Buyer Warning All Matrix years

Toyota Matrix Years to AvoidThe weakest years — and the one you should buy instead

We reviewed all 11 Toyota Matrix years and — unusually — found no years that meet our "avoid" criteria. The Matrix is one of the rare models where every generation earns at least a moderate reliability score.

Good news

Every Matrix year we analyzed scores at least 70/100.

Your decision is less about "which to avoid" and more about "which is the absolute best buy." Start with the highest-scoring year below.

Buy this instead

2008 Toyota Matrix

Highest-scoring Matrix in our data (92/100). A supremely reliable and economical compact that excels as a long-term daily driver, provided you address the 2.4L engine's known quirks.