By James Bergeron
Photo Gallery:
2010 Toyota Matrix XR AWD
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Winter is here! Ottawa got a dusting of snow today, and while most people either love it or hate it, I’m actually of two minds: today I get an all-wheel drive vehicle equipped with snow tires and we get our first dusting of snow — awesome! But then I hop on the highway at six o’clock and everyone is going 60km/h — get out of my way! Yes, the side streets were slippery but geez, people, the highway was perfectly fine!
But I digress. This week I’m behind the wheel of the not-really-different-from-2009 2010 Toyota Matrix XR AWD. It has been less than a year since I drove the 2009 Toyota Matrix XR, the last tester.
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The XR package on the AWD-equipped Matrix adds: 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, steering wheel audio controls, six speakers, cruise control, colour-keyed mirrors and leather-wrapped steering wheel for an extra $2,050 over the base price of $23,470.
Standard on the AWD Matrix is a four-speed automatic transmission coupled to a 2.4-litre, four-cylinder engine with 158hp and 162lb-ft of torque. Sifting through Toyota’s specifications is a little confusing: according to Toyota, you get a five-speed automatic with sequential shift if you get a Matrix XR, but if you get a Matrix AWD you get a four-speed automatic, but these cars share the same engine. One would them think that you get a five-speed if you get the AWD XR, but that is not the case — you keep the four-speed — just in case you get as confused as I did reading the Toyota website.
Other standard features include: power windows and mirrors, air conditioning, height adjustable driver’s seat, front folding passenger seat for greater cargo capacity, defrosting side-mirrors, all the airbags you should ever need (six of them) and stability and traction control.
2010 Toyota Matrix XR AWD
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $25,520
For more information on Toyota and the Matrix visit Toyota Canada
