Is it still love after a year

and 14,000 miles?

A year? Has it really been that long? Is the flame alive? Yes, this is still a fun car to own. Still in great shape, a couple minor door dings (on trim above) notwithstanding. I remain convinced this is a great car for the money. But there are a few things we’ve discovered.

The Matrix and Vibe are the result of taking components from an established low-cost platform (Toyota Corolla), mixing in a few upscale parts (high-output drivetrain from the Toyota Celica) and wrapping them into a novel package. The result is better value than you might otherwise get in such a unique car. The Corolla and Celica parts are performing reliably and well in spite of the somewhat heavier and larger vehicle. But there are a couple parts that are obviously stretching further than intended:

• The clutch is caught between the high-output engine (if you choose it) and the heavier vehicle, and is too easily strained to the point of overheating. Normal starts are not a problem if you can hit the window between stalling and over-revving, but you really don’t want to get caught in stop-and-go traffic on an uphill slope.
• The air conditioning seems marginal in hot weather, or at least mine does, and the dealer says it is working correctly. With or without recirculation, it is hard to stay comfortable when the sun is shining in through those big windows and the temperature is high. Lose the sun or the heat and all is well, but even on long drives the combination of sun and hot weather leaves me wanting a colder setting.

And there are some design details that could be better, beyond those I’ve fixed already:

• Cleanup after a dusty drive is more difficult than you might expect because of the many layers of hatch and trim on the rear – you’ll have dust sifting out even after a car wash.
• Mine has a second rattle, sometimes when you let off the throttle, somewhere in the engine compartment. I’ll track it down when there is some other need to get in there.

Even with those issues, I would buy another one without hesitation. I would take a close look at the supercharger instead of the high-output engine, since I expect it has equal power with better drivability. Is that worth going without the 6-speed, disk brakes, and the better trim? That’s for you to decide – mine is chosen and hopefully will be with me for many years to come. Maybe I’ll update the website every year….

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