03 Toyota Corolla Or 03 Toyota Matrix

[nytra420]

Hello, :arrgg-matey: I need your opinion on an important used car buying decision.

What car would you get for a dependable 10+ years car? My VW was awsome while it lasted but unfortunatly it was totaled. These are the only 2 cars im interested in. From what Ive researched ive found good and bad for both, let you be the judge. Both cars share same 130hp engine.

03 Corolla: Pros/Cons: LE Wood trim, comfortable seats excellent gas milage 32/38 MPG 130hp faster than Matrix but boring looking. Durability, higher resale value.

03 Matrix Pros/Cons: Sporty look, Mostly all seats can go down and have a SUV like space, back seats more comfortable. Crappy chrome dash that reflects on the windsheild. Better eye candy but Reliability???? 28/32 mpg, little bit slower than corolla Good all around car but ive read that resale value sucks because lack of demand on consumers.

I commute to college 10 miles away, put in about 15,000 miles a year, enjoy comfort but mainly reliability, I want a car that will last me with the least worry. Northern NJ

[alanbradley]

I voted Matrix - purely on novelty value I'm afraid... (you do know that your Corolla is very different to the one we get here in the UK?)

Hi and welcome btw

Alan

[Demonic Angel]

I voted Matrix - because they look funky! Apparently it was voted No. 6 in the Top 10 cars for drivers under 25!

[scionic]

The Corolla and Matrix are the SAME car for all practical purposes.

The Matrix is the closest thing Toyota would make to a Corolla wagon because wagons are considered "uncool" in America, so the funkified it up to make it "edgy" and "cool"

It's a Corolla wagon though and I would suggest it over the Corolla simply because wagons are more practical than sedans every time. Small sedans are worthless for carrying things and the Matrix is more exciting looking than the Corolla too. Reliability will be identical between the two. I found the seats in the Corolla to be marshmellow soft, uncomfortable and completely lacking in any support personally. The seats alone ruled it out for me. Honestly. American Corolla seats are sh*t except for the XRS model.

I suggest the XR model Matrix The XRS is a waste of money IMO as the "180 horsepower" sounds alluring but you have to flog the high strung engine to get that extra power. In everyday normal driving it is really no faster or more powerful feeling than the the relatively torquey standard XR engine. Not sure who told you a Corolla would be faster. They are very close in weight so the difference in performance is going to be too close to call really.

Matrix XR

Oh and you heard wrong. Resale value does not "suck" on any Toyota. They all hold their value extremely well.

Again. The Corolla will NOT be any more reliable, it doesn't really have higher resale value either and if you're keeping a $16,000 car for 10 years you don't really need to be worrying about resale value anyway.