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Full Test: 2003 Toyota Matrix
Hatchback for Hire
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By Erin Riches, Senior Content Editor , Edmunds.com
Date posted: 06-18-2002
Having decided that consumers like an extra dose of utility with their small cars
— just not in the guise of a conservatively styled station wagon — various
auto manufacturers have quickly come up with sport wagons and oversize four-door
hatchbacks. Of course, this recent growth area also has to do with an interesting
corollary to the decade-long SUV movement seized upon by some automakers: Anyone
born after 1980 is undoubtedly into sports and the outdoors and insists upon the
ability to transport every bike, board and kayak in or on his vehicle at all times.
Craving both maneuverability and affordability, this group needs all-purpose
vehicles — like the Toyota Matrix.
However you feel about the way such vehicles are being marketed and the resulting
jabs from self-important journalists, the Matrix (along with its re-badged twin,
the Pontiac Vibe) could be a useful, likeable vehicle for anyone who deals in
kids, dogs or bicycles. We gathered as much after trying it out during the First
Drive and subsequently invited two of these Toyotas to our offices —
one of them was a regular front-wheel-drive 130-horsepower Matrix XR with a five-speed
manual transmission (it competed in a four-door hatchback comparison test coming
soon on our site). Until then, we can tell you that this Matrix proved to be a
strong competitor in our field of six.
We also tested the all-weather version — an XR AWD — which oddly comes
only with the base engine (which makes even less power in the all-wheel-drive
application) and a mandatory automatic transmission. So we would have to put ourselves
in the shoes and minds of buyers seeking 365-day-a-year utility rather than fun
and weekend hauling ability.
Unlike previous wagon variants of the Corolla sedan (last seen as the DX wagon
in 1996), the Matrix stands tall — 5 inches taller than the 2003 Corolla
— and this gives the cabin a spacious feel, not unlike a Chrysler PT Cruiser,
and allows it to accommodate adults comfortably in the backseat. On the outside,
the Matrix has a more angular front fascia, including its own grille, headlights
and taillights. And while the Corolla has a traditional, smooth-bodied profile,
the Matrix benefits from an artisan's chisel, as a gentle valley breaks up the
abyssal slab-side with an S-shaped character line flowing below it. In lieu of
a wagonizing cargo box, designers gave it an abridged rear (it's about 7 inches
shorter than the Corolla sedan), such that it is essentially a hatchback and isn't
likely to turn away younger buyers. The trade-off, of course, is cargo capacity
— the Matrix might offer a taller load area, but its 21.8 cubic feet of capacity
with the rear seats up and 53.2 cubic feet with the seats folded are still less
than "true" wagons like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Jetta provide.
Of course, like the PT Cruiser, Toyota's hatch is an unusually flexible vehicle
for its size. Scrutinizing our XR AWD test car, we noted that the 60/40-split
rear seat sections folded down independently to create a perfectly flat load floor
without requiring anyone to remove the headrests or yank up the bottom cushions.
Like the main cargo area, the rear seatbacks are unapologetically coated in hard
plastic, the idea being that it's a lot easier to clean mud off one long expanse
of plastic than out of matted carpet.
Recessed into the plastic shell are two pairs of tracks (one set in the cargo
bay proper, another pair on the rear seatbacks), and each rail has two adjustable
cargo tie-down points for a total of eight. And so if you're the right sort of
buyer, this would allow you to batten down your bike from day one without retrofitting
your Matrix with aftermarket stuff. For really long trips, you may also want a
roof rack — an accessory that your dealership's parts department will be
happy to sell you. Matrix buyers with less rugged lifestyles can get a cargo mat
(a dealer-installed option) to cover up the plastic cargo floor and/or keep their
dogs from scrabbling around when the car rounds a corner. A soft tonneau cargo
cover is standard on the Matrix, though it was missing in action in our test vehicle.
If you need to haul an especially long item, simply fold down the front passenger
seat (which also has hard plastic armor on its backside so that you can load things
on top of it) and you can carry objects up to 8 feet long and still close the
hatch. Further, with the aid of the tailgate's separate rear lift-glass, you can
allow longer cargo to hang out the back when needed. The main liftgate has a user-friendly
design that includes an exterior latch and a usable interior grab handle that
actually has enough leverage to close the gate in one motion (such that there's
no need to push on the outside of the gate when it's all grimy). To accommodate
more mundane tasks, every Matrix comes with a couple of nets to corral groceries,
as well as a small storage compartment in the cargo floor for items like flashlights
and ice scrapers.
Overall, the Matrix is one of the best choices for hauling in this price class.
Only the PT, which has removable rear seats (as well as a folding front
passenger seat), and consequently, a lower load floor and about 11 extra cubic
feet of load capacity, might be a better choice — but it doesn't have a durable
plastic load surface.
All base and XR iterations of the Matrix are propelled by the Corolla's 1.8-liter
inline four; with the assistance of Toyota's VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing with
Intelligence) — which continually adjusts when the intake valves open and
close, resulting in increased low-end torque and reduced emissions — this
engine ordinarily produces 130 hp and 125 pound-feet of torque. However, due to
different exhaust routing in the all-wheel-drive models, the engine can manage
just 123 hp at 6,000 rpm and 118 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm (and drops from
a ULEV to a less impressive LEV rating).
This isn't very much power to move almost 3,000 pounds of vehicle, yet our test
car had ample get-up-and-go around town and capably held high speeds on the freeway.
But when we attempted to pass slower-moving vehicles on the highway or climb steep
grades, the engine was easily taxed, especially with three adults onboard. Several
editors commented that the engine was surprisingly noisy for a Toyota, probably
because it's working hard most of the time in the all-wheel-drive Matrix. Performance
testing supported these impressions as our test car needed a full 11 seconds
to reach 60 mph and labored through the quarter-mile in 18.1 seconds at 75.2 mph.
Exacerbating the AWD models' power deficiency is the obligatory four-speed automatic
transmission. In order to make the best of the situation, engineers fitted the
AWD cars with a more advanced electronically controlled transmission that is supposed
to provide smoother, more responsive shifts. Also included is up- and downhill
shift control logic that prevents the transmission from unnecessary shuffling
in and out of overdrive. The transmission's gearing is taller than that of the
front-drive cars, which certainly must improve fuel economy — even with AWD,
the car is rated at 26 mpg city/31 highway (tops for all cars and trucks with
AWD, in fact), and we did manage a 26-mpg average during the car's week-long stay.
Of course, with taller gearing, the engine revs more slowly, heightening one's
sense of leisurely acceleration.
For the most part, we were satisfied with the automatic's performance, though
with a lightly powered car, downshift timing is very noticeable, and some of us
thought it was a tad slow. Also, as we motored uphill with the aforementioned
three adults, we noted that even with the shift control logic, the transmission
was shifting between second, third and fourth quite regularly to keep us on pace,
and we finally hit the "overdrive off" button to get some relief. To be fair,
though, this behavior probably had more to do with the road's changing grades
and the engine's relatively high peak power delivery than with the inadequacy
of the transmission's shift logic.
While this powertrain might be acceptable in the front-wheel-drive Matrix, its
underwhelming performance in the all-wheel-drive version is dissatisfying, considering
the price of our XR AWD test car. You could step down to the base AWD model to
save some money, but then you'd have to give up standard features like a driver-seat
height adjuster and power windows, locks and mirrors. If you live a northern climate
and consider all-wheel-drive a must-have, we would encourage you to test drive
a Subaru Impreza. The Impreza TS Sport Wagon stickers just below the Matrix XR
AWD and includes these essentials, along with a 165-hp four-cylinder engine and
a solid reliability record.
Taken on its own, though, the all-wheel-drive system in the Matrix easily escaped
our reproof. The system departs from others in the Toyota lineup that employ a
center differential and instead uses a viscous coupling mounted at the tail end
of the drive shaft. Under ideal traction conditions, the Matrix is driven only
by its front wheels, which improves fuel economy. When either of the front wheels
slips, the viscous coupling can redistribute up to 50 percent of the engine's
power to the rear wheels. All of this happens automatically with no input required
from the driver.
Lacking moisture of any sort to test the system's response time, we tossed the
Matrix around on a large, sandy turn-out, and even with quick turns of the steering
wheel, it never lost traction as power was instantly redirected to the rear wheels.
The real utility of this AWD system, of course, would come into play in the wintertime,
as the Matrix enables you to navigate unplowed roads to get to the grocery store
or drive to the ski slopes without stopping to put on tire cables. Offroading
is not really within its grasp — imagining that some Matrix drivers would
take it camping, we considered taking ours down a light-duty offroad trail to
a campsite to see how it would handle. But noting that this Toyota provides less
than 6 inches of ground clearance, further reduced by the test vehicle's optional
underbody spoilers, we decided not to risk it. If your rugged lifestyle would
require your vehicle to venture past the gravel parking area, you'll want to take
a look at Subaru's Impreza Outback Sport.
In mild climates, it's hard to justify the added expense and reduced performance
of the AWD models. Sure, the automatic front/rear power transfer gives this Matrix
a confident feel when it's pushed around turns, but it's still not a fun car.
The hatchback's tall-riding design reinforces the driver's sense of disconnection
from the road, while the fully independent suspension — with struts in front
and a compact double-wishbone rear — is softly tuned to prioritize ride comfort
over firm handling. As a result, there is noticeable body roll around turns, though
the Toyota's habits are easy to predict. Those who take long trips will be pleased
to know that the ride is indeed comfortable as the miles pile up, though the calm
breaks up a little when the tires encounter rough pavement or expansion joints.
One thing to note: The front-wheel-drive Matrix gets a less sophisticated semi-independent
twist-beam rear suspension (it's bulkier and wouldn't have been able to accommodate
an AWD system). In terms of handling ability, we've noted little difference between
these setups — that is, the Matrix's composure on undulating pavement is
acceptable with or without an independent rear.
The steering is light and accurate, but its response isn't especially quick, nor
does it convey much road information to the driver — thus consigning the
fat-rimmed steering wheel pulled from the Celica to a superficial existence. So
long as you don't have sporting aspirations for your Matrix, you won't be disappointed,
though.
Braking is accomplished by a vented front disc/rear drum setup in base and XR
models (the XRS gets rear discs); ABS and electronic brake force distribution
are standard on XRS and all AWD models and optional for front-drive base
and XR models. As we drove our XR AWD, we were quite satisfied with the progressive
pedal operation and solid stopping ability, and front-end dive during moderate
braking was only mildly bothersome. During performance testing, the Matrix demonstrated
a characteristically Toyota ability to stop short, even with less forceful rear
drums — it recorded a 124-foot braking distance from 60 mph.
Our test vehicle wore a set of 205/55R16 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires mounted on
16-inch alloys. The tires provided an average amount of grip during cornering
and made a fair amount of noise when asked to perform at higher levels.
Climb into the cockpit, and one can't help but fixate on the large amount of conspicuously
faux aluminum on the dash and doors — not the "brushed effect" stuff in the
Celica but a more youthful, sparkly version. Neither this nor the hard plastic
dash and door panels gives the cabin an upscale feel; soft-touch surfaces are
non-existent, unless you count the two-tone mesh upholstery on the seats. However,
with the added help of individually sunken gauges with electroluminescent red
lighting and bright chrome rings, the overall look is certainly distinctive and
sure to get the attention of buyers drawn to bright colors. That said, in their
efforts to create a stylish habitat that fits within the allotted budget, designers
allowed "ease of use" to fall by the wayside in a few areas — the chrome
rings reflected a lot of sunlight, which made it difficult for drivers to read
the gauges and see the road ahead (as light was reflected back onto the windshield);
the brightness of the instrument display required continual readjustment as the
gauges washed out in sunlight and were then too bright with the headlights on;
and finally, none of the gauge pods could accommodate a gear display in vehicles
like our test car that have an automatic transmission.
For the most part, editors were happy with the driver seat, which, in the XR,
comes standard with a seat-height adjuster so that you can make the most of the
hatchback's tall seating position. The seats, of course, are covered in a rugged,
breathable fabric and provide an admirable amount of cushioning and support for
this price class — we especially liked the generous side bolsters. All is
not perfect, though. Like most manufacturers, Toyota doesn't offer a telescoping
function for the steering wheel, and as this one is mounted close to the dash,
several editors complained that they weren't able find an optimal driving position.
Further, ostensibly to preserve legroom for rear-seat passengers, designers limited
the seat-track travel. Adding to the problem for longer-legged drivers is the
seat bottom that ratchets forward as you increase the seat height. This in turn
detracts from one's comfort and view of the road. We would encourage potential
buyers to test the seats thoroughly. Side airbags for front occupants are optional
across the model line.
Rear-seat accommodations are excellent in the Matrix — probably the best
of any four-door hatchback or small wagon in this price range. The bench is deep
and mounted high, so that even adults get ample thigh support. The back cushion
is a bit flat, but it comes up high (past the shoulders of the average-size adult),
providing full back support for most occupants. Thanks to seat travel restrictions
in front, legroom and toe room are surprisingly plentiful. All three rear seating
positions get three-points belts, and adjustable headrests are provided for outboard
occupants. The requisite upper and lower anchor points for child seats are included,
too — the upper anchors are located on the cargo bay floor rather than the
seatback (as we prefer in hatchbacks and wagons) but at least they are in close
proximity to the rear seat. Getting in and out of the Matrix was quite easy for
most editors, thanks to high seats, low door sills and relatively wide door openings
front and rear.
Turning our attention to the controls, we found the climate adjustments —
three oversize dials on the bottom of the center stack and three large buttons
on the left side of the stack — extremely easy to use. A cabin air filter
is standard. The stereo controls were another matter; unlike the usual Toyota
head unit, these controls seemed a bit disorganized and had a lower-grade look
and feel. And that's when we learned from our stereo expert that this was one
of GM's contributions to the Matrix/Vibe project — a Delco head unit. Check
out the stereo evaluation for the story on its performance.
Secondary controls gave us little to complain about, as Toyota equipped the Matrix
with the usual three-stalk arrangement for lights, wipers and cruise; daytime
running lights are standard. We appreciated the separate tilt and slide controls
for the sunroof, and of course, the dual front seat power points and 115-volt,
two-prong household outlet, the latter of which was ideal for the power cord for
one editor's Game Boy. Areas that could stand improvement include the poorly placed
window buttons on the rear doors and the lack of retained accessory power (for
the windows) after shutting off the engine.
For storage, the Matrix offers a two-tier center console container (felt-lined
with a power point for your cell phone), a spacious glovebox, usefully shaped
wells in the center console, a change holder and note straps on the visors. There
are door bins in the front, but they're pathetically small for a utility-oriented
vehicle. Worse, there is no storage to speak of in the backseat, except for a
map pocket on the driver seatback. At least you and your passengers will have
a place for beverages: there are two unlined holders in the console, and the rectangular,
felt-lined well in front of them can house a 1.5-liter bottle of water. A spring-loaded
cupholder rack with room for two beverages deploys from the back of the center
console for the benefit of rear occupants.
Although Toyotas are renowned for their tight construction, this Matrix is part
of a string of Toyotas we've tested in recent months that have had serious rattles
emanating from the cabin — this one had a consistent buzz coming from the
instrument cluster that sounded like splintering wood and proved annoying to all
who drove the car. Otherwise, build quality wasn't too bad though it wasn't flawless,
either — the list of problems included loose tweeter housings, A-pillar trim
and center console container; rough, unfinished edges on some plastics; exposed
screws on door panels; and on the exterior, minor panel misalignments and paint
defects.
After spending a week with a Matrix, we're convinced that it would be a satisfying
choice for many people — it rides comfortably; it handles capably enough;
it has plenty of room in the backseat for your friends (or your kids); and it
provides a lot of flexibility for those whose interests require a lot of equipment.
But the Matrix is not a thrill ride in and of itself, and we would discourage
people living in temperate zones from buying an AWD model like our test vehicle.
Meanwhile, in the front-drive hatchback crowd, a vehicle like the Mazda Protege5
would certainly generate more of an endorphin release — unless of course
you've decided on the 180-hp Matrix XRS — whereas at the XR level, the Matrix
is about getting your friends and cargo to your destination with minimal hassle,
discomfort and expense along the way and perhaps enjoying a tailgate party once
you get there.
See all the Ratings: 2003 Toyota Matrix XR AWD 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 4A) Road Test Scoreboard
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