CarParker 
2009 Toyota Matrix Hatchback S 4dr Hatchback (2.4L 4cyl 5A)
Better than Professional Reviewers Say.
 I read a lot of tepid & dismissive reviews before I purchase the Matrix S. I've driven many of the cars recommended as alternatives. I think the problem is perception. The look of the Matrix is a bit sportier than its performance. But the gap between its main contender, the Fit, is even greater. If you accept that no one really cares what you drive, so don't rely on your car to define your personality, what you get in the Matrix is Balance. I think this balance is what confounds the automag pros. A little sporty, a lot practical, amazingly reliable. Design is Clean & Simple, Driving is Balanced & Poised. Quick & smooth without being completely lifeless. A sport hatch for the pragmatic.