Author Topic: Used Vehicle Review: Toyota Matrix, 2009 to 2014 (Read 8196 times)

Autos_Editor · « **on:** October 30, 2014, 06:26:13 am »

Matrix looks like a very solid used car buy that's big on space and flexibility.
Read More...

northsparrow · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2014, 07:42:17 am »

RIP Matrix.

You were another victim of the 'Americans don't buy hatchbacks so Canadians can't have them either'
mania which so cruelly reduces our national access to sensible hatchbacks and wagons.

As a nation we can lament your passing along with the Focus wagon and many other nameplates too depressing to list.

The new Auris-based Scion may fill the hole in the lineup but it won't be built in Canada like the Matrix was.

Of course Honda could seize the opportunity to fill the void with the super-sensible Civic Tourer but the American bigotry against wagons will probably leave that opportunity stillborn.

Shame.

Noto · « **Reply #2 on:** October 30, 2014, 08:20:10 am »

Quote

Stick to stock where possible.

Yeah, Fob/rrocket!

My buddy in law school had a Matrix. No idea what year, but I suspect it was a 2010. She LOVED it. Manual transmission, base model. Didn't even have cruise control, and yet she drove it from Vancouver to Ontario and back 4 times. The windshield took a beating, but there weren't any stone chips on the hood so I'd think the paint quality was fine. Certainly no worse than my Corolla of the same vintage.

I just could never justify the price premium for the Matrix over the Corolla...the Corolla's trunk is plenty big, and the $1k was better saved for my usage. If I often carried boxes, etc, I'd reconsider that statement.

...but now in hindsight, the Matrix was worth every penny extra. It was almost (read: ALMOST) Subaru-like in quirkiness and nobody was like, "dude, I drive a Matrix

" quite like we all now say "*sigh* just a Corolla

"

Frontier1 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 30, 2014, 08:26:29 am »

Oil consumption surfacing again, great car.

Noto · « **Reply #4 on:** October 30, 2014, 09:13:58 am »

Get the 1.8L and then no oil consumption concerns. There. Done. No more.

...now let's talk about how adorable it is. Go.

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #5 on:** October 30, 2014, 10:06:27 am »

Lots of first gen Matrix and Vibe's around here, half the office drives one. This second gen you don't see nearly as much of, was a bit of a step back in styling and utility IMO, uglified it, took out the extremely useful folding front passenger seat, raised the belt line.

Made all those '$1000 each' safety features standard for no extra cost though.

Fobroader · « **Reply #6 on:** October 30, 2014, 11:02:01 am »

"and not quite enough standard power output for hilly terrain, especially with the automatic."

Why you shouldn't buy little crap box cars with a slushbox.....it kills them.

johngenx · « **Reply #7 on:** October 30, 2014, 06:21:08 pm »

I dunno. I've driven the Corolla in the mountains and never had any kind of problems. It's not a speed demon but easily climbed any passes at the posted.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tooscoops · « **Reply #8 on:** October 30, 2014, 06:26:42 pm »

i always had high opinions of these... then i sold a handful of them... the people who traded them in and the customers i sold them to were never thrilled.

what will always stick out in my mid was a customer driving a caliber and a matrix of the same year and kms back to back... they bought the caliber saying the matrix was a "horrible ride compared to the caliber"...

wow.

but even with that said, i have no qualms suggesting one for anyone. the reliability and simplicity of the design worked well and the resale was a big help.

hemusbull · « **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2014, 08:15:12 am »

This second generation Matrix was a step back. The worse thing is the rear hatch which isn't with flat floor as the previous generation. Quite obstacle for loading bigger and heavier stuff. And something more - the side and rear windows are smaller like it is armored vehicle version...The disappointing as well is the very same aging engine and four speed auto tranny. No wonder the vehicle have died with our American friends' influence, of course!

blotter · « **Reply #10 on:** October 31, 2014, 11:37:52 am »

some notes from my 4 year experience with my 2011:

first off, I've done A LOT of complaining on this forum about my Matrix.
that may have been a little unfair. It's a bit of a kick going from a V6 RAV to a 1.8L Matrix.

- NEVER had ANY oil issues or mechanical, when it came to reliability it was rock solid.

Quote

styling and utility IMO, uglified it, took out the extremely useful folding front passenger seat, raised the belt line.

I liked my styling better, at least the front end. I didn't like how they made the C Pilars thicker / or smaller side windows. I could fold the front passenger seat flat (used that a couple times on dump runs)

I found the Matrix extremely useful in space.

Quote

I dunno. I've driven the Corolla in the mountains and never had any kind of problems. It's not a speed demon but easily climbed any passes at the posted.

this honestly shocks me.
while I've always bashed the Matrix on power, the hills (not mountains like yours

) made life hard on the Matrix.... unloaded, no problem. Loaded up with people, bikes and gear. It would be alright but really reved up the heck out of the car. It struggled and lacked power. Maybe it's the experience with more power.
I also found when you worked the car, fuel economy was very highly impacted.

My wife's Yaris had slightly less HP but always felt faster and quicker than the Matrix. (weight vs HP)

Quote

what will always stick out in my mid was a customer driving a caliber and a matrix of the same year and kms back to back... they bought the caliber saying the matrix was a "horrible ride compared to the caliber"...

I'm surprised but not surprised. While I had the S package with the low profile tires which didn't help. The Matrix suspension (old torsion beam rear suspension) was brutal and harsh. BANG!
I don't know how many times I've had people in the car and say "whoa.." when hitting a pothole.

The met some of my needs but was a huge downgrade from what I was used to.
it was a solid run about but I was never really happy with it.

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #11 on:** October 31, 2014, 11:54:18 am »

Ah, it could be the front seat folds only on the higher trim levels in the second gen or something. I love mine, it really turns the car into a type of pickup, no problem hauling 8 ft lumber with the hatch closed.

On the ride, my first gen Vibe rides pretty well. But a buddy gave me a ride in the same gen Matrix to the mountains and whoa, it's way rougher. Toyota must like to spec a higher spring rate or stiffer shocks.

Noto · « **Reply #12 on:** October 31, 2014, 12:44:31 pm »

Quote from: blotter on October 31, 2014, 11:37:52 am

Quote
I dunno. I've driven the Corolla in the mountains and never had any kind of problems. It's not a speed demon but easily climbed any passes at the posted.
this honestly shocks me.
while I've always bashed the Matrix on power, the hills (not mountains like yours ) made life hard on the Matrix.... unloaded, no problem. Loaded up with people, bikes and gear. It would be alright but really reved up the heck out of the car. It struggled and lacked power. Maybe it's the experience with more power.
I also found when you worked the car, fuel economy was very highly impacted.

My Corolla really works hard climbing the South Hill unloaded in Ithaca. It's a long hill with relatively steep grade, but I get in the Fozzie and it barely breaks a proverbial sweat doing it. The Corolla has to kick down to 1st gear to make it up the hill, Fozzie does it fine in 3rd. (both are 4-AT)

johngenx · « **Reply #13 on:** October 31, 2014, 01:02:55 pm »

Oh, the little 1.8L won't climb Bow Pass at 2500rpm like the Highlander can. Sure, it's at 6500rpm the whole time, but so what? Little inline fours need to rev high. People shouldn't be afraid of that. Maybe that's why folks feel that some of the compacts are underpowered? They need to rev!

Noto · « **Reply #14 on:** October 31, 2014, 02:02:07 pm »

I'm not afraid to rev 'er, but my foot gets tired and cruise control gets confused every time the gradient changes

johngenx · « **Reply #15 on:** October 31, 2014, 02:10:43 pm »

The cruise on the Corolla tends to allow the car to gear hunt on steep grades, so I use the shifter to lock it in the gear I want, and then it's fine.

blotter · « **Reply #16 on:** October 31, 2014, 02:13:57 pm »

i'll never use the cruise on the hills. I'd prefer to control the revs with my input.
while the high revs don't scare me, unless I had someone behind me, I'd try and keep it to a minimum because I do beleive pushing it was eating more fuel (maybe i'm wrong on that?)

hemusbull · « **Reply #17 on:** October 31, 2014, 04:03:18 pm »

Yes, Matrix is just sufficient powerful ...when not fully loaded. But even pushing it on the hills it has decent gas mileage. With three of us and luggage from Mississauga to PEI and back I've got 7.5 l/ 100 kms with almost always mandatory 15 km/h over the limit. This is hardly RAV4 V6 or (don't mind) Highlander territory!

conwelpic · « **Reply #18 on:** October 31, 2014, 04:59:59 pm »

anybody read or heard if the 2014 Matrix will be the last year for Canada? There is currently no listing for a 2015 model on the Toyota Canada website.

Ice · « **Reply #19 on:** November 01, 2014, 12:50:14 am »

My buddy has a 2010 Matrix with the 2.4L engine in it and it's just as peppy as my 09 Corolla with the 2.4L. It seems like the 1.8L is good for the Corolla but a little too much for the Matrix... Toyota always short changed the Matrix with the 1.8L offering good economy but poor power and the 2.4L/5AT being inefficient compared to the newer 2.5L/6AT combination that some of the other Toyota products got.

They didn't get the sales with the Matrix because Toyota didn't put the effort in. They are popular here in Canada because hatchbacks are a thing. In the US other companies seem to be able to sell their hatches but Mazda and Hyundai seem to put more effort in.

That said... the word is that the Scion iM (terribly named) is a North American version of the Toyota Auris (or Corolla Auris) hatchback from Europe. Maybe they will redeem themselves slightly. I still would have preferred that it was a Toyota and not a Scion.