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Hyundai Matrix – Evergreen MPV

July 29, 2010 by fadhli
Filed under: Reviews

The Hyundai Matrix was released in 2001 and has been in Malaysia since 2002. It is a 5 door mini MPV which has and continues to be a strong seller for the Hyundai/Inokom brand in Malaysia. Available here in 1.6 and 1.8 litre variants, the Matrix offers a spacious and well thought out cabin which still remains fresh till today. The Matrix was one of the first cars to feature the centrally mounted instrument cluster here and this concept did take some getting used to by us Malaysians. The Matrix is not a full sized MPV but still manages to ferry around 5 adults in considerable comfort, and provides substantial luggage space too.

Initially brought in as a CBU model, Inokom later assembled the Matrix locally to bring down the sticker price and make it an even more sensible choice for those looking for a family car. Build quality, though not quite on par with its Japanese rivals, was still a step up from our local cars and reliability has never really been a problem with these cars if maintained decently. Performance wise, the 1.8 auto would be the preffered choice as its 1.6 litre sibling can be a little underpowered when it comes to overtaking on those “balik kampung” trips with a full load, and in terms of handling really doesnt offer much with substantial body roll common to most tall MPV’s.

A quick check on carlist.my shows a lot of quality used specimens, with 1.8 Auto 02-03 CBU cars going for a very reasonable RM25,000 to RM30,000. These Matrix, whether new or used, offers great value for money and in my opinion will continue to sell well for years to come.