2012 Toyota Matrix Buyer's Guide

Owner Reviews
3.5
2 Reviews
Overall
3.5
Value
3.0
Performance
3.0
Style
4.0
Comfort
4.0
Fuel Economy
3.5
Reliability
4.5

2012 Toyota Matrix Owner Ratings & Reviews

Write a Review
3.5
Overall
2 Reviews

2012 Toyota Matrix - Great car for single 20-something.

Matrix Owner
Grove City, Ohio
Overall
4.0
Value
3.0
Performance
2.0
Style
5.0
Comfort
5.0
Fuel Economy
4.0
Reliability
5.0
I like how the car is simple and plain on the interior. I do not take many long trips and the car is perfect for this. The car is zippy and has the ability to make tight turns. I do with they were still making this car to get a newer model. I have a 2012 and it can seem outdated. I am glad mine has an audio aux port. I feel very safe in the car and would feel good taking a family member or friend in it on a trip. I drive it to work every day and it is nice and predictable in how it runs. It is not too big and fits a simplistic lifestyle well. The interior is easy to clean and the gas mileage is good. The gas tank is a bit small, but the mileage makes up for this and has helped me to save more money. The car is reliable and great for all people. I can fit a ton in the trunk and have nev... (more)
Story
I loved driving this through the city of Cleveland at night and looking at all of the lights on the buildings. It was beautiful and having the windows down made it feel like flying.
Pros
My favorite features are the interior being sporty and fun with the sport fabric option. I like that everything is one dark color, too. There is a lot of storage space and the cup holders are awesome. The back row has a ton of leg space and has allowed me to transport a ton of gear at one time. The trunk is large and closes easily because the car isn't too tall. The car has a small gas tank so that helps with the cost because the gas mileage is good too. It has the ability to make very tight turns and fit into small parking spaces. It also has a good radio with an aux input. I like the loo... (more)
Cons
The car can seem too small if all of the seats are full because of the ability for voices to bounce inside of the car and make it loud. I have found that the car can be hard to see at night because it sits low to the ground and is a dark color. If it was lighter, it might not be this way. I haven't had any issues with the way it runs, just that it can be peppy or zippy to new people getting in and driving it. They might be scared or jump if they see how it handles.

2012 Toyota Matrix -

Matrix Owner
Monroe, Louisiana
Overall
3.0
Value
3.0
Performance
4.0
Style
3.0
Comfort
3.0
Fuel Economy
3.0
Reliability
4.0
Bought new in March 2013 and now have 165,000 miles. Never needed a single repair. In fact this car has never seen a mechanic except to have new tires installed. On my third set of tires and third set of brakes. I have easily maintained it myself, only needing oil change/tire rotation every 5k miles and an occasional air filter change.
Story
Last week our car broke down and, thinking it was still under warranty, had it towed to the dealership to begin work on it. After the mechanics spent the day diagnosing the problem, we found out our warranty had actually expired. Knowing the cost of repairs at the dealership would be more expensive than other auto repair shops, we decided to have the car towed to a different shop, where they w... (more)
Pros
The Matrix has a Corola engine. Without a doubt the most reliable engine ever built. If the maintenance schedule was followed from new, a Matrix should last well over 300k miles. Mine still looks good and is still fun to drive. I wish they still made this car.
Cons
We didn't want all the options (seems Toyota only offered all the options or none) so we went with the basic model. We have not had any service issues but the CD player recently started skipping. Our dealer offered little help and suggested we look for an aftermarket player. The Matrix handles well in snow and rain but offers bumpy ride on uneven roads.

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