2011 Toyota Matrix

2011 Toyota Matrix will unveil at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show on this week. The styling differences between the 2010- and 2011-MY versions of the Matrix, the revisions are barely noticeable.

The sporty five-door Toyota Matrix deftly combines a fun-to-drive spirit with the utility of a small SUV and excellent fuel economy. In 2011, the Toyota Matrix will feature new standard wheels, interior design features, the Toyota Care complimentary maintenance plan, and standard Smart Stop Technology.

The subtle refresh is limited at exterior finish to all-new front and rear bumpers with integrated front and rear underbody spoilers and a large mesh front fog lamp bezel. The newly designed 16-inch steel wheels and 17-inch, five-spoke alloy rims plus the introduction of a new Spruce Mica color round off the changes.

While in interior of 2011 Toyota Matrix includes: he instrument-panel gauges feature new silver ornamentation, while there are also new metal-plated rings around the air conditioning vents, and the audio unit has a new flush surface. The updated model also gains a fresh choice of seat fabrics, while there’s also a newly designed leather-trimmed steering wheel with spoke-mounted audio controls and hands-free Bluetooth capability.

The 2011 Matrix continues to feature Toyota Star Safety System™ as standard equipment, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. It also includes standard Smart Stop Technology brake-override system.

2011 Toyota Matrix is available in two grades, the base model powered by a 132HP 1.8-liter engine paired with a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic, and the S version which gets a 158HP 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine linked to a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The S model is also offered with all-wheel-drive (AWD), in which case the 2.4-liter engine is matched to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

The car is very fuel efficient, the base Matrix 1.8L has an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 25 mpg city and 32 mpg highway with the manual gearbox, and 26 mpg city and 32 mpg highway for automatic model, while the 2.4L S version, 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway with the stick shift, 21 mpg city and 29 mpg with the automatic transmission, and 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for the AWD model.