Toyota Matrix Reliability

1,422 NHTSA complaints (2002–2012). Complaint rate: 560.7 per 1,000 vehicles.

Severity Score
1266.6
Complaints
1,422
Crash Rate
12.0%
Fire Rate
1.0%
Injuries
111
Fatalities
2

Which Years to Buy & Avoid

Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.

Bottom line: Avoid the 2003–2006 Toyota Matrix (90 crash-related complaints). The 2010–2012 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: AIR BAGS.

Avoid These Years

2003–2006
~240/yr complaints · 90 crashes
2009
~224/yr complaints · 44 crashes

Average

2007
~109/yr complaints

Better Years

2010–2012
~23/yr complaints
2008
~56/yr complaints
2002
~2/yr complaints
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Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA complaint count per model year

Toyota Matrix — Complaints by Model YearPeak: 2003 (314)
09018127136120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012

Common Toyota Matrix Problems

Most reported component complaints to NHTSA

ComponentComplaintsCrash %
AIR BAGS3947.9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13239.4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM883.4%
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION650.0%
TIRES586.9%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING583.4%
STEERING5129.4%
POWER TRAIN420.0%
ENGINE410.0%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3616.7%

Year-by-Year Breakdown

NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.

YearGenerationComplaintsCrashesFiresDetails
2002GOOD—201View→
2003AVOID—314254View→
2004AVOID—175263View→
2005AVOID—260142View→
2006AVOID—21225—View→
2007—109163View→
2008GOOD—569—View→
2009AVOID—224441View→
2010GOOD—5510—View→
2011GOOD—101—View→
2012GOOD—50—View→

See also: Toyota Matrixaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.

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Toyota Matrix Years to Avoid (2002–2012) — Reliability, Problems & Best Years to Buy | VinItel