Toyota Matrix 2003 - 2008 review

Overview

Toyota Matrix 2005.   Photo: Toyota Canada

Toyota Matrix 2005.   Photo: Toyota Canada

Toyota Matrix 2005.   Photo: Toyota Canada

The 2003-2008 Toyota Matrix is a practical, fuel-efficient, reliable and easy-to-maintain compact tall wagon based on popular Toyota Corolla.
With the rear seats down, the Matrix offers 53.2 cu. ft. (1.51 m³) of flat cargo space covered with a durable plastic.
The Matrix is available with front- or four-wheel drive.
The Matrix Standard and XR were powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine with VVT-i (variable timing), which is the same engine as in the Corolla.
The sporty XRS model came with a 180-hp version of the 1.8L engine and a six-speed manual transmission.
Toyota Matrix has McPherson struts in the front and semi-independent torsion beam (Double Wishbone in 4WD) in the rear suspension. The anti-lock brakes (ABS) are optional (standard on XRS).
Inside, the Matrix is roomy, with generous headroom for the front and rear passengers. The dashboard looks sharp and sporty, with round gauges and chrome trimming. The driver's place offers tall seating position and easy to use controls. I really like the optional 115V power outlet where you can plug in your laptop or a cell phone charger during a long trip.

The rear hatch window opens separately for easy access. The split rear seat folds down flat, offering plenty of cargo space. The cargo floor is covered with easy to wash plastic. The front passenger seat back folds down, transforming into a table.
Toyota Matrix has more sporty ride, compared to the Corolla. Overall, the handling is good, but during a strong side wind you can feel that this is a fairly light-weight vehicle. The engine is a bit noisy at acceleration. The optional four-wheel drive system provides better traction on a slippery road, but is not designed for off-roading.
In the NHTSA frontal crash tests, the 2003-2004 Toyota Matrix received five stars for both the driver and the front passenger. The 2005-2008 models received five stars for the driver and four stars for the front passenger in the same tests.

Engine

2005 Toyota Matrix XRS engine.   Photo: Toyota Canada Toyota Matrix's base engine is a 1.8-liter 16-valve twin-cam with the variable timing, model 1ZZ-FE - the same as in the Corolla. This engine uses a long-lasting timing chain; there is no timing belt to replace. The XRS features the VVTL-i version of the 1.8-liter engine; model 2ZZ-GE - the same as in the Celica - with more high-end power gained by the variable valve lift. The variable valve lift means that at higher RPMs the valves open wider allowing the engine to "breath" better. Either of these two engines is very reliable if maintained well.

Pros

- Good fuel economy
- Reliability
- Stylish sporty look
- Practical roomy interior
- Cargo room
- Rear hatch window opens separately

Cons

- No leather seats
- Interior materials could be better, plastic trim around the stereo is easy to scratch
- The engine is a bit noisy
Problems are rare and mostly minor, like noisy serpentine belt idler, check engine light and alike.

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