Used 2009 Toyota Matrix Hatchback Consumer Reviews
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Reliability is the name
faosa, 02/15/2020
2009 Toyota Matrix 4dr Hatchback (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I owe a second hand 2009 1.8L manual transmission since 2011, and I writing this review in 2020. I never had a Toyota before and I am truly impressed with the reliability of this car. It had 24k miles when I bought it, now 103K miles. The engine never had a problem and I never had to replace the water pump, just breaks, oil and filters. The engine feels like it felt when I bought it. A lot of people complained about the rattle, mine has no dashboard rattle and everything sounds like when I bought it. This doesn't mean it's silent, it is not in the highway for today's standards but nothing changed which for me is unheard of. I also found out that this 1.8L does not have the same problems as the 2.5L that burns oil, so I guess I got lucky. I am getting pretty bored of driving the car, just because it's been 9 years, but it's such a money saver and I can always drive my wife's car every once and while. I note that I drove this car from the Midwest to, Baja CAlifornia, Mexico, to Maine, to Florida and to Washigton, looping back through Oregon, Calfornia, Nevada (in +100F heat), Colorado and back to Wisconsin. Super reliable machine.
Best car I have owned
Anthony, 09/15/2015
2009 Toyota Matrix XRS 4dr Hatchback (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
This car is great! Honestly the only thing I could want is more power!!!! But thats just my led foot and v8 love talking. I dont understand people saying the car has blind spots.... I haven't found one yet. I did add on the little 1inch bubble mirrors for extra help but I have always added that to all my cars. The get up and go rocks as long as you disengage the traction control... then you can screech the tires a bit. The ride in the xrs is a bit hard but ill a tribute that to the stiff sports suspension. Yah the car was a bit loud on the road but all Toyota's are. Add some dynamat from your local car audio shop and enjoy the car i did. Im 6'2" and have more than enough leg and head room in both the front and back seats.
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Liked old body style better
Shelia Jackson, 06/17/2016
2009 Toyota Matrix S 4dr Hatchback (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
22 of 25 people found this review helpful
If you had and loved the 2003-2008 Matrix or Vibe, you will most likely be disappointed in the body style that came out in 2009. The hatchback window doesn't open, the larger engine isn't as fuel efficient, and it doesn't have the roof racks. The clutch in my 2009 Matrix is very hard to engage. I had my 2003 Vibe for 7 years and had well over 200,000 miles on it before I totaled it. In my haste to get as close to the same car, I bought the 2009 Matrix. After five months, I'm trying to find a low mileage, pre 2009 Vibe or Matrix and sell the one I have now.
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Reliable, 2.4l not great on gas
red rocket, 07/01/2020
2009 Toyota Matrix S 4dr Hatchback (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
have owned for 10 years now. very reliable and low cost of ownership and maintenance. still on original clutch, starting to go now. 2.4l engine powerful but dreadful on gas. about 200-230 miles on a tank in winter city. 260-290 summer highway if youre lucky.
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Excellent solo camper!
Travis Kelly, 06/09/2018
2009 Toyota Matrix S 4dr Hatchback (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
14 of 16 people found this review helpful
I bought the 2.4L, 5-spd. manual S version with 75K on it for a 4300-mile road trip through the southwest -- W. TX, AZ, UT, CO, NM -- encountering every kind of driving condition, and couldn't be more pleased. Has enough power to pass on uphill grade in 5th gear. Going down 8%-10% mountain grades with hairpin turns (Hwy. 12 UT, 550 in CO), I appreciated the manual trans. -- you really need to shift constantly between 2nd, 3rd and 4th to control your speed without burning up the brakes. The steering and performance wheels/tires really held the road well on those tight spaghetti turns. The Matrix functioned fine as a compact solo camper -- the flat-folding rear seats and almost flat-folding passenger seat allowed me to extend a tri-fold memory-foam mattress for sleeping comfortably. The slight incline over passenger seat not a problem — I slept like a baby and could nod off seeing the stars in the desert sky through the open sunroof. I used a trunk organizer for food and cooking gear, a duffel for clothes, and chose compact backpacking gear, with small folding table and chair. Everything fit in the cargo area with room to spare -- I just rearranged gear for the sleeping pad. Didn't need a roof rack and box as I thought I might. Enjoyed not having to set up and take down a damn tent and inflatable pad every day -- if campground sites were full, I could always sleep in the parking lot or find a spot elsewhere. Really impressed with the intelligent design of interior -- 3 dome lights, 4 grab handles, textured black no-glare dash top, easy-to-read illuminated gauges day and night, tie-down anchors in cargo area with that plastic hard surface great for gear, very comfortable driver seat (never a problem over a long days driving). Glad I wasn't driving one of these gigantic RVs and trailer-hauling trucks on these mountain roads. Had to swerve suddenly to avoid a suicidal pronghorn -- thank God I wasn't in some top-heavy SUV! If you're doing a long solo trip, this is all the car you need and it performs excellently in all conditions, including 40 miles of washboard dirt.
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