2005 Toyota Matrix Review

Specifications

Flexible, Frugal and Fun to Drive

Now that Toyota has announced its long running Celica and MR2 will no longer be imported after the 2005 model year, only the recently introduced Corolla XRS and Matrix XRS will be left waving the brands performance flag unless something else gets announced in between.

To be fair to Toyota, there arent many performance coupes left in the game for the Celica to compete against, with Hondas Prelude and the Chevy/Pontiac Camaro/Firebird long gone, and Acuras RSX, Mitsubishis Eclipse and Hyundais Tiburon it struggling out in a very soft coupe market. Only Fords Mustang seems to rise above the trend year after year.

There is no such lack of interest in the compact sport sedan and 5-door liftback market, however, as more and more new entries are encroaching on established models with every passing quarter. The latter category has seen the most action, thanks to models such as the Mazda Protegé5, Hyundai Elantra GT, and Pontiac Vibe, kissing cousin to the Matrix.

While hardly established since its model year 2003 introduction, the Matrix has been widely accepted by 5-door aficionados. These include young families not yet ready or willing to trade the styling and performance attributes of their sports cars in for an SUV, let alone a minivan, but still needing to make accommodations for practical issues such as 4-door functionality and cargo carrying capacity. Others on the 5-door list are young singles with active lifestyles, also needing the extra space a wagon provides. And lets not forget about aging singles and couples, who not only live active lifestyles but more often than not find themselves with juniors juniors, babysitting the grandkids.

For those at either end of the chronological scale, an easy entry price and low running costs are often extremely important. Such are the reasons the Matrix has become so popular. Most new car buyers know that Toyota nears the top of owner satisfaction surveys, reliability tests and all the other third party studies, so anything the brand puts out is more or less a safe bet.

Another thing the Matrix has going for it is extremely high perceived quality. No, Im not talking about that belief a person gets about one brand being better than another due to name recognition, but rather the touchy, feely sensation that you experience when sitting inside a car. The Matrix interior is so well made, with plastics of such high tactile quality, that it shames a lot of manufacturers that consider their cars “premium”. Pontiacs Vibe is the same, causing me to comment in an article I wrote after driving the car across half of Ontario that the compact wagon featured the best interior GM offered at the time, Cadillac included.

I especially like the chrome trimmed gauge cluster, an extremely creative grouping of four circular protruding dials that set its cockpit apart from anything else in its class, except the Vibe of course. The center stack is within easy reach of either driver or front passenger, and everything, from the multi-disc audio head to the three-dial HVAC unit works the way its supposed to.

The shifter is also well positioned, higher on the console than most other cars bringing it within closer proximity to the steering wheel. My XRS tester came with a 6-speed manual - the base model gets a 5-speed unit that shifts very nicely while a 4-speed automatic is optional. Clicking through the gears is a relatively fluid process, accompanied by an especially light and easily modulated clutch pedal.

Due to the small displacement inline 4-cylinder engine, shifting gears is a task of necessity rather than merely something to do for the fun of it, but thats not to say the result of downshifting isnt rewarding. The XRS 1ZZ-FE engine, featuring Toyotas Variable Valve Timing and Lift with intelligence (VVTL-i), is pulled from the Celica GT-S. Torque is fairly low at 127 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm, but the engine is extremely responsive when revving in the upper ranges of its capabilities, and with 170 peak horsepower coming on at 7,600 rpm and the rev limiter kicking in at 8,400, it pretty well bubbles over with giddy excitement anytime it gets over 6,000 rpm.

Or maybe that was me? Ive driven the Matrix XRS around the city before, but theres nothing like a dedicated trip into empty backroad country to bring to light a cars attributes, or shortcomings. Fortunately for Toyota, the Matrix XRS has few shortcomings, especially when tackling the twists and turns that that Ontarios low-laying hill country doled out.

While I love driving the XRS, it seems strange to me that the 4WD system is only available with the base powertrain, and unless you get a charge out of dependable reliability, the base powertrain is not much to get excited about. In base and XR trim the entry-level engine only makes 130 horsepower at a lofty 6,000 rpm and 125 lb-ft of torque at 4,200. Its adequate for daily commuting and relatively fun on the open road, but compared to a 148 horsepower Mazda3 Sport, for instance, its a tad on the shy side. In 4WD trim its even shyer, detuned further to 123 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque. If you want all the power of an XRS but still need the benefits of four-wheel drive then youre pretty well out of luck. It looks like the decision not to combine XRS power and 4WD comes down to pricing - it would just cost too much and not enough people would buy it. Toyota may be right on that one, as the XRS already sells in lower numbers than its less powerful siblings.

If you must have 4WD, an alternative is strapping on a supercharger, available through Toyota Racing Development (TRD), dealer installed and covered by Toyotas warranty. TRD offers a variety of additional parts to spice up your ride, from suspension upgrades and wheels, to engine tuning components and aerodynamic add-ons. The supercharger is said to deliver as much power as the top-tier XRS engine, while doling out more torque lower in the rev range. In other words, its even quicker!

Nevertheless, in 4WD trim I was relegated to a bone stock 123 horsepower unit and despite its free revving engine it doesnt exactly deliver sports car-like performance. But still, most four-wheel drive Toyota wagon buyers moved up to the Matrix from a 90 horsepower late-80s Corolla SR5 4WD wagon, or older yet, a 62 horsepower mid-80s Tercel wagon. Compared to these durable yet hardly entertaining appliances even the least motivated Matrix is a bahn-stormer.

Fortunately for the diminutive powerplant Toyotas sophisticated V-Flex 4WD system doesnt tax output too much, at least compared to most full-time all-wheel drive systems. On dry surfaces V-Flex powers the front wheels, saving fuel and aiding in acceleration, but as soon as the tires start to slip the rear wheels engage via a viscous coupling which sits just in front of the rear differential. As soon as the front wheels find grip, all power going to the rear wheels gets diverted back to those in front. Simple, effective, and most of all efficient.

While both front- and 4-wheel drivetrains did a good job of getting the Matrix going, I couldnt find much fault in the ability its braking system had in bringing it to a halt. The XRS binders are the best, due to standard rear discs - the XR gets rear drums - and standard ABS with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD). ABS is standard on all 4WD models, by the way, and optional on the XR. Four-wheel drive Matrix models also features a standard tire pressure monitoring system.

If you were to see both the 2004 Matrix and new 2005 model side by side, youd probably notice a few subtle modifications, but nothing earth shattering. Toyota added a new grille, redesigned front bumpers and fascia, plus distinctive clear taillights. On the inside, a variety of enhancements such as new seat material, new sliding visors and UV glass are standard.

So when it comes right down to it Toyotas sporty little wagon is as useful as a Leatherman, while being frugal on fuel and still fun to drive. Not a bad combination.