. Just a little FYI for you.

vocus

I have heard that the changer was in-dash with the NAV system. I guess I have heard wrong.

nippononly

Does XRS come with different handling package over XR? Just wondering, because XR is already a good handler - turns corners really quickly and has 16" rims with the alloys.

I have driven the XR auto extensively and the XRS auto briefly, and IMHO, if you are definitely going with an auto, you do not really get the extra power from the XRS engine. Now, if you are thinking of a manual, it is a totally different story.

vocus

I was reading the Edmunds review, and noticed some stuff that was not right. I thought ABS was standard on all AWD models and optional on the base and XR models? They said it was standard on all XR and XRS models, and optional on the base FWD model, but not the AWD model. They complain about this, but I think they are wrong. I wouldn't want anyone going away with incorrect information.

semantics

Right. I did typo that.
Thanks for correcting it out there.

xr_matrix

I don't believe there is any difference in suspension components between the XR and XRS (or the base model for that matter). We are little diffent here in Canada (and our cars too ;-) )as we get the following in exterior over XR.

>17" wheels and P215/55zr Firestone tires
>4 wheel disc
>4 wheel ABS
>full ground effects pkg
>fog lights

other than that I think the suspension is the same...

XRS 6spd with 5200km

raychuang00

In my personal opinion, I think the Toyota Matrix is a bit underpowered for its application with the base engine.

I would suggest that Toyota increase the displacement of the engine from 1.8 to 2.0 liters, which should provide a wider torque curve at lower engine revs. That way, the Matrix won't feel "flat footed" accelerating from stoplights.

wilczy

Hey XR!

Only one thing.
Our tires are 50 not 55

BTW
Got tint already and half of my decals.
I did put them last night and I'll try to finish tonight. After all I'll post some pics.

XRS 3300 km

dogtrainer

As an XR owner, I agree with your comments except for one. The alloys are 17" wheels. I know this because I bought my car from stock even though I didn't really want the alloys. Since I have them, I'm kinda glad. They corner really well, and the Firestone Firehawks are warranted for 40K. The down side is they are expensive to replace.

1matrix

I think Toyota went with the smaller engine (1.8L) because the Matrix is, after all, an "economy" car. Better fuel economy and less pollution, two important pluses in my book. In terms of performance, the 1.8 in the Matrix actually performs as well as the previous generation 2.0 engine found in the older RAV4. Being nearly identical in weight, the two vehicles can be expected to perform equally well. I had no complaints about the RAV4's performance in everyday driving, so I expect the Matrix to be just as suitable.

petl

Our XR has 16" alloys (standard). That's what it is in Canada. Also, our 4WD drives and handles better and feels much peppier (passing power is noticeably quieter and more accommodating) than the 1998 RAV that we owned. The RAV felt sluggish and heavy.

turksteritis

I had a 97 rav awd at. The thing was scarely underpowered , noisey & rough. My base vibe with 5 speed is way peppier, quiter smoother & better on fuel...no comparison.

deadbeatle

I am looking for a Matrix XR with a manual transmission. The dealer I went to said Matrix's with manual transmissions were very, very rare right now because the car just came out in Febuary. Is this true? How easy, or hard is it to find an Matrix XR 5 speeed?

raven18

deadbeatle, i'm not sure what part of the usa you live in, but in central california there seems to be as many 5 spd xr's as there are auto trans. Did the dealership you visited only have xr's with auto trans--the reason i ask is that they probably told you 5 spds were hard to get, because they wanted to sell you what they had on their lot. If you're not in a hurry to buy, be patient--the xr you want will come along. I went to several different dealerships prior to buying mine and told the salesmen exactly what i was looking for, i figure that one of the several would come up with what i was looking for. They took down my name and info on what i was looking for. About 3 weeks later one called and said that they had one that i might be interested in. It wasn't the exact color that i was looking for, but when i went down to see it, i liked it even better than my original choice. Good luck in your quest.

footie

I have only seen 1 XR 5spd on a lot in the Boston area in the last 4 months. Boch Toyota in Norwood MA had 1 manual XR out of about 40 cars.

If you think manual is hard to get, try getting ABS on a 2WD XR or base Matrix.

microrepair

I'm thinking there might be something wrong with my XR/auto. Even when spending 2/3 of a tankful on a major interstate highway, the mileage was only up to about 24 mpg.. When it doesn't go on the highway, it's lucky to hit 22 mpg. And we got it for it's supposedly good gas mileage. The car we traded for it, a Chrysler Concorde with a 3.5 liter 215 hp engine used to give us that same mileage..!

I'm glad to see that there are many others who have trouble reading the odo and outside temp display. THe reason is due to the very low contrast level between the numbers and the background. With sunglasses, it is impossible to read the numbers in the daytime. Nightime is much better due to the lower level of ambient light. Now why did they make the contrast so poor on that area of the display? THe rest of the panel is usually legible day and night.

raven18

sorry to hear about your poor fuel economy, I just finished off my 4th tank of fuel and noticed that I didn't get very good mileage either (27mpg). 1/3 was freeway the rest city, but air was on all of the time. Yours really seems bad though, i'm wondering if you are driving with the o/d off. If you are there will be a yellow light in speedo cluster. If not it may be a problem you may want checked out. What driving habits do you have-do you mash the accelerator pedal down, or ease into it. I know that the first 3 tanks of fuel that I went through (30mpg) was pretty much all break-in miles, now i'm a little more liberal with the accelerator pedal. I have an xr with auto trans. too.

iwphill

I'm sorry to hear that some of you are having trouble reading the display during the daytime, but I haven't had that problem. I've had mine for 1 1/2 weeks (base Matrix w/auto trans) and haven't had any problems reading the display, and it's been bright sunshine here almost every day. As for the MPG, I've only put 650 miles on it and filled the tank twice, but so far I've gotten 28 MPG on the first tank, and 30 MPG on the second tank (50% hwy, 50% city), and that's with the a/c on most of the time (it's been mighty hot here in NC lately). I was actually anticipating that the gas mileage would be lower than normal until it's broken in (it was on all my previous cars), but I think I'm getting pretty good mileage so far. The window sticker listed 28mpg/city and 33mpg/hwy, so I think what I'm getting is pretty good.

The one minor problem I had has now been resolved. One of the clip assemblies that holds up the tonneau cover was missing entirely, and another was missing a bolt. My dealer ordered them for me (under warranty, of course) and I just installed it yesterday. Other than that, I've had no rattles, no squeaks, no other problems so far (knock on wood!).

Microrepair: what grade of gasoline do you put in? The manual lists the minimum grade is regular-87, and that's what I've been putting in. I used to have a Honda Civic that I started putting premium in when I first got it, and my mileage gradually dropped over time. My mechanic later told me that you should use the lowest octane that the mfr recommends (unless it starts pinging, but it's a new car, so that won't be a problem). If that's not the problem, you might try switching brands of gasoline, and if that doesn't work, I think you need to take this in for service.

1matrix

It's true, with brand-new cars, the lowest grade gasoline recommended by the automaker (usually 87) will tend to give the highest MPG. The reason is because higher grade gasolines have more additives to increase octane (knock resistance), which results in less "burn" energy per given amount of fuel.
As the car gets older (at least several years later), though, carbon build-up inside the engine will increase compression pressures, leading to the need for higher octane gas. The advise I've heard is to use the lowest grade gas that results in no engine "pinging."

microrepair

You can all probably hear me knashing my teeth back here as you describe your poor mileage of 27 mpg...!! I should be so lucky..! Actually this is my wife's car; she has put on 80% of the miles so far and maybe she is letting it idle while she shops??? But she was driving the big Chrysler with the 3.5 liter engine and getting the same mileage as this little shrimp.. Methinks it's time for the dealer..

We've been putting in regular 87 octane, mostly one brand so maybe we should try a different brand first. The O/D is definitely in the right position, unless the indicator light is wired up backwards. No, no, I've checked the RPM's and it is in O/D all the time..! We've also been running the AC most of the time in the last month since it's been pretty sticky here in eastern Mass.. But again, we used to do that with the big Chrysler too...!!

xr_matrix

I have an XRS 6spd. Has anyone else noticed that at exactly 3900rpm the engine makes a funny change in pitch...it sounds like a 4 barrel carb opening on a big V8 engine. It then goes away by 4000 - 4100rpm. Is it my car or do they all do this? It is a totally different sound than the 2nd cam opening at 6000rpm.

handshaker

My XRS 6-speed does that too. It seems to get a little jump in power at that point too. More subtle than the booster rush at 6000, but perceptable.

zukhov

Saw a cosmic blue matrix today, and it looked great. Here in Canada, 98% of them are the silver. Most of them are base & auto trans combos. The colour really made the model look good. I've been waiting since Feb for my cosmic blue manual XR, and I'm close to the end of my rope. 3 more weeks!

dvd9

Hi,
I just bought a Cosmic Blue Matrix XR 4WD. Really like it a lot. It has enough power for me. In Minnesota, I need traction not power...

It has FE, CL, EJ, AW, CF, C1, & EF. List price was $20,020. Invoice was $18,260. I paid $18,600. I think I did good.

I am happy to be part of Matrix gang...
DVD9

supa_o

Hello everyone -- I thought I'd share my Martix experience:

My wife and I have been searching for a car to replace her '93 Tercel. I drive it to work, so I needed something I could fit into (I'm 6' 5".) Anyway, I used to own an '87 Nova hatchback, so I wanted something with good utility. We looked at the Focus, but weren't thrilled with it (a bit small for me...) So we looked at the Matrix, test drove a XRS (only one they had to test) and decided to order the most stripped-down base model available.

We live in Minnesota, so all of the cars are delivered with the "cold weather package" (+$250) which has the rear wiper, heavy-duty battery, and HD alternator. We agreed to a price of $15,500 for the car (they were actuall advertised at "from $14,850" in the paper, but the dealer said "NONE of them are that cheap!" and were told it would be in in about three weeks. Well, two months later they called back and said the car we ordered would still be a couple of months, but that they had a slightly better equipped 5-speed model (power windows, locks, cruise, mats and remote control for the locks) in cosmic blue for $600 more. Sticker was about $16,800, and we got it for $16,100.
They tried to sell us the extended warranty (7yrs/75,000 miles for $1,200) and rustproofing ($599). We declined both, and had the car undercoated/rustproofed and mud flaps installed through a company called Dealer Automotive Services for $207.

The car has been great. I fit into it without any problems, the headroom is phenomonal, even in the back seat. (I was wearing this huge 10-gallon coyboy hat sitting in the back seat and didn't touch the ceiling!) Lots of cargo space, and the plastic cargo area is great for toting around the dog!

I've now put about 500 miles on the car (trying to stay within the 55 mph break-in recommendation) and got 31.2 MPG on the first tank.

Great tires (Eagle RS-A's), although when I picked up the car, the dealer told me that "because the tires are an odd size, you may want to buy one and keep it in the car" !!!???

Gauges are fine. They take a bit of getting used to, but are easy to see, and look great at nite.
The radio is great (remember, this is a base model), but the display on the radio heats up and is actually hot to the touch!

All in all, I think this will be a great car!

dvd9

Hello supa_o

Will you give me phone # and address for Dealer Auto. Services? What kind of warranty do you get from them? I am interested in the undercoat and mudflaps for my new Matrix. I also live in Minnesota so the undercoat is good for the car.

Thanks,

DVD9

supa_o

Here's the information:

Dealer Automotive Services Inc
1102 South 5th Street Hopkins MN 55343
(952) 933-3575

I think they're nation-wide, so you might find one closer to you if you live outside of the Twin Cities.

BTW the mud flaps are not the custom molded Toyota flaps, but they look good anyway, and they were only about $20 installed...

I've got a buddy who works at DAS, so I may have gotten a better deal than you'll get on the undercoat! The warranty is a lifetime warranty against rust-through from the underside of the car -- they ask that you bring the car in after 7 years for inspection and any touch-up.

And while I'm posting, has anyone actually purchased/installed/used the Yakima Rack for the Martix yet? What do you think?

zukhov

I am still waiting for my cosmic blue 5 spd Matrix XR. It comes with the standard cd/radio. It didn't sound that good in the test car. I did not buy the upgraded one, as it didn't seem to deliver much more for the extra cash. I realise that for many, the standard radio is just fine.
Does anyone have advise or ideas an a modest upgrade? I don't need sub woofers or multiple CD machines. I.E. Should just the speakers be added/replaced..and/or the unit itself? Any brands or methods recommended. Thanks..

iwphill

I've had my base Matrix now for a couple of weeks, and I'm just about out of the recommended break-in period - 1000 miles. Question: has anyone else had a hard time with keeping it at the recommended 55 mph? I have had a heckuva time keeping it that low, and have gone above it on several occasions, although I was able to keep it down for the first 200 or so miles. The problem I find is that the car almost "wants" to go fast, and with the speed limits around here in central NC, it's nearly impossible to go that slow. Heck, it's 55 mph on the back roads around here, and 60-65 on the highways, and everyone drives about 10mph above that. But even when I have gone 65-70, the rpm's stay around 2700-2800.

But will going above 55 during the break-in period on occasion do any lasting damage? Has anyone heard anything about that?

turksteritis

I am at 4,000 kilo,s on my Vibe. I broke it in at hi-way driving at 55-70 mph. Just vary the speed & do not drive at extended periods at a set speed. Change oil at about 2000 miles. Good to go.

petl

You may have opened a can of worms with this one. Everyone has an opinion on the subject. Although it was difficult, we followed the manufacturer's recommended break-in procedures. Will it prolong the vehicle's engine life and give us better gas mileage? Who knows? I'm sure Toyota didn't print these procedures for nothing.

I doubt that going above 55 will do any lasting damage (as long as the speeds were varied and the RPMs were within a reasonable range). What is just as important is that you appropriately maintain the vehicle. Follow the manufacturer's recommended oil change schedule. Happy 4th of July and enjoy your Matrix.

wilczy

Hey Everybody!
Just posted new pics of my XRS in pictures section.
Have a look and tell me if you like it or not?

pickymartin

Hello,

Is anyone experiencing the same delivery problem I have with Toyota?

I placed my order for a XRS back in the late Feb and have no sight of it still. All that I have been told is that it's in the production state but I got that about 2 months after I placed my order and another 2 months has passed by since. It's really frustrated and this is the reply I got from Toyota:

--------------------------------------
Dear Sir,

Thank you for your recent correspondence. We are sorry to learn of this situation and we understand that waiting for a new vehicle can be a great inconvenience.

We would like to mention that demand for the 2003 Matrix is much greater than anticipated, and as such, the delivery time may be longer than for other vehicles. Although we are unable to speed up the delivery cycle, we truly apologize for any inconvenience that this may be causing. A copy of your correspondence has been forwarded to our Product Planning department for their information and future consideration.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact us and for allowing us the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,

Michael Hollinger
Toyota Canada Inc.

--------------------------------------

I'm in Vancouver, British Columbia and I have checked with other dealers here and it's the same story. Does anyone here work for Toyota, who could please tell me just HOW MUCH LOOOOOOOOOOOOOGER till I could be part of this club???

A Matrix Wannabee

tom3k

I just kept it within the recommended 2000-4000 RPM range. The 55 mph restriction didn't make much sense to me. I figured it was for automatics (I have the 5-speed). The Vibe manual (same engine) just has the rpm restriction, and doesn't mention speed limits.

footie

Here in New England the demand for Matrix is pretty tepid. Dealers are moving base units at or near invoice ( high 13's to 14's in US$, $500 over for some XR's).

Try a dealer down here. Boch has 45 per their ads, IRA has the same.

The problem you face is that XR's are being built in fairly small numbers. Nobody at Toyota is held accountable for meeting YOUR order.

It obviously doesn't take 4 months to build a Matrix. Their aren't any parts on your car that aren't on some other combination of cars, so they could build it if they wanted to.

The wait is just baloney. People aren't really getting 'custom' built cars, they are getting in a line waiting for the particular combination of colors and options to built as a matter of course at Toyota. The richest variety of XR's in the U.S. that I have found is in the Southeast.

Naturally, that's where Toyota sends 2wd XR 5 spd's with ABS, since the ABS is totally irrelevant there.

I shopped somewhere else and 'ordered' a MiniCooper. Very similar money, predictable wait and very cool car.

xr_matrix

Your XRS looks great wilczy...I have the identical car sans the graphics. Actually mine still looks identical to yours in the original post...except I have the tint that you now have.

I just ordered a digital camera and it should be in next week. When I get that I will share some pictures as well. I installed the mini-receiver hitch from Toyota and I can provide a picture of that if anyone is interested.

Where did you get your small TRD stickers? I really like them...

zukhov

I've waited and waited too. Ordered my XR from Don Valley Toyota in mid Feb. When I first bought, they said they were pretty sure that they could get my vehicle from another dealer, as they 'are the highest volume Toyota dealer in Canada'. They said at absolute worst...2 - 3 months. I do understand that at some point, Toyota should be able to give you a scheduled Cambridge build date & projected delivery date. I got my dates and reference order # in mid May. Now if they bump me to another date or something, that's another story. I love the car, but 1/2 a years wait for an economy car & holding on to my deposit is about all I can take. Keep your fingers crossed!