Used 2005 Toyota Matrix Wagon Consumer Reviews
Amazing Toyota product
It's a toyota,great car we have 230,000 miles and still putting mileson it,just oil changes and brake pads,that's. It.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
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a reliable, versatile and cost effective car
I've now had my Toyota Matrix for 12+ years, after buying it brand new back in the summer of 2005, and it has ended up being one of the best cars I've had yet. It has been very reliable overall, with the usual periodic maintenance you might expect. I've been regular and consistent with changing the oil and fluids approx. every 5,000 miles and I'm sure that has helped. This car has also been very fuel efficient for both highway and city driving. I could often get 300+ miles on a full tank. My only complaint with this car is that it doesn't always have a lot of power or acceleration, but that's the obvious trade off for this type of car. You're not buying a car like this to win any street races. I think the best feature is the amount of cargo space. If you fold down the back seats and the front passenger seat, you can fit an incredible amount of stuff in here. This makes it an ideal car for long road trips or even on moving day. The Toyota Matrix is a solid, dependable, versatile and economical car that, if you take care of it, will serve you well for many years.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Great Car
This may be the best car I've ever owned. Very well designed from an ergonomic standpoint. I now have 147000 miles on it and haven't spent a nickel on it for maintenance beyond the obvious (oil changes, brakes, tires and the like). I check my gas mileage at every fill-up, that being my "thing," and get 30mpg if I have been throwing caution to the wind, and upwards to 33 mpg if I slow down; most of my driving is on the highway. It isn't the quietest car I have been in but it is comfortable. I do find I have to be quite careful to look backwards for a blind spot. However in this age of craving hybrids, this is a great car with the standard internal combustion engine.
new owner
Love how it handles, and how it looks! It is so much fun to drive you forget its a sensible car! And with seats folded down, it holds a lot!!
Sporty car for year-round fun
I have had my Matrix for 6 years in March 2011. I bought it specifically for the all-wheel drive needed for New England winters. The Matrix never gets stuck in the snow, though the standard tires are slippery and you have to drive slowly to keep from skidding in turns, and make sure not to stop too suddenly. It's possible getting standard all-season tires instead of the sportier ones will remedy that. I LOVE driving my Matrix on beaches, sand dunes, and any off-roading I can get. It's so much fun! It holds its own with any 4X4 truck for any typical rugged fun. I just got into an accident in snow on an unplowed road, at a sharp curve, doing down a steep hill. My Matrix kept me safe and sound!
Peppy little car
I bought my 2005 Matrix new and have been pretty satisfied with it. It's comfortable (even for passengers), spacious, reliable, and quite peppy. This car is not 4-wheel drive but it easily climbs dirt roads in the mountains. Probably the only fault with it is it doesn't handle inclement weather well at all (I live in the mountains so this posed a serious problem with the snow). I eventually had to put some sandbags down on the passenger foot areas to provide additional weight. Since my usual passengers are 3 dogs, this hasn't encumbered them but, for older children or adults sitting in the back, this would most likely be quite uncomfortable.
The Matrix shines in winter time!
I've had it for a year and a half and it has been great, especially in the winter time. In the snow, I rarely spin my tires on a steep driveway or at a stop sign on an incline. The car has great control overall. I've never felt safer in a car before. My passengers feel safe too. I recently heard this car gets the highest marks for side-impact collision. I'd believe it! You just feel taken care of inside. The only downer is that I have to replace a rear hub bearing now not even at 100,000. That was unexpected and will be pricey. Rumors of a previous recall for this model are out there, but who knows. And no warranty will cover it now. You may want to research that issue.
Lexus for the Matrix - Very Happy!
Traded in my RX300 for the XR and couldn't be happier. My gas gauge doesn't plummet anymore and I can turn on a dime. Not as luxurious (wife misses heated seats) but love the sporty 5spd manual drive (flashback to my '88 Prelude days). Lots of room for my band equipment and baby on the way. Like the RX, the hatch can hold a lot. Just picked up a massage chair - to the surprise of the staff it slipped right in. Way to go Toyota. Matrix joins my Toyota family of a '97 Previa that I love just as much.
I love my matrix
This car has been great it has never failed me once. The design is simple and easy to use. I love the power the 1.8 4 banger motor makes. It's awesome I had my matrix xrs at 140 mph (on a closed track of course). I bought this car coming from a Mercedes Benz and this car has been better. There is no traction control or stability control which is ok because you can throw this car where ever you want. It's so fun to drive I love it.
Great car for tall people
Have 90,000 miles on this car and love it. Drove cross-country with 6'5" husband and had plenty of space for us and other large items. Mileage more than 36 mi/gal. Thanks.