The cool wagon

Not so long ago, the compact station wagon and mini-minivans were nearly or totally non-existent. At the turn of the century, consumers had the choice between a Subaru Impreza and a Suzuki Esteem wagon. Only a few years later, manufacturers like Mazda with the Protegé5, along with GM and Toyota, with their respective Vibe and Matrix, jumped into the game. These last cars turned out to be so popular that soon nearly every car maker wanted a piece of the action.

In 2003, Toyota, along with General Motors, launched a co-developed compact wagon. The Matrix was the more affordable version and the Vibe had a longer list of standard features. It took very little for these two vehicles, particularly the Toyota, to find takers. Both vehicles shared a Toyota chassis and mechanicals. This, in part, explains their popularity.

The starting price for a base Matrix is $17,200. A chart-topping XR AWD with the B package retails for $26,120. I tested a TRD-lined base model with the manual transmission. Its sticker price is of $20,975.

Styling

Even though the Matrix is based on the same platform as the current Corolla, the small wagon displays oodles more personality. The side body panels may have few wild curves in them but the rising beltline and rearward swooping roof combine to make the Matrix pretty sleek-looking. In 2005, the vehicle received a minor facelift including revised front bumper and rear taillights. Panel gaps, although even, are slightly larger in some areas than I would have expected on a Toyota product.

My tested TRD Special Edition model looks great. I especially like the unique 17" alloy wheels, the roof mounted spoiler and the blacked-out side window frames. With the fog lights, skirt kit and body coloured handles and mirrors, the Matrix appears to be a scaled down tuner car. The interior accessories included in the package are a 200-Watt Panasonic sound system, air conditioning and a TRD shift knob.

The cabin of the Matrix is roomy for four adults. It can accommodate a third passenger in the rear if need be. The trunk is also generous although a carpet for the loading floor should be less expensive to purchase or even standard. The dash ergonomics are good with simple large HVAC commands and fairly easy to read gauges. The Panasonic radio will especially please those of us that like to customize our sound and do not mind the smaller buttons. About the instrumentation, although the chrome surrounding the outside of the bezels is attractive, it reflects light onto the windshield.

Unless the chosen Matrix is an XRS version, the seats are lacklustre. They offer very little lateral and lumbar support and suffer from the same overly short lower cushions. Otherwise, the driving position is good if you like the minivan feeling. The shifter is cleverly positioned within quick and easy reach of the steering wheel.