Toyota is focusing on inner-beauty with the refresh of its 2011 Toyota Matrix. The five-door hatchback gets upgraded interior bits and new wheel styles for the 2011 model year.
Debuting at the Chicago Auto Show, the 2011 Matrix retains the same 132-horsepower 1.8-liter and 158-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines as before. All-wheel drive remains an option with the 2.4-liter engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. Other trims are available with either a five-speed automatic or manual transmission.
The only fuel economy change is with the smaller engine and a four-speed automatic: the highway rating improves one mpg to 32. The 16-inch steel wheels have newly designed covers and there are new 17-inch five-spoke wheels on the Matrix S. The only other exterior change is a color addition: Spruce Mica.
Toyota appears to have paid the most attention to the 2011 Matrix’s interior. A number of trim changes were made in an effort to freshen the cabin. There are new seating fabrics, the audio unit has a new flush surface this year and there’s a newly designed leather-trimmed steering wheel. A Smart Stop Technology brake-override system is also standard.
The base model Matrix will retail for $19,305, an increase of $1845 over the outgoing model. The 2011 Matrix will reach dealerships in the spring.
Source: Toyota
