2005 Toyota Matrix User Reviews

Pros

great Mpg & space

Cons

noisy

Purchased As Used

I fell in love with this car as soon as I saw it. ther are not that many around. I have seen only about 5 since i bought it back in november. AWD, power windows, moonroof, cruise control, AC, all work great. the mileage i get is the best, especially in hwy, except it gets too noisy on the hwy. i love my sporty silver color car, even though my best friend says its a wagon. I love it and do not regret purchising it.
p.s: you need to read the manual if you cannot get any warning lights off. they do not turn themselves off. do the fix and then turn off the warning light, it's that simple....read morehide

Pros

love it, great cargo space and head room

Cons

a little noisy, power for passing

This car has tons of cargo space. I can fit both my medium sized dogs in the back just fine. Turns on a dime. I did have a leak 3/4 of the way up the passenger side post between the front window and side window. Toyota couldn't find a leak of course so they just resealed the roof gutter seal. Waiting for it to rain to see if it's fixed. Good gas mileage but could use a little more power for passing. Seats are comfortable and fold completely flat, great when you want to sleep in the car. Took it for a 3 hour drive on logging roads though mud, pot holes and snow, it was great!...read morehide

Pros

Sporty looking

Cons

Bad Gas mileage...only 24MPG on a good day of Hiway driving

I've had this in several time for maintenance and the latest is bad MPG. My wife says I should have kept my '99 Ford Contour Sport. Never had 1 issue with that.

Pros

Great fuel economy, great style,

Cons

none

I bought my Matrix on Labor Day 2002. I was driving a Honda
Passport when I spotted the Matrix on the road. I knew I had
to have this car. I did some research and then traded my Passport
for the Matrix. I have never regretted it. I am so over the SUV
fever! Compared to my Passport, the Matrix is a much better ride
and needless to say, much better on gas. Since gas prices have
risen, I am very happy with my purchase. I live in the city, and get
25 miles per gallon. I also love the fact that the Matrix's seats
fold down so you can haul things just as easily as an SUV. The
convience of an SUV without the dangers of rollover. My mother
calls is a van. I guess it sort of looks like one! A great little car!...read morehide

Pros

ultra low emission (ULEV ll), flat-fold rear seats,Top 10 Greenest car list

Cons

fuzzy covering under mats and in middle that is hard to clean, low beams too low

One of best selling points was ULEV ll and that it made the top ten list for Greenercars.com. I could not find a used Prius and was set to settle for a Corolla when salesman showed me this other Corolla. Holy Moly....look at the room. My 10 year old and I have gone camping in this by folding down the rear seats and using instead of tent (put your head towards the rear and push front seats all the way forward. I have a foam mattress that is bent up when driving, then flip the seat down when we arrive, and Voila!, the mattress fully extends. I love the headlights curving which are identical to Lexxus and give great visibility on high beam. I love the 3 odometers, the AC electrical plug on dash, the DC plug in middle compartment, the outside thermometer. Phantom Grey Pearl hides dirt like nothing I've ever seen. Since I got the extra safety package with side air and curtain airbags I can't find affordable seat covers and wish that were an option with Toyota (regular covers impede air bag coming out of seat cushion). I love that you can raise and lower drivers seat. This is a very intelligent and brilliantly well designed car that does many, many things. Go Toyota! Great price! Have 20K miles on it and drove it to tip of Baja and back last summer....read morehide

Pros

Great Fuel Economy, limited unscheduled maintenance

Cons

Brakes clank, acceleration noises, costly maintenance at 90k

I bought the first model (2003) in March, 2002. Very pleased with overall performance. Vehicle now has 113k and still runs very well. 60/40 Split seats allow up to 6ft linear cargo space. Great highway traveler and can compete with some of the best for speed and passing. Some starting problems resulted in need for new battery after three years. Nice Ride....Waiting for updated body style....read morehide

Pros

great on Gas !

Cons

Doesn't have a rear wiper : )

I bought this car and it is wonderful it's versitile i can fit anything in it, and i don't have to buy a pick up to do that. I spend a lotttt of time in traffic and i used to always got out of my other car with a back ache and with this car my back doesn't hurt at all! I really reccommend this car for people who have kids , there is plenty of room. : )...read morehide

Pros

great room when all the seats are down

Cons

Bad cosmetics- things fall off, bad AC, bad engine and transmission

I have had nothing but problems with this car . I bought it in 2002 when it first came out.

cosmetic problems- things are always falling off or apart- drawers, pannels, chrome ect...

AC problems- Had it in 3 times to fix major AC problems

Engine and transmission- now these don't work and need to be replaced and the car is only 3 yrs old and has been cared for with all the proper oil changes!

dealership and toyota corp won't fix or replace the car because it is now 5,000miles past warrenty

I expected more from toyota...read morehide

Pros

Fuel economy, comfort, utility and value

Cons

Seatbelt warning

This is actually a 2006 vehicle. Had it less than a week, but very pleased. List price w/package #2, ABS and 6 disk cd changer (not the JBL version) was 18,701 in northern Florida. If you keep in mind that it is really a very basic, inexpensive car, it is really easy to love. Excellent value, in my opinion. Seems to be fairly quiet even at 65mph. No complaints about the ride. Seats are comfortable; although, the fabric isn't anything to write home about...looks wise. Traded in an Acura MDX that only got 19mpg around town and required fancy (91 octane) gas. Local price for fancy gas is about $3.20 a gallon. Early indications with Matrix is 31.50mpg with a mix of city and highway (almost) driving. Could use more hp..maybe another 15 or so. Small bridges over local waterways require a downshift to 4th. ONLY seriously annoying thing is the seatbelt buzzer. I have a tendency to unbuckle prior to stopping at the destination. It will either force me to break that habit, or locate a fuse that I can pull to stop the buzzer. If you are looking for a small car that has some carrying ability, this is worth a look. Again, great value in my opinion....read morehide

Pros

looks, ride, price, room and comfort

Cons

could use a bit moore HP

I love this car! The space of a small SUV without the low MPG. With fuel prices so high, I would suggest this for a great alternative to a gas guzzler.