2009 Toyota Corolla Matrix Road Test

Not long ago, as part of a review of Toyota 's new 2008 Sequoia full-size SUV, we reported that Toyota offered no fewer than six SUVs and car-based crossovers ranging from compact RAV4 through the mid-size Highlander, 4Runner and FJ Cruiser and full-size Sequoia and Land Cruiser.

Ooops! We completely forgot the seventh and smallest member of Toyota 's extended family, the Corolla-based Matrix, which arrived in 2003 before "crossovers" were in vogue and hordes of practical-minded Americans began rushing to them.

We could be forgiven for forgetting it, though, since the previous generation Matrix was, let's be frank, a fairly forgettable vehicle. It was mostly a somewhat aggressively styled small tall wagon offering a cooler, more youthful look and more cargo capability than its supremely boring compact Corolla siblings.

There was a sporty XRS version powered by a high-revving but torque-challenged (Yamaha-built) higher-horsepower 1.8-liter four, which most reviewers drove and wrote, then quickly forgot. That was discontinued after 2006, leaving just the standard 126-hp 1.8-liter four that (under) powered ordinary Corollas.

The Gen I Matrix was notable as the mechanical twin of Pontiac 's Vibe, which was being built (along with Corollas) at the California GM/Toyota joint-venture assembly plant known as NUMMI. While we personally preferred the Pontiac's styling, the Matrix outsold it due mostly (we believe) to Toyota 's much stronger brand image.

This new Canadian-built, Gen II Matrix benefits from a welcome restyling and numerous upgrades and improvements throughout. Most important are first time availability of a 2.4-liter four and all-wheel drive.

© Source: thecarconnection
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First Drive 2009 Toyota Matrix XRS

The 2009 Toyota Matrix is supposed to be very influential, just as the original Matrix proved when it was introduced in 2003. This tall wagon-style compact based on the Toyota Corolla had a sport-utility flavor but drove like a car, making it one of the first crossovers with an affordable price tag. Its big backseat and dog-friendly cargo bay made utility kind of cool. Without the Matrix, the Mazda3 five-door, Scion xB and even the Audi A3 might not have achieved the coolness they have today.

So you can imagine our surprise when David Terai, chief engineer for the 2009 Toyota Matrix, tells us, "During extensive meetings all over the country with customers, owners and dealers, we found that the current Matrix was seen far too often as a small, conventional, practical wagon."

Stronger but Calmer XRS
If you've driven a 2003-'06 Matrix XRS (or its Pontiac Vibe GT counterpart), you'll remember it well. Motivating it was the Yamaha-built 1.8-liter engine from the now-departed Celica GT-S. You had to spin this hard-working little engine past 4,000 rpm to get any torque, and it was trying to do business in a chassis that was at best a reluctant co-conspirator. Schizophrenic was the only way to describe the result.

Toyota expects the XRS to get to 60 mph in the low 8-second range. No one's going to get excited over a number like this, though it puts the Matrix roughly on par with the four-door Volkswagen Rabbit, which has a 170-hp five-cylinder engine and takes about 8 seconds even to hit 60. The VW only makes 150 hp, but its five-cylinder engine offers a bit more torque than the Matrix XRS's four.

Fuel economy could be a sticking point for some, however, as the Matrix isn't able to deliver typical Toyota gas mileage when equipped with the 2.4-liter engine. With a manual gearbox, the Matrix XRS has a 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway rating, while automatics do one better on highway mileage.

Not the Car It Wants To Be
Despite its impressive levels of refinement, the 2009 Toyota Matrix XRS is not an athlete. Sure, the Matrix XRS is quicker and more agile than in years past, but it doesn't come close to matching the entertainment value of a Mazda3.

For us this is kind of disappointing, but we doubt it will bother the 70,000 people who will decide to purchase a Matrix in 2008. In base, S or XRS trim, this remains a perfectly practical small wagon that you'll purchase for rational reasons rather than emotional ones.

© Source: edmunds

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2009 Toyota Corolla Matrix Preview

Toyota says its new Matrix five-door offers "performance that matters" for drivers who want crossover utility in a compact shape.It has - wait for it - the "soul of a two-door sports car," says Tim Morrison, Toyota 's marketing manager.

The new Matrix will arrive in showrooms early next year in three different versions: Standard, S and XRS. All come with front-wheel drive, but the S versions can also be ordered with all-wheel drive.

Two different engines will be offered. The first is a 132-horsepower, 1.8-liter four with 128 pound-feet of torque. Toyota estimates that with the standard five-speed manual, it will deliver 26/32 mpg. With a four-speed automatic, that drops to 25/31 mpg.The uplevel engine is a 2.4-liter four with variable valve timing and 158 horsepower, along with 162 pound-feet of torque. With a new five-speed automatic transmission, this combination will deliver 21/29 mpg, Toyota says.

Standard safety equipment on all Matrix wagons includes dual front, side, and curtain airbags, along with active headrests and anti-lock brakes. Stability and traction control is standard on the top XRS model, optional on the other versions.

© Source: thecarconnection
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