Toyota Matrix

xr5speed

60 mph in 5th gear-2300rmp
60 mph in 4th gear-2800 rpm
70 mph in 5ht gear-2700 rmp

3rd tank (7.1 gal)-38.1 mpg

oac3

I am a new (and proud) owner of a 2003 Matrix XR. I researched this car a lot, and I must say that any complain about inadequate power is (IMO) totally false. This car rocks !!! I was at 80mph in no time (barely notching 3000rpm), and I didn't even feel it. Noisy engine ? Just turn up the radio/music. The sound quality is great, and was a pleasant surprise since it came from the GM parts bin. The only thing in the car I did not like was the GM-cloned sound system. But I was pleasantly surprised even at that.

I cannot imagine not driving this car regularly. It is such a fun car to drive. Tight and smooth. Very nice indeed ! I will willingly give up my LS 400 to drive the Matrix on a daily basis. The difference in "fun" between and LS and a Matrix is like night-and-day. I simply love the Matrix.

Mine is white, with 10K miles, auto, loaded (moonroof, 16"-alloys, etc....). And a very good price too, at $14,9. Just blew me away with its incredible nimbleness, and taut steering and excellent handling. I am simply amazed at how Toyota did it ! Great job, Toyota Corp.

Obviously, a happy owner here. I will be checking on MPG after about 2 months or 1000miles. Will see whether I get up to 30mpg. Regardless, it will be a huge improvement on our 15mpg '01 Seq., or my 19.5mpg '99 LS. Both V8's.

revka

and congrats on your 03 Matrix! We look forward to hearing more about your ownership experience. ;-)

Revka
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nippononly

and I love my Matrix too, but you are seriously calling it fun "compared to your LS400"????? That has to be the most un-fun car ever built. A great car in many ways, but even Lexus doesn't call the LS fun!! LOL

I wonder if Toyota sells a stereo system for its cars that has as much power as the GM one in the Matrix. I rather like the 50 watts/channel, but would rather have a Toyota unit with the cassette/CD combo, and less buttons, not to mention several other small advantages.

I think its power is adequate, the only time I find it slow is taking it from, say, 50 mph to 80 mph. Try that some time: get on the highway, bring it up to 50, then hold it there for a second and "punch it". Compared to this 15 year old, 118 hp Acura I just picked up, it takes quite a lo-o-o-ong time...

Around town it is nimble and quick - no complaints there at all. And it is certainly fun to drive, comparisons to LS400s notwithstanding! :-)

oac3

trust me i know the difference b/w a matrix and an LS in terms of 'fun'. the new matrix is my 'fun' car (the kid in me, so to speak) and the lex is the adult in me. i cannot even put the lex and the matrix in the same sentence. maybe i wasn't clear in my earlier post. i will like the matrix as my everyday-work car cos it is so much fun to drive. currently, driving the lex to work just seems an overkill (to me) ! but a matrix will fit right in - small, nimble, fun, cool-looking and a blast to drive. sure i loose a lot in power and refinement compared to the lex, but for the share fun, that is a loss i gladly will take. BUT, I love my LS as much, if not much more. I care for it a lot and want it to last forever. It is such a superb car.

Hey, I cannot complain, it is a blessing to have the good fortune to own these fine cars, and I know it, so i am thankful.

nippononly

where you are coming from now - got it!

I wouldn't mind having a Lexus myself just to finally own a well-made RWD car again. I would tend toward the GS rather than the LS however. I would probably still commute in the Matrix just like you are doing - gas costs add up quickly with those V-8s! Plus it is better to save a really great car for drives you can enjoy, rather than the daily stop-and-go slog.

phankane

The guy show me the options:
1. Basic 15K service for $39.
2. Comprehensive one for around $200. I do not have to be the scrooge to figure it out.
Have the dashboard rattling problem fixed too.

Modern, youthful people drive Matrix, only El Cheapee drives Corolla. :-)

bluestar1

Corolla's can be optioned up to the 20K price range (sport package, moonroof, spoiler, ABS, CD changer, +++), you get the point. Not el cheapee in my book. I like the Matrix better but I am considering either of the two cars, afterall they share a lot in common. Matrix is slightly more expensive, but look at what you lose vs the Corolla:

Matrix - more noise; Corolla - more quiet
Matrix - 28/32 MPG: Corolla - 30/35 MPG.

So I'd say the Corolla is a great value, while the Matrix is a new design and is getting its feet wet. Will it be succesful ? Only time will tell. But don't diss the Corolla, puleaze...

nippononly

quite a bit, I am not so sure that what you say about noise is true. The corolla is about as noisy as the Matrix.You get a lot of tire and engine noise from both.

However, what you say is very true about the relative fuel economy of the two. I think the real-world numbers are even further apart than the EPA figures would suggest. People are getting high 30s from the corolla, and mostly right around the 30 mark from the Matrix.

carbonni

I am looking for a new car, and I am comparing the Matrix with the Vibe. The Edmunds TMV section shows the following for the automatic transmission base models of the Matrix and Vibe: estimated 5-year fuel cost: $4,325 (Matrix)/ $3,877 (Vibe). Also, estimated 5-year maintenance cost: $3,514 (Matrix)/ $5,365(Vibe). Anybody knows where this differences come from?

nippononly

when Edmunds produces disparate numbers like these for identical models. Aren't they both rated identically for fuel economy? Maybe the Matrix is sold more optioned up fleetwide, which makes them heavier and therefore they drink a little more gas in five years?

Mechanically they are the same, so there is no reason they should have different maintenance costs - that is just bunk unless GM dealers charge way more than Toyota dealers for maintenance (hardly likely).

I think these numbers are Toyota vs GM, not Matrix vs Vibe, and factor in the overall likelihood of repairs in five years...Toyota is warranted out to 60K for powertrain, GM warranty ends at 3/36.

montanafan

I have a couple ideas.

Gas Mileage: When going through the Edmunds system Matrix-Automatic is a model choice, Vibe-Manual is the model choice with Automatic an option. Even though the explainations of "Cost To Own" says the numbers reflect Automatic Transmission, I'm betting it is using Vibe manual numbers. Or the system is messed up.

Maintenance: Since GM must buy the parts off Toyota to supply the dealers, there is a great difference in prices. For the "Cost To Own" calculation, these big ticket maintenance items add up. Of course this assumes that either car will need all that stuff. Or the system is messed up.

oac3

the single most determinant factor used by edmunds to come up with the difference in cost_to_own has to be warranty (I agree with nippononly on this fact). GM's powertrain warranty is 3/36 and Toyota's is 5/60, hence it *may* cost a little more for out-of-warranty fixing for the Vibe relative to the Matrix, which has additional 14K miles or 2 additional years to go on the powertrain warranty.

nippononly

that would be 24K additional miles for powertrain, not 14, but who's counting??!! :-)

I bet that is the sole reason for the cost disparity for maintenance/repair over 5 years.

The depreciation is probably more for Vibe since it is GM, is this part of that $5K+ number?

montanafan

Warranty has no effect on the "Cost to Own" figure, especialy for the "Mainteance" number the question concerned. "CTO" Maintenance is scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. It includes for unscheduled: alignment, battery, brakes, headlamps, hoses, muffler, taillight/turn signal bulbs, tires and wiper blades/inserts. So the difference is in expected parts/labor costs. So to use this number, one must believe that a Vibe owner will spend $1851 more for bulbs/blades/brakes/hoses/muffler/alignments.

  Another "CTO" catagory is repairs. This would be where non-warranty items show up. For my zip code, its $620 Vibe /$602 Matrix. But Edmunds figures this amount by taking costs of extended warranties and subtracting what they feel is the amount for profit and overhead.

malibu_jack

My friend and I took out a Matrix XR for a test drive last weekend. Loved the vehicle, but I discovered a very large con about the car. The gauge cluster. Altough it looks great, the red numbers during the day are pretty hard to read with Polarized sunglasses on. I found that I have to adjust my eyes every time I looked down at it. Anyone know if there is a way to remove the red filter and replace it with something that is easier to read...like white?

nippononly

everyone was asking when this car first came out, and I never heard an answer...I would love to know, because I would invest in it. A white background like the Corolla S instrument panel would be perfect.

stillageek

It's not a red filter, its several tiny red LED's. I am part of an owners group and one member took apart the cluster and took photos of all the tiny red LED's. Until a company makes a kit to replace the entire led cluster, red it is. I heard a rumor that 2004 models will have a white LED dash....unable to confirm though.

nippononly

because if they developed that, it would probably be possible to retrofit existing 2003 cars.

Kirstie_H

Join us Wednesday, April 16 (tomorrow!), 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET for Town Hall Trivia Night and member-to-member chat – come test your knowledge and chat with fellow members!

http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/townhallchat.html

See you there!

hurler4

stillageek, where did you hear the rumor about the red gauges possibly being replaced with white? If there is even a remote possibility of this, I will wait for the 2004 Matrix to come out before buying, as I found the red gauges (and the chrome rings) annoying enough to pretty much ruin an otherwise terrific driving experience.

revka

To stillageek- Please read my email. Thanks! ;-)

Revka

stillageek

I read it in another Matrix group site from supposedly someone who works on the Matrix/Corolla assembly line. Not sure if its true. I am interested to see if the new LED assembly and filter could be purchased separately (might have to wait till one of them gets wrecked) to install in my car. I dont mind the orange background, but white would be nice.

montanafan

Here is what the Pontiac dealers have seen. A revised gage "face". It look more like other Pontiac dashes, were the numbers/grahics are illuminated from the back. Still appears to be red toned. But this hasn't been a problem in the non-Vibes in the past, because the illumination was only used at night. Also the temp/odo section appears to have a white background. Same shape, location and chromed trim rings.

It will be a while before it can be determined if the faces are interchangable between years. GM dashes are sent out for repairs to regional service centers, how does Toyota handle it?

oac3

hello ?????

maybe busy cruising around in your new Trix'es.... Can't say I blame you tho'. Such a fun car to drive.

BTW, anyone know what is in store for '04 ? I'd like an option for bigger engine at all trim levels, maybe a 2.0. Don't get me wrong, the 1.8L is plenty fun, but for getting off the line, it is a DOG, once past 2nd gear, you are good to hit 100mph before you know it. Sorry I am lead-footed, lol.

stillageek

What I have heard for 2004 is a yellow color for the Matrix and Vibe called "sunburst" and being able to get a sunroof and 17 inch wheels. That's about it. There will be no visual changes to the exterior until 2005, which is normal for foreign cars.

nippononly

Toyota does not make big changes in the second model year. What I would like to see them do down the line is get this supercharger done that they have been working on, and make it available as a standard factory installation. It will probably increase the cost of the base-engined car by $3000-4000, and increase the hp on the base engine by 50-75 hp. Of course, this would make it compete directly with the XRS as far as power, but it would produce the power over a much broader range. Due to the internal competition, however, I wonder if they would ever make it a factory package. Probably not. :-(

Maybe, if they were willing to substitute the SC package for the Celica GTS engine that is currently in the XRS....

microrepair

figured out why my Matrix gets only 22 mpg while everyone else is getting 32 mpg..! When [oac3] said that his Matrix with the 1.8L engine was a DOG off the line, I knew something was wrong! A light tap on the pedal of my XR virtually tears the asphalt up from the roadbed..! I think that the person on Toyota's assembly line who installed the engine has dyslexia and instead of a 1.8L engine, they put in a 8.1L engine..!!! Mystery solved !!!

oac3

That was funny, lol ! With my lead-foot, I am getting 25mpg, so far over 1500 miles in 2 weeks of ownership (~5 fill-ups). That should tell you I am really loving this car and constantly finding more excuses to drive it around. If my love affair with the Trix doesn't end soon, I am afraid, I will be just like you - getting 22mpg and loving every minute of it. Still a great mpg compared to my '01 Seq (@ 15mpg) and the '99 LS (@18mpg).

hurler4

I'm starting to read info on the 2004 Matrix on various websites. Someone said they are going to be put into production in early May.

Here is what I have heard:
1) Two new colors may be introduced--gray and yellow
2) No more automatic with the XRS
3) Gauges will be fixed; possibly white, possibly red, but more readable.

Anyone hear anything else? I'm hoping that the steering wheel will be brought out closer to the driver. I agree with the person who said that the engineer who designed this must have been a chimpanzee.

nippononly

like the steering wheel the way that it is, but I am sure Toyota could win lots of new friends if they made this a telescoping as well as tilt wheel. A number of people have posted with this complaint.

kris0877

I'd like to add A/C to my base Matrix, but A/C only, not the whole bunch of extras I dont need (they come with $3000 package . The Dealer says Toyota doesn't do it separately (why?). Does anybody know if I can do it at some independent shop and still have my warranty?

oac3

I am like you I like the steering the way it is, but would LOVE it to be telescopic (not gonna happen on a 16K car, lol). But Tilt ? I had thought the steering has Tilt ? No ? I will check when I head for home tonight. But I did see the knob for tilting, altho' can't be sure now.

nippononly

my stress was on the AND. Yes, the Trix already has tilt steering, in fact I am pretty sure all Toyotas do, but it would be nice if it telescoped AND tilted. Sorry I was unclear.

nippononly

Toyota likes to package options in groups in order to be able to charge more for them, and make more profit. Unfortunately, this often means you have to pay for things you would not otherwise want.

One thing you should do: go to Toyota's website, where they have a "build your own car" feature. Make sure that what the Toyota dealer is telling you is true - the website will tell you for sure. It asks you for your zip code so it can search how cars are being optioned in your part of the country.

petl

Unfortunately, not everyone wishes to have A/C on this type of vehicle. Look at it this way... it would cost over $2,000.00 to have installed as an after-market option. Based on this information, it seems more cost effective to purchase the $3,000.00 option package (if possible at a negotiated, reduced price). In addition to the A/C, you will have convenience features that may add to the resale value of the vehicle.

I wouldn't trust an independant shop with this type of request.

microrepair

Toyota is far from the worst offender when it comes to packages with too much content, sometimes unrelated options. More than half the Mazda6 discussion (of more than 10,000 messages!) has been on the weird packaging of many options. At least Mazda NA has been listening and has modified numerous packages to make them more palatable with American desires. Now they offer the sunroof as a separate option so I can get all the other stuff I like without the sunroof being forced on me..

Probably the worst offender is Infiniti with the G35 sedan. If you don't want a sunroof, then you must order the BASE G35 sedan and you cannot get ANY other options. So if you want leather but don't want the sunroof, you gotta make a decision as to which you way you want to go. If you must have leather seats then you will have to pay for the sunroof and dozens of other options that are standard on the upper trim model. Bah Humbug..!! They lost a sale on me cuz' I don't fit in the G35 sedan with the sunroof.. And I do want leather and a couple of other things.

Last year we bought the Matrix XR which pretty much aligned with our needs for options. I wished that ABS had been available on more of the inventory, as I would have liked that. But there wan't one available in the entire northeast at the time we needed the car.

Some manufacturers will let you custom order the car you want but you will have to wait as much as 3-6 months to get it. I believe Mazda is accepting orders that way now and possibly Toyota.

capitano

I thought the beef with Toyota, which made it stand out from the other makes, is the region-based option packages. Guys in Ohio can't get cars configured the same way as guys in Virginia.

microrepair

it is the same with other mfg's also.. Mazda Canada has a completely different set of standard packages than what is available in the US. Lexus (at least a couple years ago) wouldn't ship a car to the northern parts of the US without a sunroof, but in Florida or Arizona you can get them without sunroofs..

southpaw1

I hit 20k this week and thought I'd report in that I still really like the Matrix. I have an XRS and it has worked great for my commute into the city and my weekend dog activities in the country. I just returned from a long road trip and the ride was very pleasant for hours of highway driving and the car does well in the mountains and passing other vehicles.

The red gauges can be hard to see at times but I still think they look nice. I am sometimes annoyed with the reflection off the shiny gauge rims but I am able to live with it. What I like the best is the smooth ride, the excellent braking, and the reliability. I've had no problems in my year of ownership and I've certainly put miles on the car. My dogs fit nicely in the spacious backseat and the hard plastic cargo area has been very handy and easy to keep clean. I do wonder when they are going to finally make a rubber cargo mat so stuff stops sliding around. They keep promising.

The Matrix isn't my dream sports car but it is fun and in the bright red I can't say it is boring. I think it is a great value for your money and hopefully since it is a Toyota it will remain reliable for a long time to come.

regfootball

tested out a Matrix XRS 6 sp. today. May share some thoughts tomorrow, with more time.

xr5speed

See my post (#400) in the "Corolla & Matrix Owners: Problems & Solutions" discussion for a quick, effective fix for the glare problem.

Don't wait for Toyota to make a mat for the back. Go to Home Depot and buy a piece of carpet and cut it to fit in the back of your car. It might cost all of $10 so when your dogs ruin it you won't sweat the cost.

re MILEAGE: I am averaging 37 mpg (5 speed) but am a pretty conservative driver who might get a little crazy when the road is right and the song is worthy of speeding.

hurler4

xr5speed, that's a great idea for getting rid of the glare. Does the permanent marker really stick to the shiny surface? If I get a Matrix in the next few weeks, I'll have to try that. It's pretty easy to pop the rings out?

The 2004s seem to be on lots in many parts of the country. Has anyone seen one yet? I'm curious to see what the gauges look like, since there are a lot of rumors about Toyota making them more readable.

nippononly

Toyota already makes a mat for the cargo area. I have one - it has a cute "Matrix" logo and everything.

Luzer

I had the dealer "throw in" the Cargo mats and nets to close the deal.

We were like $50 apart and I said throw in the mat($50+; nets ($30ish) and wheel locks ($30 after market) and we're done.

There must be a back room somewhere that they can get parts that do not affect their finance numbers.

xr5speed

To remove the rings, just grab the black rings between the speedometer and tachometer and between the tach and gas gauge. Pull straight toward you (the odometer reset might get slightly in the way-be careful).

After you pop the shiny rings off you can test various paints/markers on the clips which hold the rings in place; they are made of the same material and are not visible.

southpaw1

Toyota does make mats for the back of the Matrix? I'm looking for the rubber mat that has been promised. Anyone have that? I have a piece of carpet but even that slides around. I want durable rubber.

nippononly

have a carpeted mat. I take it that is not what you are looking for?

southpaw1

No, I need rubber. Carpet would get dirty too quickly with all my dog gear. Plus the carpet I have in there now slides on the hard plastic.

Toyota parts said a rubber mat was in the works 6 months ago but now they are backing off. Too bad.

nippononly

the regular carpeted mat I have in there now has a sticky rubber backing, so it doesn't slide around on the plastic.

Good luck with that search. I am sure there must be some company somewhere that makes just the right thing - there are so many aftermarket companies making stuff like this for cars.