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"It's cool. It's hip."
Or as the Brits would say: "It's got street cred."
(That's street credibility: popularity and acceptance among
fashionable urban people, especially the young.) These are
not the sort of words normally used to describe
Toyotas. Until now that is. Toyota is hoping that its new
Matrix, a Street Performance Utility, as it's being called,
will be a hit with younger buyers. Part car, part wagon, part
minivan, part SUV, the Matrix occupies a new niche.
Although it looks radically different from the
Corolla,
it is based on the same platform, which means that it will
prove to be a solid reliable car just like the plain Jane
sedan. Toyota quite rightly says it is a car that combines
the style and performance of a sports car, the functionality
of an SUV, and the affordability of a compact sedan. It's
for young buyers who want a vehicle with a sporty image and
high functionality.
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The Toyota Matrix consists of three trim lines: standard
Matrix, Matrix XR and Matrix XRS. Two engines are available.
Matrix and Matrix XR are powered by
a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 130 horsepower
with two-wheel drive and 123 horsepower with four-wheel
drive. XRS comes with a 180-horsepower version of the same
engine.
The base Matrix comes standard with a five-speed manual
transmission and plenty of features, including air conditioning
and an AM/FM radio with CD player for a base retail price
of $14,670 plus a destination fee of $485. Automatic transmissions
and four-wheel drive are available, but only on the base
and XR models. Automatic transmission adds $800, while 4WD
adds another $1,465 to the retail price.
XR starts at $16,180 with a manual transmission. It
has the same engine but adds
power door locks, power windows and remote key fob as well
as a rear window wiper. A wider range of optional equipment
can be added to the XR than the base model.
XRS is a high-performance model. It costs $18,750 and is
only available with front-drive and a six-speed manual transmission.
It is powered by the same 1.8-liter engine, but tuned to
deliver 180 horsepower instead of the standard 130 horsepower.
The XRS includes the same features as the XR plus 16-inch
alloy wheels and anti-lock brakes.
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Toyota worked with GM to develop this product and the
Pontiac Vibe is similar. Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix have identical
interiors but different exterior designs. Pontiac Vibes
are more costly than the equivalent Toyota Matrix models.
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After seeing the Matrix in photographs the first thing
that strikes everyone is how small the car is in person.
That's not surprising as the car is actually 8 inches shorter
than a
Toyota Corolla yet it is 3 inches taller. It has the same wheelbase but
a wider track. These dimensions give the Matrix a unique
stance with very different proportions from the Corolla.
In many ways its looks are close to that of
the
Ford Focus hatchback, which is slightly smaller. It is also similar
in size to the
Chrysler PT Cruiser although the Matrix has slightly less interior storage capacity
due to a lower roofline.
And it's mainly the roofline that attracts one's
attention. In a reverse wedge shape, the roof slopes down
at the back while the belt line along the lower edge of
the side windows slopes up creating a sleek wedge shape
to the windows. The tailgate opens up just as in an SUV
or minivan, but the frameless window can be opened separately
for quick access. The front of the car has a purposeful
looking nose with a relatively high hood line accentuated
by a big grille. Engine cooling is also achieved through
a large aperture under the front bumper which features two
small foglights.
A wide track, along with generous tires fill the wheel
wells nicely, helping give the Matrix an aggressive look.
All in all it's a car that looks substantial despite its
relatively small size.
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