Toyota Matrix
If at first ... |
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By Richard J. Newman
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NITS: Enough griping, already.
G FORCES: The Matrix huffs and puffs to get anywhere. Cornering and handling are much better, aided in part by hefty 16-inch tires.
GIZMOLOGY: The recessed gauges are cool, when you can see them. The optional navigation system relies on a DVD instead of preloaded software. That will tie up your CD player.
KID MARKS: Don't tell the 20-something target market, but the Matrix is a nice ride for young kids. They get a higher perch, while the climb into the back seat is still manageable. The doors are light and easy to open and close. And the car is small enough that noses in the back seat can be wiped by adults in the front.
HOT OR NOT? Not. The Matrix is snub-nosed and tall, with trapezoidal rear windows that are off-putting. But it may have ugly appeal, like Doc Martens or those rectangular black-frame glasses.
MILEAGE: About 30 mpg, mostly highway driving.
PRICE POINTS: Base prices range from $15,155 to $19,815. Price as tested: $21,587. (All prices include delivery fees.) If you can overlook the quirks, that's pretty good functionality for the money.
COPYCATS: Toyota teamed with General Motors on the basic design. GM's Pontiac Vibe is built on the same platform, with different interior and exterior touches.
MORE INFO: http://www.toyota.com/html/
shop/vehicles/matrix/index.html
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Model year tested: 2003
Its cars set the gold standard for quality, but let it be known: Toyota makes some mistakes. Several are on display in the Matrix, a "cross-utility" dress-up of the Corolla designed for young buyers who don't quite have the wallet for an SUV. When I shifted into first gear, my thumb would jam against my cellphone power cord, which was plugged into a poorly placed power outlet. The recessed gauges were almost impossible to read when the sun was at certain angles. And here's one that nearly drove me mad: An alarm beeps inside the car every time you shift into reverse with the manual transmission, just as it does–on the outside–on big trucks with a blind spot to the rear. That's necessary to make sure there's no confusion over a generally confusing six-speed gearbox.
Perhaps Toyota deserves some slack for minor bugs in a new model. Engineers will probably clean them all up for the 2004 Matrix. But the sloppiness reflects the haste to get so-called cross-utility vehicles–broadly viewed as the next big thing, after lucrative SUVs–into showrooms. That's understandable. In its basic design, the Matrix is appealing. It's higher than a car, but far more maneuverable and comfortable than SUVs that are based on truck platforms. The rear seat and the front passenger seat fold completely flat, to accommodate kayaks or surfboards or other ungainly gear. The tailgate is just the right height for an average-size male. There are some handy touches, such as tie-down hooks in the back and an optional electrical outlet in the dash that accepts regular two-prong plugs.
But Toyota is overreaching when it describes the Matrix as a performance car. Toyota says the 1.8-liter engine produces 180 horsepower, but it was hard to find much power in any gear. Downshifting didn't help much. The six-speed manual transmission is supposed to pitch in by carving up the available torque into smaller ranges, thereby providing a little extra punch in each gear. The six-speed itself is troubling, though. Shifting is clunky, and the extra gear can make it difficult to find your way around the gearbox if, for instance, you want to go straight from sixth speed to fourth. On top of all that, the underpowered engine is loud and whiny.
Maybe young buyers will overlook all these quibbles in favor of a funky new design that can be had for under $20,000. I'm not ready to consign the Matrix to the Land of Misfit Cars, but I'd be inclined to wait for Toyota to improve on the first draft.
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