Leather vs fabric seats

[Roksy18 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Roksy18]

I’m looking at either a VX or GXL 2018 Prado. I would like to get leather seats but minister of finance doesn’t believe the leather is durable or practical. We frequent the beach and outback so not sure how they would stand up to sand or dust. Maybe a seat cover for those days??

The cooled seats are probably a great feature but this is not applicable the the second row seats.

Any comments from those who have or have had leather seats would be greatly appreciated.

[Big_Protein Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Big_Protein]

Th leather seats in my 2017 Executive (=VX) seem OK. I have no doubt that they will be durable enough until i sell it in 5 years or so. I have a child seat in the back and my son has gotten sick a few times, with spillage onto the leather. Easy clean. The fabric seats would be soaked and stink, and much harder to clean. So for me only leather was an option.

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

I just bought a GXL with leather option and the clincher for me was a milk filled sneeze from my new born in the wifes car... she has leather in her Outlander and it just wiped off. Before that I was a fabric seats person for the same reason you are. We spent the day at the beach yesterday so I'll tell you how well they clean after I get to it tomorrow

[tokhi Member Find all posts View Profile Close tokhi]

I have a 2005 Grande with dark grey leather. They get leather treatment every 6 months, just before summer and just before winter.
They have seatcovers on most of the time, but every now and then, the coves come off and it is really nice.
The trick is the leather treatment, just like wax/polish, don't scrimp.
Friends don't believe the seats are almost 3 years old. I say go for it!

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

My wife's Hyundai has black leather seats, a bit hot on the bum and legs in hot weather, so not that fussed about them.

I use sheep skin covers (decent ones, not the cheap crap) and have done so for the last Prado and Cruisers. Very comfortable for the beach and outback.
Only for the 2 front seats, and they have airbag holes should the shoulder bags deploy, so not worried about the leather option.

For the 2nd row seats, I bought a dog cover, about $30 (don't have a dog anymore). It stays on permanently and protects the seat from spills and scrapes, so when touring about, I can place items on the seat without worrying about damage. There are a couple of holes so that the seat belts can be used.

[CamJam Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CamJam]

I’m looking at either a VX or GXL 2018 Prado. I would like to get leather seats but minister of finance doesn’t believe the leather is durable or practical. We frequent the beach and outback so not sure how they would stand up to sand or dust. Maybe a seat cover for those days??

The cooled seats are probably a great feature but this is not applicable the the second row seats.

Any comments from those who have or have had leather seats would be greatly appreciated.

Had both. My suggesting (if it is not too late) is to get the fabric. With a couple of kids and more than a few milk-filled sneezes, I find it better for all the things kids throw at them. Sure, both have their pro's and cons. Leather has more upkeep with kids - you've got to get that sunscreen off it pretty quick and check under the seats for gumpf all the time.

In any case - you're not locked in (buy Leather though, and you are). See how you like it, and then if you would prefer the Leather then you can get excellent quality (or OEM rubbish to save some money) leather fully trimmed out in your car, with 7 seats covered, seat heating, centre bin/ side doors/ dash - everything - for the same $3000 you're paying Toyota for OEM quality (which costs $2300). Better yet - that's in a colour and stitching of your choice - and full blown Nappa leather is about $400 more (but I find too soft/ absorbent for the kids). The mob I went to are Doyles - they're on line - but I am sure any decent group around where you live would be fine.

To be clear - I went the Doyles option on my previous Pajero and VW. If you're going to get leather - it's the best way to do it. However, considering the snow, sand and outback dust this thing gets - I have stuck with Fabric for the Prado (traditionally, leather was for the masses as it was more durable and lasted - Fabric was for the snotty ones! - Toyota still holds his tradition in Japan - look at their upmarket Crown's - Leather on the base, Fabric on the top level!).

[[email protected] Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close [email protected]]

Had both. My suggesting (if it is not too late) is to get the fabric. With a couple of kids and more than a few milk-filled sneezes, I find it better for all the things kids throw at them. Sure, both have their pro's and cons. Leather has more upkeep with kids - you've got to get that sunscreen off it pretty quick and check under the seats for gumpf all the time.

In any case - you're not locked in (buy Leather though, and you are). See how you like it, and then if you would prefer the Leather then you can get excellent quality (or OEM rubbish to save some money) leather fully trimmed out in your car, with 7 seats covered, seat heating, centre bin/ side doors/ dash - everything - for the same $3000 you're paying Toyota for OEM quality (which costs $2300). Better yet - that's in a colour and stitching of your choice - and full blown Nappa leather is about $400 more (but I find too soft/ absorbent for the kids). The mob I went to are Doyles - they're on line - but I am sure any decent group around where you live would be fine.

To be clear - I went the Doyles option on my previous Pajero and VW. If you're going to get leather - it's the best way to do it. However, considering the snow, sand and outback dust this thing gets - I have stuck with Fabric for the Prado (traditionally, leather was for the masses as it was more durable and lasted - Fabric was for the snotty ones! - Toyota still holds his tradition in Japan - look at their upmarket Crown's - Leather on the base, Fabric on the top level!).

And fabric is kind of more suitable for australia's hot weather. In my memory, the imported Prado for Chinese market is middle east version which only has fabric option because of the climate. The Chinese made Prado has leather trim (probably not as good as Japanese made one).

Personally, I find fabric quite comfortable and not so into the leather On Prado. The one on lexus and top spec land rover are more like a proper luxury leather. Probably same as the after market one
?

[hippo Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close hippo]

I'm still not sure which I prefer, but FWIW one more point against leather is the creaky noises it makes :P

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

The air cooled seats of the leather pack make it nice to sit on in the QLD heat... I have not had one single moment I'd wished I went the fabric so far (almost 2 months )
Had a trip to the beach and sand cleaned right up... sunscreen not a problem. I didn't realise but I put the centre seat (2nd row) down to fit something long in and squished a kids toy into the leather. The depression from the toys popped out in a day or so and looks like new.

I did however get the leather protection pack from the dealer so maybe that's why it's keeping nice and clean so far...

[Roksy18 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Roksy18]

Looks like I’ll get leather seats...I’ll never really know if I don’t give them a go!!

[Snaga Wishing I was lost Find all posts View Profile Close Snaga]

Looks like I’ll get leather seats...I’ll never really know if I don’t give them a go!!

That's the way

[jenefree Banned Find all posts View Profile Close jenefree]

Leather is much better in my opinion, it's more durable and you can split coffee on it by accident, like it happened to me a few times, and then it's very hard to clean them up, but also a big disadvantage of them, is that your skin doesn't breath, and you can sweat very easily if you sit in about an hour without small breaks. I got a good material made by the Santex Rimar Group, and my skin is always breathing even during the hot summer days. This is probably the best characteristic for an office chair.