With the Prius in the shop for scheduled maintenance, I’m driving a 2009 Toyota Matrix. As the car was driven up, I found it attractive. Not a bad-looking car at all. But getting in, I found it had less legroom than the Prius. It felt about like my Jeep Cherokee. And it had a key. Not used to those. In the Prius I just get in, buckle up, and press a big black button. I was futilely hoping it would have a standard transmission, but it was an automatic. Oh, well. So’s the Prius. (Sort of.) And the Jeep. The Matrix’s shift lever is ‘gated’. In the Prius you flip the dash-mounted lever left and up, or left and down. The Jeep’s shifter is linear. It took a minute to get used to the lever in the Matrix.
Pick-up was very good. The car accelerates much more quickly than the Prius. But it’s a little ‘notchy’. At first, nothing happens. Press the accelerator pedal a little more and it takes off like a swatted horse. It’s a little disconcerting in the rain, especially in a rain-soaked parking lot. Once you get used to that, it’s fun to have a car that is so quick. Maneuverability was great too. The Prius handles pretty well, but the Matrix handles better. Not as good as the old MGB, but nicely.
When looking over my left shoulder, I found the B-pillar blocking my view. Also, the rear-view mirror wouldn’t adjust high enough. It was adequate, but anyone over six feet might not like it. Another thing that ‘gotcha’d’ me was when I parked to grab a bite to eat. In the Prius you press the big black button and the transmission goes into Park and the car shuts down. In the Matrix you have to put the car in Park before it will let you remove the key. Obviously this would not be an issue for most people, whose cars do not have the ‘Smart Key’ as in the Prius.
Overall I like the Matrix. As with any car, there are things the driver has to get used to. Acceleration, handling, braking, and appearance are all good. I wish it had a bit more legroom, and I knock my hat off (I’m wearing a trilby today) almost every time I get in. With an MSRP of between $15,410 and $17,395 I think it’s priced about right.