Toyota Matrix

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Revision as of 18:40, 21 April 2006
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Reverted last anon edit. RAV4 isn't related to the matrix.
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{{Infobox Automobile |image=Image:Toyota matrix 2004.jpg |name=Toyota Matrix |manufacturer=Toyota |production=2003–present |class=Compact |predecessor=Toyota Corolla station wagon |body_style=4-door station wagon |engine=1.8 L 1ZZ-FE I4
1.8 L 2ZZ-FE I4 |related=Pontiac Vibe
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Voltz |similar=Dodge Caliber
Mazda3
Hyundai Elantra GT
Ford Focus ZX5 }} The Toyota Matrix is a car manufactured by Toyota in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada and sold in North America.

The Matrix is the Toyota version of a joint venture between Toyota and General Motors; the GM version is the Pontiac Vibe. A third version was sold in Japan from 2002 to early 2004 as the Toyota Voltz. Although the Voltz was sold under the Toyota brand there, the styling was nearly identical to the Vibe. It has since been discontinued. Some would consider that the Matrix nameplate was appropriated from the popular film franchise to which Toyota also rebadged their Kluger crossover SUV as the Highlander (again, appropriating another film franchise).

Both the Matrix and the Vibe are identical mechanically and practically identical internally, but they are clothed in different sheetmetal to look somewhat different. Both vehicles are small but tall station wagons styled in a trendy, quasi-SUV fashion (called a crossover utility vehicle or "CUV" by Toyota) and marketed to a fairly youthful market segment. This type of car is often referred to as a sport wagon. They were introduced in the 2003 model year and based on the Toyota Corolla platform. It filled the gap in the Toyota lineup since the discontinuation of the Toyota Corolla station wagon in 1997.

Two 1.8 L engines are offered in the Matrix: the economical 1ZZ-FE, borrowed from the Corolla, which produces 130 hp, and the performance-oriented 2ZZ-GE borrowed from the Toyota Celica GT-S, which produces 164 (previously 180 in 2003, 173 in 2004, and 170 in 2005) hp. The 2ZZ-GE utilizes a dual camshaft profile system (known as VVTL-i), similar to Honda's i-VTEC, known as 'lift' to produce the added power without an increase in displacement or forced induction compared to the lesser engine. It should be noted that Toyota commissioned Yamaha to design the 2ZZ-GE and shares several similarities with street bike engines. Also, for the first couple years of production, the engines were notorious for breaking off the lift bolts inside the engine, which didn't do any damage, but did hamper performance. Toyota quickly fixed the problem in late 2002.

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