Toyota Matrix Overview

"It's cool. It's hip." Or as the Brits would say: "It's got street cred." (That's street credibility: popularity and acceptance among fashionable urban people, especially the young.)

These are not the sort of words normally used to describe Toyotas. Until now that is. Toyota is hoping that its new Matrix, a Street Performance Utility, as it's being called, will be a hit with younger buyers. Part car, part wagon, part minivan, part SUV, the Matrix occupies a new niche.

Although it looks radically different from the Corolla, it is based on the same platform, which means that it will prove to be a solid reliable car just like the plain Jane sedan.

Toyota quite rightly says it is a car that combines the style and performance of a sports car, the functionality of an SUV, and the affordability of a compact sedan. It's for young buyers who want a vehicle with a sporty image and high functionality.