2009 Toyota Matrix

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Exterior - What the Auto Press Says

There are mixed impressions 2009 Toyota Matrix redesigned sheetmetal. Some regard the newer look as fresh and distinctive, while others describe the look as tame for a supposed funky hatchback.

• "There is something undeniably hip and forward thinking about the Matrix's aggressive rake and angular body lines." -- MSN
• "This is a funkier-looking Matrix, more aggressive up front with tighter screening in the grille and vents, and slitted, glaring headlamps. What's really nice is the way the sinister fascia, with its ground-hugging intake foil, flows smoothly to a hood and then rises over a large raked windshield. It apexes just over the driver's head, and then drops to an airfoil atop the rear hatch." -- Boston Globe
• "I liked the Matrix's exterior. It's a sporty hatchback that looks as if some thought actually went into the design. It really stood out on the highway heading from Cheyenne to Laramie, Wyo., for a wedding. There aren't many cowboys in orange Matrices (that's the plural of Matrix, isn't it?)" -- Mother Proof
• "In its quest to add some sharpness and angularity to the Matrix, Toyota seems to have taken out the more interesting aspects of the previous model, and we find it to be rather less exciting than before. The Matrix now looks more like a size-larger Scion xD, only duller, unless there is body cladding attached to it." -- Car and Driver
• "I'm not convinced about that swoopy swage line, and I've seen less steeply raked coffee tables, but at least there's not an Echo in there." -- The Truth About Cars