Great looking body style, cruise control can be purchased and put in for under $300.00. However I think a cargo net and cruise should be standard.

This is a good car, over 3,000 miles I average 32 mpg. Handles very good, Great cargo capabilty, watch out for water spots on the back seat. Just opening the doors in the morning water drops on the seats and makes water spots. I am 5"10" and the front legroom is just bairly enough. This car could use more driver legroom. Also the center arm rest is too low. I get 32mpg driving to work, so I say it gets good combo city/hwy mileage. But, straight hwy mileage does not get better than 33 mpg. This car needs a taller 5th gear. The 1.8L is great, the bigger engine is a waste of money.

We've had our Matrix for 3 months and 8,000 miles and mileage is surprisingly high. With the base AT, mixed city/highway has never been lower that 31.5 and highway as high as 38, with the car loaded. We thought we would have a hard time adapting - especially on trips- downsizing from a extracab F-150, but our family had room left over after packing for a 1 1/2 week trip half-way across the country. In addition to our stuff, we hauled a large cooler (full) for a friend who was flying to the same location. After we packed, we stood there wondering what we forgot bacause there was so much room left over.
My son and I love how it looks though my husband doesn't. Tough. Climate control is quick. Handling is tight and responsive. Ride is nice for a small vehicle (and nicer that a lot of larger vehicles). Both the front and back seats are roomy.
Now for the dislikes: Cupholders are flimsy in the back and cheap in the front. Neither will hold extra-large drinks. Also, as stated in the cons section, if you bump the plastic molding on the pillar between the front and back doors, the moilding will pop loose. Repeatedly.
I also do not like the fact that the lights cannot be turned off when it is dark and the car is running.
Overall, I would purchase it again and definitely recommend it to friends and family.

i picked up the car few days ago and i must say ride is very quite and precise. although it's an awd car but just front wheels are engaged on dry roads so you won't feel any awd effect like you do in subaru cars.

car is very well equiped but there is no heated seat option, you have to ask dealer to install it for you.
i would have another review after first snow storm.

It has been a great car so far. It is great to get around town. Interstate gas mileage is not great but highway and in town is good. Would have liked a few more options that the S model has.

We have had our Matrix S for about 3 weeks now and with 500 miles on the odometer here are some initial impressions:

We got the base 16" wheels/tires specifically to cut down on the road noise and rough ride that we experienced while test-driving one with the 17" wheels. The 16"s look ridiculously small on the car but the ride is very smooth and quiet. Occasionally, however, I notice that when passing over large highway expansion joints the suspension feels like it runs out of travel. This causes an alarming crash/thud noise through the vehicle that is kind of unsettling. Over normal roads, though, the car rides very nicely for an economy vehicle.

The 2.4L engine and 5AT combine for VERY quick acceleration and highway passing responsiveness. Truthfully, after driving this car for a few weeks now I am wondering if I would have been happier with the base 1.8L for better fuel economy and only 25 fewer horsepower (I got only 22mpg on my first tank). The 2.4L actually feels overpowered for this vehicle's size and weight, and the transmission is so eager to downshift that I cannot accelerate even gently on the highway without getting a downshift from 5th to 4th, which surely hurts fuel economy. If you really like to race around town, get the 2.4L, but if you are a conservative driver looking for high MPG's, get the 1.8L!

The base stereo system is great, especially the quality of the high treble tones through the door-mounted tweeters. And it is very nice to have the AUX jack to run the ipod through.

The front and back seats are very comfortable and there is an unbelievable amount of leg and head room for all passengers. Plus, the rear cargo space is shaped well for usability and the cargo floor is set at a convenient height for loading/unloading.

Overall, we are very happy with this vehicle and would recommend it... plus the lease deal was incredible.

We recently got a 2009 Matrix. We traded in a Chevy Trailblazer, due to the cost of gas. We are completely satisfied!! We decided to get the base model, due to the 1.8 engine getting better gas mileage. Adding on alloy wheels was well worth the extra $500.00, too. On our first tank of gas, not only did it cost half as much to fill up, but we drove twice as far. During our first 2 weeks, we are getting 29 MPH! Hurray for the Matrix!

Plenty of legroom
Like fold down seat and flat area to place cargo
38 mph on trip to Florida

This car is terrific! We are averaging close to 29 MPG in LOCAL 'city' driving. We are completly satisifed with this car with the exception of slightly elevated road noise over 50 MPH, and a lack of a rear wiper on the base model. The 1.8 engine has all the power necessary, and the interior seats 5 comfortably. The basic radio has excellent clarity!
The car rides 'higher' than most small cars, making for a visibility bonus!

My husband and I test drove a lot of new cars before we decided on the Matrix. None of them compared to the instant comfort and reliability we felt the minute we got into the driver's seat. I've had many passengers say the backseat is nice and roomy, and I absolutely LOVE my hatchback! It's perfect for running erronds, taking the dog to the bark park, and packing for a light camping trip!