Up Close With the 2009 Toyota Matrix
The new Toyota Corolla and Matrix are making their consumer auto show debut here in L.A., and that means this is the first chance we’ve had to take a closer look at them.
- As a small hatchback, the Matrix’s interior was fairly roomy, and the one-hand-droppable second row was a nice touch. Legroom in the backseat was reasonable, and the trunk/hatch space was decent. I sat in the XRS “prototype,” and I liked its aggressive feel inside and out.
As the dad of a soon-to-be teen driver, I might feel more comfortable letting my son drive the revamped Corolla (or, more likely, a 2003 Corolla); I’d be a little worried with him behind the wheel of the Matrix XRS’ five-speed manual with the 158-hp engine. Yeah, it’s a Toyota, but I can already smell the burnt rubber. — Patrick Olsen, 12:05 p.m.
