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2009 Toyota Matrix
 The
2009 Toyota Matrix is a new, second-generation design developed in
tandem with the Corolla sedan. In essence, the Matrix is the wagon/hatch
version of the Corolla.
In fact, the company refers to it as the Toyota Corolla Matrix. With edgier styling inside and out and four versions to choose from, the Matrix makes a sensible choice for many people.
Perhaps the oldest piece of hardware on the new Matrix is
the all-wheel-drive system introduced on the RAV4 for the 2006 model
year. Everything else is newer, making the Matrix an all-new car. The
1.8-liter engine is new. Even better news is the high-revving version
that was poorly matched to the previous-generation Matrix has been
replaced by a larger 2.4-liter four-cylinder from the Camry. Gearboxes,
brakes, steering and safety systems have all been redone. The body work
is all new, also, though the design is an evolutionary update of the
previous version.
The new 2009 Toyota Matrix is bigger than the previous
version, but Toyota hasn't lost sight of this being its smallest
crossover vehicle. You can carry four big people or drop three seats and
slide a short board inside; four doors make loading kids, dogs and
miscellaneous cargo a cinch.
All run on regular unleaded fuel and rate at least 20 mpg
in the city; the 2.4-liter upgrade engine pushes 30 mpg on the highway,
while the smaller engine and five-speed manual, which are as much fun to
drive as the big automatics, run mid 20s in the city and low 30s
highway. Given Toyota's history we can't imagine they will require much
in the way of expensive repairs or maintenance. Engines were a weak
point on the previous-generation Matrix, so the 2009 represents a big
upgrade.
Check out the Matrix if you want the reliable reputation
of the Corolla with less visual boredom, if you need a urban runabout
that's cheap to buy and run, or just because it's logically all you
really need in a land of average speeds hovering in the mid-30-mph
range. The Matrix doesn't stand out anywhere as much as it provides a
useful, better than average package for any purpose short of
pickup-sized building materials or a trip to the red carpet. In short,
the new Toyota Matrix is a very sensible choice.
By price and hatchback design, the Matrix slots into
multiple categories for cross-shoppers, including roomy compact cars
such as the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Subaru Impreza, and VW Golf; small
vans and crossovers such as the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage/Hyundai Tucson,
Mazda5, Nissan Rogue; and the less-easily categorized Chevrolet HHR,
Dodge Caliber, Scion xD, and Suzuki SX4.
Model Lineup
 The
2009 Toyota Matrix comes in three defined models, although we treat
the Matrix S AWD (all-wheel drive) as a separate model.
The standard Toyota Matrix uses a 1.8-liter engine
and five-speed manual gearbox and comes with cloth upholstery, air
conditioning, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, AM/FM/CD stereo compatible
with MP3/WMA files, input jack and XM satellite radio,
tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, Optitron (electroluminescent)
gauges with tachometer, power mirrors, intermittent wipers, engine
immobilizer, and cargo cover.
Options include alloy wheels, six-speaker radio
upgrade, power locks/windows, keyless entry, cruise control,
moonroof, lighter, an all-weather package (heated mirrors,
intermittent rear wiper, rear-seat heat ducts), electronic stability
control, and a four-speed automatic transmission.
Matrix S comes with the 2.4-liter engine and
five-speed gearbox. Standard features include the six-speaker radio,
power windows/locks, keyless entry and intermittent rear wiper plus
a 115-volt AC outlet and larger rear brakes. Options include a JBL
sound system or navigation with real-time traffic (you can't have
both), moonroof, rear spoiler, cruise control, electrochromic
interior mirror w/compass, lighter, 17-inch alloy wheels, the
all-weather package, electronic stability control and a five-speed
automatic.
Matrix S AWD uses the 2.4-liter engine, a four-speed
automatic and all-wheel drive; it also includes a fully independent
rear suspension, larger rear brakes, and the all-weather package.
Options on the all-wheel drive are similar to S, excepting the
all-weather and five-speed automatic.
 Matrix
XRS models come with the 2.4-liter and five-speed manual, plus seat
fabric upgrade, 215/45R18 tires on alloy wheels, front strut brace,
electronic stability/traction control, three-spoke leather steering
wheel, rear spoiler, fog lamps, and the independent rear suspension
and big rear brakes. XRS options are limited to the JBL sound system
or navigation, moonroof, cruise control, lighter, all-weather, and
five-speed automatic transmission.
Safety features that come on all models include front
airbags, front side airbags, side curtain airbags, antilock brakes
with brake assist, tire pressure monitors, and daytime running
lights. Electronic stability control is standard on XRS and optional
on others.
Walkaround  The
2009 Toyota Matrix is just slightly larger than its predecessor
though it looks significantly larger. It's a fraction of an inch
longer and lower than the previous model.
Three factors add to its visual size: First, the nose
is sleeker, with lights that more closely parallel the Camry, S and
XRS models have a deeper chin than before, and the grille opening
sweeps cleanly up and outboard on the hood, becoming the base of the
windshield pillar. The second contributor is the inch-wider rear
track which carries more visual weight further aft. Finally, the
C-pillar (the roof support behind the back door) is very thick and
the side window has been removed, with just a sliver of curved glass
at the end, leading into the hatch glass.
The longer, lower front end of S and XRS models
employs outer black nacelles for fog lamp housings and the center
section is dark to the bottom for a more aggressive look. The S and
XRS also have different lower trim all around the body and the dark
material that shows on the seams between the panels and main
bodywork gives a hint of the add-on look, a situation more
pronounced on light-color cars.
In profile the front side windows resemble a wine
glass on its side; the upper side curved along its length and the
lower side scoops downward, for a good view of the mirror without
the mirror blocking any forward or side vision, and then begins the
taper upward to the rear. Painted mirrors and door handles, lack of
any side moldings, and just two pieces of glass keep visual clutter
to a minimum.
Seventeen-inch wheels make the best of big wheel
wells while the rear spoiler serves as a punctuation point to an
otherwise near-hemispherical rear end, and auxiliary sunshade for
rear-seat riders.
It's no stretch to consider Matrix the wagon or
hatchback version of the Corolla, indeed the official name is
Corolla Matrix. The Corolla is about seven inches longer and half
that lower, excepting headroom has larger interior dimensions but a
smaller trunk. The Matrix hatchback eases loading awkward objects,
the upright stance gives a slightly better view of traffic, and it
offers all-wheel drive and a rear wiper for inclement weather.
Expect a Matirx to cost about $1,000 more than a similarly equipped
Corolla.
I nterior Features Inside,
however, any relation to a Corolla vanishes at the first glimpse
of the dash, the Matrix trading conservative for a more stylish
look with sweeping metal-look surfaces on both sides of the
instrument cluster. Two large omni-directional vents peer out
the top like bug eyes and frame the gauges that include round
dials for speed and engine revs and an oblong unit for ancillary
information.
At this price point the materials include fabric
upholstery and door panels, with plastic on trim pieces such as
lower doors. It doesn't look cheap or like this is where the
money was saved, and all the switchgear has a quality feel to
it. Colors carry a fire theme, with either Ash (light gray) or
Charcoal (very dark gray) to choose from. A variety of storage
spaces and sizes can be found within driver's reach, and most
have a nonskid, quieting rubber mat on the bottom, a big
improvement over the slippery surface that came standard on the
previous-generation Matrix.
Manually adjusted front buckets are well-placed
for tall driver headroom and short driver visibility, and
provide good support for the length of time it takes to burn a
tank of gas, which is a long time. The wheel tilts and
telescopes but the latter's travel is limited and, with the
clutch pedal much closer than the brake pedal, may require some
minor driver adaptation.
The rear bench seat is a 60/40 split with the
narrow part behind the driver where it should be, and easily
folds down unless the front seat is far rearward.
Despite the loss of a half-inch in rated headroom
and four inches in hip room because of measurement standards,
the rear seat is generally bigger than before and we put a pair
of 6-foot-3-inch riders back there with head clearance. There
are three belts, used simultaneously only by kids and waif-like
models, and the rear-seat floor is almost flat with only a
slight rise up to the console.
The illuminated gauges are easy to see regardless
of conditions, and forward viewing is good unless you need to
actually see the hood to gauge where it is. Direct rear view
isn't bad either with no big central headrest in the way, but
your first head turn to check a rear quarter lane change will
show just how big those C-pillars are.
Three-ring climate controls deliver air where and
when you want it without excessive fan noise; AC is standard.
Primary operating controls are on steering column stalks, with
less-frequent items like the optional stability control defeat
on the dash; the shifter (automatic or manual) rides on a perch
off the lower dash, while a conventional handbrake is in the
console.
New for 2008 is an entry-level navigation option
(S, XRS only) that does not use voice-recognition or Bluetooth.
However, it does voice guidance, offers XM real-time traffic
(for subscribers), a clear 7-inch screen, and the intuitive
operation set by Lexus. Unfortunately, there is only so much
space in the dash, so you can not get the navigation system and
the high-level JBL sound system in the same car.
Matrix has nearly 20 cubic feet of cargo area
behind the rear seats, with some small bins underneath the
floor; if you want to hide cargo from view there's an optional
tonneau you attach at the corners. The floor (and rear seatback)
has plastic runners, there are tie-down rings, and the right
front-seat backrest folds flat for long items or a place to work
the laptop on break.
Driving Impressions
 As
mentioned, two engines are available, but the 1.8-liter engine
is used only in the base model. However, we found the 1.8-liter
engine sportier and more enthusiastic than the 2.4-liter. It's
not as powerful, but it's more eager and entertaining in
response, more of a driver's engine.
The smaller engine also gets significantly better
mileage than the 2.4-liter, averaging 4-5 mpg higher ratings.
With the four-speed automatic you'll lose 1 mpg or so from the
1.8-liter and be pushing it fairly hard for onramps or carting a
full load up a hill. We found the five-speed version is quite
happy to have you beat the snot out of it and still get decent
mileage. So we recommend getting the manual if you get the
1.8-liter.
The 1.8-liter engine EPA fuel economy ratings are
26/32 city/highway mpg for manual transmission models and 25/31
for the automatic transmission model powered by a 1.8-liter
engine. The 1.8-liter is rated at 132 horsepower at 6000 rpm and
128 lb.-ft. of torque at 4400 rpm. This 16-valve four-cylinder
engine features Dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with
intelligence) on both the intake and exhaust camshafts that
helps it balance performance and economy.
The 2.4-liter engine comes on all other models.
The 2.4 offers a choice of five-speed manual or five-speed
automatic except the AWD version which only comes with a
four-speed automatic. The 2.4-liter engine nets 26 hp over the
1.8 but it's the additional 34 lb-ft of torque you'll notice and
use the most because
winding it up doesn't add a lot of speed or any pizzazz it
simply adds more noise. Both engines use regular unleaded,
significant given that some cars call for premium. The 2.4-liter
engine with five-speed automatic transmission gets an EPA-rated 21/29 City/Highway mpg. The 2.4-liter is a 16-valve DOHC four-cylinder engine with VVT-i is rated at 158 hp at 6000
rpm and 162 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm.
The midrange power makes the 2.4-liter practical
but more the non-driver's engine as it merely goes about its
business. Clutch and shifter effort from the manual transmission
are relaxed, the latter giving the gear requested but not as
precise as class leaders. And the automatics all behave nicely.
Regardless of drive system or engine, the Matrix
comes across quite polished for an economy car, the only
negative is a tendency to catch and grab on bumpy roads and
surface transitions under acceleration.
The Matrix AWD is the best choice for the Snow
Belt. Its four-speed automatic transmission and hardware in the
electronically controlled all-wheel-drive are similar to the
system used in the RAV4 (though the Matrix doesn't get the RAV's
locked 4WD mode). Normally, the all-wheel-drive system sends all
power to the front wheels, which is best for fuel economy. But
when slippery conditions demand it, the AWD system automatically
diverts up to 45 percent of the power to the rear wheels. There
is no driver action required and you'll never know it's working
until you see the front-drive Matrix stuck in the snow next to
you while you move onward. Any dynamic change you note on test
drives is more likely a result of the extra weight than the
added rear drive.
That isn't to say the all-wheel drive might
handle or ride slightly better because it shares the independent
rear suspension with the XRS. The IRS delivers finer control of
suspension travel, and perhaps more of it, maintaining rear tire
contact and a softer ride on the S-AWD.
The XRS keeps the control factor, but the ride
isn't quite as good because the 18-inch wheel/tire package has
far less sidewall and because the XRS uses firmer suspension
calibrations. Those 18-inch wheels also take away steering lock
to a point where the wee XRS needs just a few inches less space
for U-turn than an eight-passenger Sequoia. Interestingly, we
found the 18-inch BFGoodrich TA KDW tires that offer such
prodigious grip and account for much of the XRS better handling
also run quieter than the Bridgestone Turanzas.
Disc brakes are used all 'round on all models and
they come with antilock (ABS) and Brake Assist functions. The
disc brakes get bigger as you move up the model line, yet all
get the job done fuss-free; you're not going to be going that
fast.
If there's a weak point in the Matrix driving
it's the electric power steering, and you can't blame the
electric steering because other cars use it with better results.
Steering effort is low for parking maneuvers and gets higher
with speed and cornering load as you would expect, especially on
the XRS, and it goes where you point it, but it feels relatively
dull and doesn't have a lot of return-to-center force, so you
may find yourself steering back to straight ahead more than
you're used to.
Summary
The
Toyota Matrix provides the economy-minded pricing and operation
of a compact car with the practicality of a hatch. All-wheel
drive is available, an important option for those who need it
that not all competitors offer. One never feels something is
missing or left out, especially with the addition of a navigation system, and the new styling won't be dated before the
next version of Windows or iPhone.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent G.R. Whale
filed this report after test driving all the various models of
the Toyota Matrix in North Carolina. Herb Chambers Toyota of Boston
Herb Chambers Toyota of Auburn
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