Who has a Toyota Matrix and what has your experience been like?

Question

Who has a Toyota Matrix and what has your experience been like?

Answer 1

i have a pontiac vibe which is the exact same car.  it has been exceptional.  i have 65K on it and have only had work done that was caused by kids, the wife, or to do modifications.  never had a mechanical problem with it.  on top of that with a couple of minor mods we average about 37 mpg annually with it vs 30 when new.

it does have a couple of shortcomings.  the engine is low torque which results in high rpm launches and excess wheel spin at times.  the suspension is also the same as the corolla, so it's a little soft for a high wagon and 'scrubs' in corners alot.  the two of these issues combine to create more tire wear than necessary.  

with the modifications though we've cut about 2/3 of a second off of 0-60 times and increased the gas mileage by about 22%.

oh yeah, consumer reports and jd powers both rate the vibe/matrix the most reliable wagon of any size sold in the US.