2007 Toyota Matrix Review

Specifications

Ironic that the car I was driving before I got into the base level Matrix was aLexus GS 450h. The Lexus is a car busting at the seams with electronics, luxury and gadgets. In only 7 days, it’s enough to overwhelm the mind. In a Lexus there is no such thing as a knob or dial. Buttons and touch screens electronically operate all controls and functions. To then step into the base level Matrix and sit in the simplified cabin reminded me that a back-to-basics car still exists. In this day and age that may not be attractive to some, but I, for one, found it refreshing. The locks are the only power option in the whole car, which is just fine with me. I’ve been getting lazy with power seats, power windows, power mirrors, power lifting trunks and automatic opening doors, so I’m in need of a little exercise. Anyway, is it that hard to roll up your own window? For those who must have such luxuries, don’t worry, as a fully powered version is available.

Looking at the Matrix, it’s clear that it is due for a makeover.Despite being one of the more handsome vehicles in the Toyota lineup, it’s a design we’ve been looking at for quite a while now. It is also the last station wagon in the Toyota fleet, if you could call it one. It could be regarded as a small minivan with a station wagon complex. Or possibly it’s a crossover, but whatever it is the Matrix is extremely versatile and therefore does its job well.

The station wagon has always made life a little easier for families with children, as the two-box configuration is ideal for moving people and cargo. Toyota’s designers dealt in a proper amount of common sense when they laid it all out years ago, which is why even today it offers up more for the money than many competitors; more style inside, more features, more little conveniences and more cargo volume.

Rear storage space is rated at 15.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats, which is on par for this size car (although there aren’t many wagons this size on the market anymore). Fold downthe 60/40 split rear seatbacks and the cargo area balloons to a healthy 53.2 cubic feet. Now if you really need to ram a ton of gear in, the front passenger seat also folds forward allowing even more usable space, although Toyota has no measurement available for this one. I would guess that the total cargo space would be in the 65 cubic-foot area, or thereabouts. Not too shabby, as this puts the Matrix on a level playing field with several small SUVs, with the added bonus of a more compact design with excellent fuel efficiency. With all the seats down, the completely flat loading area is covered with a durable plastic that reduces wear and tear. However, the loose fitting panels along with a tonneau cover tend to rattle, making a lot of noise on harsh roads. It also creates a slippery surface that may send cargo sliding around during hard cornering or braking.

The Matrix also shows its usability with all the cubbyholes, tie downanchors and overall good use of space. Access covers to get at the taillight bulbs double as storage containers. The dash and center console is riddled with storage bins and trays of all sorts of shapes and sizes. The dash itself is very stylish for what can be considered an economical car, despite not using the best of materials. The interior architecture is pleasing as well as the use of colors. A clean, all-black cabin is nicely broken up with titanium gray inserts and little pieces of chrome trim that stretch vertically down the dash’s center stack, as well as chrome rings bordering all the instrument clusters. Everything looks good, but the dials and buttons feel a little cheap.

The seats, on the other hand, are decently comfortable as well assupportive. Still, the seating position is very high. For someone like me, who likes to sit low, the van-like seating position makes it very hard to find a position that I’m comfortable with. This position can also dull the fun factor of driving the car, as I felt as though I was riding on top rather than inside the car. For those who do like the seating style, the Matrix offers an excellent view of the road. In fact, vision from the drivers’ seat all around is excellent, and even at the seat’s highest level the view is not only better but there’s is a massive amount of head space overtop. It all works together to make a well thought-out interior that is both functional and easy on the eyes.

High seating also gives the Matrix a top-heavy feel when cornering. Byno means does it display full-size SUV territory sway, but it does like to lean its way through a corner. The test car I was in had very little grip, although to the Matrix’s defense it was riding on a soft set of Pirelli snow tires at the time, which will dull any car’s reaction in terms of handling on dry tarmac. In my case, the car had a tendency to oversteer when pushed too hard.

Like the lack of power equipment inside, the base Matrix I was testing had back-to-basics mechanicals. While the before mentioned Lexus was filled with state-of-the-art electronics to keep the car from sliding out of control at all costs, the Matrix had no driver aids whatsoever. Like the base Corolla I drove earlier this year, it’s a matter of “what you see is what you get.”

Just the same, the car’s driving dynamics were equally refreshing. In fact, Toyota’s engineers made the Matrix quite fun to drive. It was biased towards comfort rather than speed, for sure, but nevertheless I had absolute control over the car. Many will argue that this is a bad thing, however, but I feel that driver aids are eroding peoples’ driving abilities, so this car will keep drivers’ awareness up as well as make an excellent vehicle to learn how to drive with.

Power wise, the Matrix has a very capable 1.8L 4-cylinder engine that pumps out126-horsepower. It’s a popular engine that works well in many other Toyota vehicles. Like many Japanese engines the torque is not so impressive, but the high-end horsepower is what will get the car up to speed. With the automatic gearbox, reaching the higher revs can be a bit of a problem, leaving the car feeling a little more sluggish and underpowered than it should. For those who want a little more spice out of the Matrix I would recommend a manual gearbox and a quick trip down to your local dealer to look at a TRD (Toyota Racing Development) catalog.

Go fast goodies aside, I’m not quite sure why I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for station wagon type vehicles, and the Matrix is particularly attractive as an affordable and versatile all-round vehicle. The simple, “take no chances” design works very well in making the Matrix look unique in an industry rapidly filling up with crossover styled vehicles. Starting at $15,410, the Matrix represents an excellent deal when considering the fuel economy and Toyota’s legendary build quality. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what Toyota will have in store for the second generation.