We bought this car to replace our 1985 4WD Nissan truck which we miss dearly. I surveyed, camped and lived out of our truck. But it was getting old and we were looking for a car that could take us over the mountains but be more passenger friendly yet haul a load too.

I have gone back and forth over the Sierras (not off roading) in snow without chains many times with the Matrix XR. I have packed deceptively large loads in the Matrix and with the back seats down and pillows stuffed at your head you can comfortably sleep in this car (I’m 5′8”). It has performed superbly and has met my needs exactly.

Biggest upsides for me:
Absolutely reliable
AWD does well in snow/bad weather
Really can hold a lot of s__t

Minor downsides that don’t really bother me anyways:
I don’t pass anyone going uphill.
Look carefully when changing lanes due to the rear window profile.
Yup, that cheap chrome on the door handles and paint that wears off the radio knobs are annoying.
I feel the wind during strong gusts.
That’s about it.

For me, this has been the perfect, headache free replacement car.

I have a friend with a ‘09 Matrix XRS. The first time I drove it, with 800 miles on the odometer, the auto transmission did shift way too often, and was never in the right gear. Basically it was just as bad as this review states.

However, this week I got a chance to drive the Matrix again and the transmission was a lot smoother, never giving me any trouble. Throttle tip-in was a lot cleaner too. The car had about 9200 miles on it.

I’m not sure what caused the drastic improvement with age, but if you’re looking a 2.4 auto Matrix/Vibe/Corolla I wouldn’t let the spastic activity of the transmission on the test drive be a major issue.

Also, I find it funny that he got upset that his grocery bag fell over in the trunk and this is his reason for claiming the gripping in the trunk is not effective. I’ve never driven a car where my grocery bags remain upright, and I’ve gone through four cars now in my life including this one (this is the first Toyota I have owned). The grip feature of the trunk is meant for heavy objects. I assure you that when you put three bass speaker cabinets, two 200w amp heads, and a full drum-set in the car, there is no slippage. Granted, it was packed pretty full, but nothing was shifting around. Even with just a couple of speaker cabinets, they stay in place.

I still question the bias of this reviewer. It is a poor review in general, not just because of it’s inaccuracy. And BTW, I don’t know how he drives, but someone I know with the 1.8 model gets 30 in the city, so…I still stand by my original statement that this reviewer seems to have not even driven the car and has a heavy bias against Toyota, whatever the reason may be.

I too, disagree with everything Justin has written in his review. In the six or seven months since I’ve been driving my 2009, it’s been great. There are notable flaws, such as a couple of blind spots when looking in the rear-view that are of poor design, a fairly limited ability to adjust the seat, un-inspiring city-gas mileage in the 2.4 liter, AWD model, and a mediocre sound-system. Overall as a car, it is fun to drive and it looks very stylish, especially in the color I got. Of course, some people think the PT Cruiser was stylish, so I understand people might not like the Matrix, although comparing it to a shoe like one poster did is the kind of thing that someone with very bad vision would say (it looks nothing like a shoe). I have the S version with the optional visual enhancements (integrated fog lights, etc) and have gotten only compliments about the car.

My point is that your post says nothing about the Matrix and is essentially a review of the Vibe. This would be fine on the VIBE section of this webpage, if there is one, but is very much out of context with this webpage since you just don’t mention the Matrix at all. Again, fine if this were a review of the Vibe, but it’s not.

As for swapping out the words “Vibe” with “Matrix”, from what I read in several car magazines (actual magazines, not websites), the two cars are essentially the same vehicle with different exteriors. Same engines, even, I believe. Personally, I liked the look of the S-version Matrix better than the Vibe, and after driving a Ford for several years I don’t think I will go back to American until they seriously change their act (which, given the way things have been going these last few months, they might not get the chance to do). Looks like I made the right decision too, since GM is, I believe, the worst off of all the American companies. It is a shame, because I want nothing more than American industry to thrive again, but it is a fact that is beyond the control of any of us.

I’m glad you like your Vibe, in a perfect world, everyone should be happy with their car. I’m happy with mine. Just try to keep things in context on the internet.

Even the professional reviewers lump sister vehicles into their assessments. To state that my opinions are on the equivelant of the Matrix would have been stating the obvious.

Insightful readers would note that my recap of the pricing is evidence that the Matrix/Vibe can be had for a much lower street price than the Prius and other “comparables” that have been referenced in this log.

Feel free to substitute “Matrix” for “Vibe” in my post, and I will not be the least bit insulted. No corp stooge here: my wife has an MDX and loves it; we recently unloaded a 99 Montana–one of the worst vehicles ever built.

In as much as I don’t agree with everything Justin writes, I love his style and respect his opinions.

Good for you, but what does that have to do with the Matrix? Nowhere in that comment do you say anything about the car, which would be fine if this were a review about the Vibe, BUT IT’S NOT! It would be one thing if you even just *mentioned* the car that is reviewed on this page, but you don’t, and your comment reads like that of a meat-puppet for GM.

But then the cuts in pay/benefits/pension started hitting me in my job, so I figured it was time to drive small again. GM card offered a bump up of my ~$300 to $2000. With owner loyalty, credit union membership, rebate, and real finagling, I got an 09 Vibe with alloys, 2.4, auto, power for $14,7XX–from an msrp of 20,745. With Obama’s wealth spreading program, I’ll even get the ~$1,000 in sales tax back as a tax credit. So, I saved 7 grand.

And I love my 09 even more than the 08. MUCH better looking. 2.4 is smoother, quieter, and much better pickup. The 5spd does down shift way too much though. Medium hills will push it into 3rd gear, even with me being the only one in the car. The console is great. The 120V outlet can be difficult with some charger cords. The std traction control makes pulling out on ice and snow a piece of cake (my 08 didn’t do that, and my son is feeling the pain of that as Columbus has had a nasty winter). I’m a taller guy (6′4), and it seems the driver seating is more cramped than the 08. I am trying to figure out how to reposition the mounting, but I can’t come up with a good solution. I too dislike the silver paint. Looks cheap. Storage is good, but the cup holders seem to pop out as the interior heats and cools.
My 08 got very warm in the summer, and the a/c had trouble keeping up. I’m HOPING the 09 is better equipped, but I’m likely going to need to get it tinted. Living in PA, the laws are horrendous on tinting, so even a modest 50% will make me an outlaw.
I bought the vibe rubber mats immediately, as I’ve done with every new car. The carpet mats are ok (much more substantial than last years, which were paper thin), but I just hate how carpet wears, gets dirty, and holds the filth of everything you ever step on/in!
Cargo area slippage is a non-issue. The cargo mgmt system is great for shopping, and i only put it down when handling larger items, and the rubber strips hold very well.
Driving visibility is actually pretty good. My daughters old Integra is the benchmark for poor visibility. My neighbor is envious (he bought a Yaris). My good friends new civic is ridiculously impossible to get in/out, or fit in for that matter. As for reliability, I anticipate 200K with no major problems.
Downside to the 2.4 is mileage. While my 08 took a 1000 miles or so before I started hitting 30mpg regularly, my 09 now has 1,200 and my best has been 26.5. Maybe I have been punching it a bit too much.

Oh! almost forgot, i hate the rear visibility on the vibe, that is so wrong of GM to let style get over safety…but i now use my mirror to cover the dead zone. For people considering that purchase make sure you are at ease with lane changing in it. It is really its only flaw for me…did i tell you it was liquid platinum colored?

Toyota’s adopted waistband-pulled-up-to-the-nipples styling as a corporate culture, huge high beltline and no glass.

It’s tacky, it’s awkward, and it makes outward visibility a mess. No thank you.

Actually, the 09 Matrix has mounting rails for racks even if you don’t get one. They are right on top my car and if I want to get one later down the line I can.

I love this car, I was driving a Ford Fusion 2006 before it, and I just felt so disconnected from the road, plus the car was too big and I was getting about 17 MPG with the AC in the summer (it was a V6).

To note: The Matrix I bought is the 2.4 cylinder, AWD, and has the 17″ wheels. It is the S version. The XRS can get 18″ wheels but no AWD, and where I live, AWD is hugely important.

It’s fast, it’s fun, and it makes me happy. There is a huge amount of cargo space, and it has the largest dimensions of all the compact hatchbacks. Note that I did not drive the VW GTI because I’m not a fan of VWs and from the people I know, they, too, have a tendency to have reliability issues.

There are some flaws with this car, sure, but it’s not the console. The console is not glamorous but it gets the job done and it is quite intuitive when driving. There is a blind spot towards the back, but ALL cars have blind spots. The only car that doesn’t have a blindspot is “The Homer”.

If you want a real rating with actual specifications and dimensions to compare with other cars, pick up all of the major car magazines with the 2009 roundups. None of them gave the Matrix a negative score. In fact, most of them gave it a pretty favorable score, with Car and Driver, I believe, claiming it is the best hatchback on the market.

In the Boston area, where I live, you would not believe how many of these cars are on the road, including previous models. That speaks for something right there.

Not only will I defend this car, but I also urge people not to form an opinion, as it seems a lot of you have, on this guys review. Go out and test drive it a couple of times, not just once. And make sure you get a test drive on your own, without the salesman in the car. And DO YOU RESEARCH! Don’t just test drive one or two cars or read one review. Go out and do it for yourself, or you could be missing out on a really good car because some bozo got his facts wrong and clearly has something else going on that influenced his score. Peace out.

Oh, and what the heck is he talking about with the cargo space being plastic? First, get the cargo mat accessory, it costs about 30-40 bucks or something like that. Second, EVERY cargo space has sliding problems if you do not SECURE your cargo, when the seats are down. The Ford Fusion has fabric on the back seats when they lay flat, and when I would come back from IKEA with furniture, it would slide right into the front seats if I did not secure it somehow. Common sense, man.

Granted the 5 door Focus hatchback was dropped by the Ford Braintrust that chose to use all their Focus Hatchback R&D money to buy Landrover, Jaguar, and Saab instead…and we all know how that worked out…

So..the new 09′ 4 door Focus was all there is to test drive in Fords econobox Stable.
Without being permantly banned from this Forum for Descriptive Expletives.. lets just say my wife and I ran from the Focus test drive screaming, hugged our Versa jumped in and never looked back.
The 09′ Toyota Corolla was our next test drive. We were still depressed and in shock from the Focus and looking for something to hate, but were hard pressed to find it.
If the Matrix is a Corolla hatchback in disguise, I think Toyota will fill the freeways with them, with no problems.

Having said that, I think right now…July 2008 is the WORST possible time in Earths history to be new car shopping and have told my daughter that. If she ever takes my advice on anything, I hope it’s that.

There is new technology and ideas out there right now, on the horizon, or just over it that will make our 34 MPG’s look like a bad joke.

I know her 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer will still be running fine until the 85 and 100 mpg’ers are on the showroom floors.

Re: Matrix vs. Prius
Uh, the Matrix is a “genuinely useable hatchback” as well. With more cargo space. And performance. For $4,000 less. Oh, and those Prius carpool stickers you mention are long gone. Much like its tax credits. Not very thorough analyses you got here.

And wouldn’t it have been better to concentrate on how the Matrix stacks up to its REAL competitors, like the Caliber, Impreza, Versa, and 3 hatchbacks?

I don’t think you have the Matrix’s pros/cons straight, either. If the new Matrix is anything like the old one (and it should be), its ride should be one of its worst aspects, with all that rear end torsion beam thwacking and the resulting noise/vibrations (partly thanks to its 5-door body).

Let me start with the positive. The gas mileage, in these days of $4 per gall 27mpg is a huge bonus.

OK, I finished with the positive. My dog, a black lab with a mean streak, will write the rest.

Woof, I hate the shiny hard plastic back that I slide around in, since my gullible master purchased this masterpiece of anti-zen I have taken a delight in scaring the local Japanese population.

Growl, turning corners tosses me around like a square on a Rubic’s cube, and I get to see more colors too.

Bad ass nasty Bark, when I tell Mr. Gullible to stop this road rocket, cos I see a cute poodle to scare the coat off, the vibe stops somewhere on the other side of town. Oh and turning on a bone ain’t anything to woof about.

So there you have it, an expert opinion, from a dog who knows.

It’s a Toyota, it’s a Corolla in desguise and it is made exclusively for the North-American market:
What else did you guys expect it to be? A Lancia Stratos HF hiding underneath ToMoCo econobox skin?
This car it is perfectly on target for what it is meant to be… my mother in law saw an ad in one of her magazines and already wants one to haul pots and plants from the local garden center. It will sell.

Still waiting for them to offer the old Corolla WRC hatch :)

Gosh Toyota, you make decisions so hard.

VW can only sell 200k units of their junk to Americans every year. The point is so clear: avoid VW at all cost.

The Matrix may not be great. The Mazda 3 or the Impreza may be better. But a VW? Give me a break.

The wife is the hard one to please and she’s ready for another Matrix if/when this one ever wears out.

Gosh Toyota, you make decisions so hard.

Hmmm, rock solid Toyota reliability, or taking a gamble with questionable VW reliability?

to tell you frankly. It’s worth the money.

http://www.pontiac.com/vibe (cool promo song)

26/33 on gas. plus add a F5 Fujita competition air intake system then you’re good to go anywhere.

Gosh Toyota, you make decisions so hard.