Toyota Matrix Owners Input Please??

[SlightlyGoofy]

It is time to retire our 2000 Toyota Camry, still runs great though. I am considering either a Corolla or a Matrix. I have family members with Corolla's so I know that they are good cars.

I ran across a Matrix and thought it was an interesting looking car and so versitile. I am at an age when the next car might have to fit a wheelchair for my hubby (he is older than I) or something else and it seems this might be an option but I cannot afford to get a car with problems.

If anyone has one of these cars or knows anything about them I surely would appreciate your input.

Thank you so much dear friends, Slightly Goofy

 

[taraprather]

Hi there,
My mom owns a 2005 matrix that she got about 2 years ago NEW. She drives it for a living and she is right at the 200,000 mile mark! It is still going SO strong! She has not had any problems with it. She loves her car, and I personally think they are pretty sharp looking myself. They are really good on gas also. Good luck on your purchase!

 

[Deb & Bill]

The Camry has a lot more room than the Corolla or the Matrix. Compare the trunk space, knee room, head room on each to see if it will be a problem.

However, anyway you go, Toyota always has the best car. And the Camry is again the #1 car in America.

 

[bluedoggy]

I drive a 2006 Pontiac Vibe - which in essence is the same as the Matrix. It is now 1 yr old and I LOVE IT! I am a realtor, so have to haul signs, flags, and clients around. I like how easy it is to get in, feels like a larger car than it is, easy to handle and has the reliability of the toyota. It's basically a corolla engine, chassis, etc (as I understand) with the trim from Pontiac. We bought this because I had some GM credit from a CC, and they had a rebate at the time, so maybe consider looking at both. Just an idea. Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[beavismom]

My hubby drove one for 2 years and he really liked it. He is 6'6" and he fit very well. The only reason we got rid of it was that it was a stick and I didn't like to drive it (and he wanted a pickup again). It was very reliable, but it was not driven as much as our other cars so that may have helped.

 

[theblackbird]

love my matrix. dh takes it over to the hardware store all the time for mulch, etc. he can fit the 6ft ladder in the car, it drives very well.... I like it because it's not huge but you really can get a lot of stuff into it.

 

[candaceg]

I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe (as mentioned above, under the skin it's the same as a Matrix) and it just hit 100,000 miles. The only thing I have ever had a problem with besides routine maintenance is the little handle that releases the rear seat to fold down - it has now broken twice, but it costs about $8. I love this car because of its versatility - I can't believe some of the stuff I've been able to haul in or on it - a whole china cabinet fit in the back once, and I've put a small sailboat on the roof rack. It gets really good gas mileage.
My one gripe would be cabin noise - it's a very noisy car.

Editing to add - you mentioned mobility issues for your DH. This is a car that is recommended for people with mobility problems because it is a straight entry - you don't have to climb up into the seat (like with an SUV), or fall into a lower bucket seat.

 

[Eeyore's Buddy Bear]

I have a 2004 Pontiac Vibe and absolutely love it. As others have mentioned the car is very versatile. I have carried 8 foot long light fixtures in the car without a problem.

You get a lot of the advantages of a SUV with the gas mileage of a car. I average 30-35 mpg.

I have had the car for 3 years and have had no problems with it. I've had it in the shop for routine maintenance, but nothing else.

My mom and I both have mobility issues and find it easy to get in and out of my Vibe. She has a 1998 Toyota Corolla and we both have trouble getting in and out of it.

 

[DisneyBound225]

I have a 2003 Matrix and I think its great. I have put 105K iles on it and it still runs great. The only thing that I would change is that the radio buttons that have a black coating on them scratches and you can see the back lights shinning through and its not very pretty. Also, the window switch plate scratches easily too. The motor is great but visually it has taken a beating. If they could only make the interior as good as the motor. Also the cabin noise if you do not have the radio on is quite noisy. But it is very roomy inside. Hope that helps!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I offer my most abject apologies for not answering all your kind and informative posts.

This time of year is hard enough but not being in the best of shape right now myself and having to deal with the new problems has me near drowning.

So many comments and each and every one useful. I am on my 3rd Camry so I obviously love it but going down to just one vehicle makes it a bit more necessary to have something that does it all.

I cannot hear so noise is not a problem at all. I have read reviews that comment that the tires are not so good and there might be some problems climbing mountains. The only mountains that I climb are on the way down to Disney World and I can avoid the worst ones if necessary.

It sounds as if this is a vehicle that I need to bump to the top of my list.

Can't you just see how my grandkids will react to Grandma driving a bright red Matrix? I might be considered "cool".

Thank you all so much for taking your time to help me out and I hope each and every one of you got what you wanted for Christmas and are spending the day with the people you love most.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[btass]

I just saw your thread and I have to tell you:

I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY ADORE MY 2005 MATRIX!

When I was shopping for a car, I compared all of the small hatch-back four door cars I could find. I went to see every single one of them and test drove all of them except the Chevy. Everything I test drove besides the Matrix sounded and felt like a tin can. I did not feel safe in all of them.

The Matrix felt like a solid car and it was in my pricerange.

The hatch-back full door opens and the glass part of the back door also will open seperatley. I use that feature a lot when shopping, just open the glass, pop the packages in and go! When the full hatch-back is open, the "shelf" or bottom of the back of the car is low enough to lean a folded wheel chair on it and then grab the bottom and slide it in - you don't have to pick the wheelchair up and over the back end of the car and into the trunk.

Both backseats fold down either together or seperatley, one is 3/4 of the seat and the other is 1/4 of the backseat. The passenger seat also folds forward.

The front seats are mostly like captains chairs without the arms on them. When I get out of the car I can turn to stick both my feet out together, plant my feet on the ground and get out of the car without having to push myself up or drop down from a hieght. My father loves that part because he had two strokes and is "whobbly" when he gets out of most cars, but not my Matrix!

It is a joy to drive the car, I actually got it three years ago, right when the 2005 models came out and I still like getting into it and driving around.

Good luck with your search!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

WOW, this car sounds like it is right up my alley.

Btass, am I to assume since you are from a cold part of the country that this car is also good on ice and snow?

Are there any bad parts about the car other than the trim problems already stated?

JFYI, if anyone is interested in a Camry I cannot praise them high enough. It is just that time are a changing and I might have to change with them. Camry's are also easy to get in and out of BUT I cannot see myself being able to lift a wheelchair in or out of the trunk even if I could fit one in there.

I haul an entire library of books in there now and it is getting hard for me to lift them up and over and since I tend to keep cars for 6-7 years I have to think ahead.

Did everyone get what they wanted for Christmas? I did, a laptop and fast connection. I got them for myself and did not have to wrap them either. lol (smilies not working)

Merry Christmas and happy day after shopping tomorrow.

Slightly Goofy

 

[KristinU]

It looks like you got a lot of reviews already - but just to add another one...I have a 2003 Matrix and love it. I love the hatchback/cargo aspect of it...we brought home 10' boards from Lowes for a decking project a few years ago (we don't need no stinking rental truck ) We have a RAV4 and the ting that make the Matrix so much better for hauling stuff is the hatchback with the window portion that opens seperately.

The only think I would change is that I got an XRS because I *had* to have the 6 speed manual transmission. In our climate I wish I would have gone with the 4WD XR instead. My "racing" road tires stink in the snow, so we swap them out for a set of winter tires every fall. I get great traction with my snow tires on, but I wish we wouldn't have to go through that exercise every fall and spring...OK, well, I wish I didn't have to feel bad that DH does the swap for me twice a year

Access is great and my DS has been getting in and out by himself for about 6 months now (he's almost 3) - he can't quite climb in to the RAV by himself yet. (Of course we buckle him into his carseat, but he likes to at least get in by himself.) I agree with the PP that it is neither a climb up nor a sit way down.

You mentioned red - that is a hot color! There was one at the dealership with all of the features we wanted in red - I was so close to getting it, but I held out and waited for a more neutral color on a dealer trade because I knew red would mean an instant speeding ticket for me!

Best of luck car shopping!

 

[DawnM]

Ok, please forgive my Dave Ramsey question in advance....

But if you have a great car that runs well, why do you want to replace it?

The Matrix sounds like a lot of fun, but in the past 10 years DH and I have just changed our views on money and buying and have Toyotas (and a Saturn) that run great and we bought them to last forever and a day so that we don't have to have a new car so quickly.

I realize this is OUR thing and not everyones, but thought I would throw it out there.

Dawn

 

[btass]

Ok, please forgive my Dave Ramsey question in advance....

I am a Dave Ramsey Fan too! The only thing I did not follow was getting a car that was two years old. I used to follow that one and have spent so much money fixing the two year old cars that I was in the end spending as much as buying a new car.

So the last two year old car was dieing and I decided to do my homework and get the best possible deal on a brand new car and I plan on keeping it running as long as possible.

I have estimated probably 15 years to my next brand new car and that will be in 2019 or 2020! Maybe we will have flying cars by then! Won't that be fun!

 

[geetey]

But if you have a great car that runs well, why do you want to replace it?

Not the OP, but if you look at SlightyGoofy's response, it appears to me that she is looking for a new car because she needs to be able to fit/lift a wheelchair in and out of the car. It doesn't sound like Camry will work for that situation.

 

[Snoozan]

My DH has a 2003 bright red Matrix and is very happy with it. I think the driver's seat is a bit more comfy the the front passenger seat. It's more of a stiffer "sport" ride than the squishy car ride I prefer. However, you can't beat the convenience of the storage area it has- we bought this car because I'd just gotten rid of my mini-van and we wanted a vehicle to use when we had big stuff to carry. It's been great for that, and the gas mileage is very impressive: around 33mpg around town, 35 highway.

My DH ended up with snow tires(we get studded for my peace of mind) for our usually snowy New England winters as he found he did notice some slipping in bad conditions. He does not have the AWD option so not sure if that helps.

My opinion is this is a great Toyota product - just not the most comfortable if you do hours of driving a day, which we don't so no problem for us.

 

[DawnM]

Ah, well, I re-read the OP and I see that she is thinking it *might* be the case. It hasn't happened yet.

If I were looking for a wheelchair access car I would go with a mini-van. Obviously NOT the question, but I have looked at Matrix's and they wouldn't be my first choice for weelchair accessability. It would still be quite small.

On the other hand, I think I would wait until the time came and then decide. Again, unsolicited advice.

Dawn

Not the OP, but if you look at SlightyGoofy's response, it appears to me that she is looking for a new car because she needs to be able to fit/lift a wheelchair in and out of the car. It doesn't sound like Camry will work for that situation.

 

[DawnM]

We have 3 cars right now. 2 are paid for and one is almost finished. Each of them we bought new. One is 13 years old and still running strong. With 3 cars we dont' plan to buy again for a VERY long time.

Dawn

I am a Dave Ramsey Fan too! The only thing I did not follow was getting a car that was two years old. I used to follow that one and have spent so much money fixing the two year old cars that I was in the end spending as much as buying a new car.

So the last two year old car was dieing and I decided to do my homework and get the best possible deal on a brand new car and I plan on keeping it running as long as possible.

I have estimated probably 15 years to my next brand new car and that will be in 2019 or 2020! Maybe we will have flying cars by then! Won't that be fun!

 

[neatokimmo]

You all have almost talked me into a Matrix!

Does anyone have this car and a Decathlon car seat? I really like the folding back seat and all the cargo room in the back. I'd have a huge easier time with her stroller too.

Thanks!