Leather Seats vs SofTex Seats - How to Pick the Best One for You!
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2020
- How to choose between Leather seats vs Softex Seats.
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Have a great weekend everyone!
Toyotajeff in Raleigh Jeff, which type of seats does the 2020 Camry xle hybrid have? Window sticker says softex, but Toyota’s site says it’s leather.
Ooooh-ga!
I thought I was getting leather when I purchased my car. I went into my dealership and specifically said "I want leather, a sunroof, any other color but white, black, or grey/silver, show me what you have" I was shown a red suv with grey interior and I was in awe because most red vehicles have tan or black interiors. I realized 6 months later I had softex and was very upset. A year later the driver seat color appeared to be rubbing off.. At first i thought it was denim blue from our jeans so i got to scrubbing to see if i could clean it.. I tried a bunch of recommended products to no avail. Now 5 years later the driver seat is creased, discolored and looked like it's cracking and peeling, meanwhile my son's leather still looks beautiful. I think if they had TOLD me this wasn't leather (which I'll admit i couldn't tell the difference!) I wouldn't have bought the car because I love leather and I really wanted leather. I had never had leather in a car before and it was what I asked for.
I have the soft tex seats in my Rav 4. Black seats. I love them. Easy to clean. I live on the Texas gulf coast. We have 100 degree temps They are not hot. I had beige leather in my previous car. They were hotter. I highly recommend them. Even black in Texas.
Hi Barbara, do you find the SofTex to be just as comfortable as genuine leather? Thanks 👍🏻
@@bfwaring yes. My previous vehicle had real leather. I prefer the soft Tex
The softex doesn’t burn your legs?
@@richardvivas2181 compare synthetic leather couch vs real leather.. answer solved.
What maintenance does SofTex require? Real leather required leather moisturizer periodically. Thanks
Not bad Jeff!! I really like your laid back weekend videos away from the Dealership when your doing videos on vacation, or in your driveway.
EVERY single Toyota option question I've had, I've been able to Google tonight and find a video #1 result from your channel. Thank you for making it SO EASY and entertaining to learn about Toyotas!
Yep! My choice would be to purchase a Honda. Toyota invested in Quantity and forgot about Quality over a decade ago. I regret having bought the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Limited AWD. The Interior is nothing but cheap plastic and the Softex seats are very uncomfortable, especially if you ever sat on the back passenger seats. On the Highway, attempting to pass another vehicle is a nightmare, the RAV4 lacks horsepower even after selecting Sport mode ... still a putt mobile. A little Ford Fiesta as crappy as they are is a blur as they pass you.
I can quickly tell the difference between leather and Softex when sitting in the seat. Softex feels uncomfortably hot after only a few minutes of sitting. It absorbs and reflects back your body heat without dissipating heat like real leather does.
Amen
My Toyota SE has SofTex with Cloth insert. It’s awesome and easy to clean and looks great.
thank you so much! these small videos are so helpful in choosing my future toyota vehicle:)
🤗
Thanks for explaining it ! it was helpful
Hi Jeff , I was wondering if you ever make a video on how to clean softex material and what products you recommend. Also the soft touch dash boards on camerys and corollas . What is best way to clean those as well?
Very helpful for anyone who will be out quite a lot in hot weather during the day. Will be reviewing so many great comments here as well.
My 2018 Corolla SE has Softex with cloth inserts. However, when Toyota redesigned the Corolla for 2020, the removed softex from the SE trim and now its only on the XSE/XLE trims
Anything I am confused with in Toyota, I come to your channel and I get my answer. Kudos
Thanks for this! Very informative. I'm looking to get a car and didn't know what softex was.
I’ve been thinking about the other types of liquid you were talking about. Maybe I also need some toilet paper together with softex seat. Yes, that actually helped me choose the one I need. I see softex a better choice !! Great video !! Thanks 😊!!
Found this looking for Toyota Softex and found your video helpful and fun. Thank you for making it.
Dude your videos are awesome! They make me laugh, at the same time they are informative. Thank you!
I prefer the SofTex. I get the look of leather (or close enough for me) without the creasing and wrinkling that comes with leather (no matter how careful you are with it)
Some people like the leather patina, adds a lot of character to your own car. After a months of use it’s no longer regular bobs corolla.
@@ricecakeboii94 : And I get that... I just prefer that new look and go to a lot of trouble to keep the seats looking new...🙂
My 2018 RAV4 Limited AWD has Softex seats and they wrinkle a lot more than expected. Leather is much better. I tell you what, I'll feed you Imitation foods and everyone else authentic real foods. I will give you the Petre dish lab-created beef hamburger, and I will have cattle beef to make my hamburger.
@@richscott2483 : No need to get sarcastic, simply my experience, opinion, and preferences - your experiences may differ, and obviously they have. Enjoy your leather seats. BTW, I updated to a 2022 Avalon Limited so I have leather now...
My grandmothers 2018 Rav4 has softex. Honestly, I cant even tell its synthetic leather. Its easy to mistake for real leather, much more comfortable than some other manufacturers fake or real leather. Id be happy with Toyotas leather or softex.
Sir, Please teach us how to clean ,protect and what product to use on softex seats. thank you
Depending on what kinda stains you got on your seat. There are tons of products out there to clean it without using water.
You only need to do general cleaning. The seat becomes uneven in 3 years if you drive 40k-50k miles a year, especially local. More local you drive, more getting in and out of your car you’ll do. Pay attention to getting out of your car because your left leg has to crush the left side of the edge on the cushion and hat’s what makes it uneven over time whereas the right side of the edge on the cushion, the side close to the center console, never gets touched.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for posting and working in front of camera on these hot days. Both products look very nice.
Stay cool and enjoy the weekend.
Ok one joke.
A horse walks into a bar and the bartender says to the horse.....
Ready for the punch line
Ok here it is
Why the long face!!! :)
Bwaaahahahahahahaaaa
I love the howard stern reference. Does toyota release information about the VOC and toxic off-gassing of softex? Is leather even available on the prius?
I love my Softtex seating in my 2019 XLE Avalon. Nicer styling then what you show in your video of other Toyota's
I had the same Avalon and swapped it out for a Highlander with the same color and materials as the Avalon XSE and I love it. I was looking to clean my seats when I found it wasn’t real leather which led me down this rabbit hole. I agree, love the look and feel of this softtex.
Very humorous and informative!😂❤
Great information!
very helpful video esp. at the end where you took a quiz to test leather or softex. I am not into softex at all. and i needed a video to identify the difference.
I never thought I would like anything but leather, yet my Softtex seats are awesome! Definitely cooler and just as comfy! I'm in Texas, so it DOES matter. :),
You're hot, wanna hang out?
Great explanation! You actually sold me on softex ( is it the same as htex . The part that sold me is being cooler and breathable I hate leather burn on a sunny day! Great job. You are a salesman!
I have a 2020 Off Road Taco MT with leather and all the stuff that comes with that. I worked for Toyota in the past and I can tell you that SofTex is really a good option also. Both are better than cloth for dirt, stains, spills etc. I love the leather but if I had to have the truck I have now and I could have only gotten it in SofTex that wouldn't have bothered me at all.
It’s strange Tacoma uses leather while 4Runner uses softex
@@CarnutMM vice versa for me my Tacoma came with the SofTex
I have Softex in my Avalon Hybrid, and after 5 years it wore out in the door's armrest and in the center console. To get a new door armrest required a new $600 door panel replacement. To reupholster it was only $200.
That’s not good to hear. I was expecting to hold up better than that.
LSanti Me too. The cars great, but the durability of the material in my experience is bad if keeping it longer than four years. I also only had just under 40,000 miles on the car when this wear started becoming noticeable.
@Preacher Man I just love cloth. It is breathable and stays cooler than any leather, and also softer that Softex.
Wow! What did you do to it? LOL! Softex isn't delicate, by any means.
Was it exposed to direct sunlight in 100° weather year round?
Nice. I didn't know that softex maintains a temperature that is 10 degrees cooler than leather.
My Camry SE has black Softex which I like but they do get hot in the sun. Leather is nice but even hotter. I'll stick with Softex.
50K subscribers by the end of the month ToyotaJeff! Holla!
My new 2020 Camry SE has Softex, so far so good, when I looked at it, I didn't know it wasn't leather. Until the sales agent told me what it was, and i'm like it's what?
Can you clean and treat Softtex seating with traditional leather cleaner/treated?
So.....did I miss the disadvantages of softex, other than feeling plasticky? Also leather cracks and creases over time if not treated properly.
Good video!!
Jeff when my Tacoma was new I put sheepskin full seat covers cool in the summer warm in the winter plus they are soft and protect the seats.
What’s best for off-roading
Given the choice I would prefer a nice cloth seat. I have leather in my Honda and it's OK, but cloth feels warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. I am considering a new vehicle and I was wondering if Softex would be a good option vs leather, and from what I can gather it would work for me.
How do you clean and care for them?
What is the list price on the Cheaper two-wheel-drive Four Runner??
Great video. As a Lexus fan, I cant decide if I prefer leather or nuluxe. Leather shows more wrinkles and creases!
Nuluxe feels just like leather and will likely hold up better. Id be ok with it
Leather cracks softex doesn't i agree
@toyotajeff how much is the soft text leather vs regular leather? Pricing
What do you recommend to clean Softex material?
Is the dash on the 2019 camry xse leather or synthetic?
My 2015 Toyota Camry SE has softex. I loved softex when it was new, however now both front seats have wrinkled very badly. I do live in FL (heat), but I have my windows tinted and always use a sun visor. Is there anything I can do to bring the softex back? I've tried Meguiar's leather conditioner. I have looked into replacing the seat covering, but it's very expensive, I have the black softex with red stitching.
Softex for the win I love it in out new Venza!
Live the Howard stern reference
You are so funny. Thank you for the information.
Could you do a video about Softex vs fabric seats?
Leather looks, feels, and smells better.
Robert what’s the difference between Toyota softex and Lexus nulux leather
I recently bought a hybrid Rav4 Limited, model 2023, the seats are Softex type?, the material of the upper part of the dash is also softex?
I have a 2020 4Runner. I notice softtex tends to look perfect with no wrinkles along with feeling a little more smoother and slightly thinner material. Leather has some wrinkles on edges and has more grain to it. Feels a little thicker for me. I’m good with either though if I could choose for the same price I would have chosen leather. I am curious to long term hold up over years comparison. Maybe someone can chime in in theirs.
I will never ever do softex again! I don't know i was getting softex to begin with because I asked for leather and was shown a car with what I thought was leather. 1 year in the color was rubbing off on the edge of the driver seat. I thought it was turning blue from jeans bur I couldn't get it to clean off. I noticed the cracks next with the cottony fuzz. I would much rather have had the natural creases of leather and I would've been able to condition leather like I do my furniture but no matter what I did to this softex nothing helped. It looks terrible and I am so angry because when I asked about it at my dealership , how to preserve the leather they told me it wasn't leather. Had a nice go around with them over that. If I ever buy another Toyota I'm getting a sworn affidavit regarding leather.
Bs
Hi! I have a 2022 Rav4 Hybrid with softex seats and they make me sweat on my back! Even with the AC on. Have you heard of this issue before? I am thinking of changing them for leather. What do you think? Greetings!
How quickly will vented leather seats cool off relative to the 10 degree difference against softex?
Ty
Love dog man from Howard stern, hey now !!
Awesome you got my dogmen reference!! My day is made!!!!
I'd like to see the SofTex in a 4Runner. I'm not big on the cloth seats in a 4Runner. But I also don't want the high maintenance of leather, which still looks nice. Basically, SofTex sounds like a Japanese version of Naugahyde. I don't mind this material. It needs to be durable like the vehicle it's in.
Sr5 premium 4runner is softex
How can you tell the difference? I thought I had leather seats but I might have softex. My seats don't get really hot. I have a 2016 Corolla S. I just don't want cloth seats
U have softex
Honestly I think if you have remote start you don’t have to worry about leather seats being too hot or too cold
Jeff, What maintenance does SofTex require? Real leather required leather moisturizer periodically. Thanks
So far ...so good ....2015 Prius Persona
I prefer cloth over any variation of leather. Softer on the skin.
Leather is the Go it’s softer it’s more comfortable I don’t believe one word they’re saying about the synthetic leather these company known days just trying to find a cheap way to Make their seats look good not just a seats but all the car interior and exterior Well you didn’t want a high price tag on them
Softex all the way on our 2023 Sienna
I have the ash Softex in my RAV4 Premium!
I hope you get this message. I bought a rav 4 with ash soft Tex and I am terrified that the lighter gray will stain. Have you had any problems with stains on the ash gray?
Is there a difference in VOC off gassing in the softex vs leather? Synthetic usually means not healthy. I doubt there is any information on this. I'll take my chances with leather even though I know there are chemicals used in that process as well.
I notice my new softex 4Runner didn’t have as much a new car smell that lasted compared to my cloth new Tacoma
@@CarnutMM i noticed that too, no new car smell
What's is your thoughts on the Toyota Venza and that's hear that 1200 watt sound system.
o998 7745 I’m really excited for it!!!
This is on my top 3 list for next car
What's ur top 3 list for next car?
softex vs fabric?
I prefer fabric seats, and because of that, I have ordered the RAV4 Prime SE, but I'm told Toyota actually delivers very few SEs because they make more profits with the XSE, which has Softex. We keep our cars for a long time, and we feel fabric seats will last longer. We have been waiting for nearly 2.5 years for the car, so we really hope we'll get what we ordered -- a SE model.
What most people don't know is you can TINT your whole car and that will take care of the heat so your leather seats won't be as hot.
Nano-ceramic tints. A bit Pricier, especially when done by a seasoned pro using high quality premium film, but man. It only lets in like 20% IR.
What you don’t know is:
1, you can’t tint your front windshield not in the state I live;
2, there is a minimum transparency percentage of the tint on the front windows allowed by law. In the state I live the percentage is 75%. Any tint lower than that, you get a fine.
@@garychen483 I tinted my windshield at 60% and I'm in California and I haven't had any issues. You can do 70% and even cops can't tell the windshield is tinted. Been pulled over for speeding and they didn't mention anything about my windshield being tinted. It really does make a difference having it tinted as it blocks so much heat.
I hate what you call soft text and many like you say don’t know the difference not even sales men . One way is to pinch it a bit with your nails , the leather will leave a mark or scar , then the smell if it is there . Is there a way by vin to find out ?? Thanks for good review !
Softex, like all plastic & vinyl (Polyurethane family) absorbs oils & odor. It will stain easily and hard to dissolve stains/grease/dyes without chemically eating away the softex itself. If you wear cheap jeans and wash it regularly and have HEATED seats ON the high temprature causes the softex to expand & absorb cheap jean colour thus staining the seat. Some people try all purpose car interior cleaner and
Where possible purchase SofTex leather?
That’s from the factory. I’m sure there are suppliers all over who will give us something similar.
To be serious for a moment, the Softex with the fabric inserts are very appealing as well.
Love those
“Softex”
LOL.
So, it’s a fancy marketing term for vinyl seats.
No thanks. Give me real leather, or just give me cloth.
Do they peel ?
Toyota cloth seats hold up really well and are more comfortable than leather.
Nope
atl3630 Go to Phoenix in June in a car with leather seats and no tinted windows. Your but will be smoking unless you have cloth seats.
Does Fred anderson do custom design seats?
Yes they do
@@Toyotajeff Thanks!
It would be nice to see more colours in the 4Runner line. Softex seating and door panels in light grey or beige would be a welcome sight to brighten up the interior.
As long as you know softex from Toyota and startex from Suburu is straight toxic
I bought a rav 4 premium with ash gray soft Tex and I am terrified it will stain like if someone accidentally spilled red koolaide on it or something. Took it back to the dealer the day after I bought it to see if I could trade and they wanted to knock 6000 dollars off of my car. Then they had me meet with a katzskin rep who told me it would be 2400 to replace my soft Tex with katzskin
Is softex also leatherette?
Yes a type of it
How can I start my car from my car key. I have a 2020 RAV4 Hybrid LE
Leather seat
Pros: Its hot during summer, cold durin winter
Cons: its crazy hot yooo
i'd go leather and condition it now and then
Soft tex is environmentally friendly? It is made from oil, a non renewable product, unlike leather which is left over from the meat processing industry.
As for breathing better than leather, leather is natural, PU is to put it crudely, plastic, how can plastic breathe?
The research ive done from professional upholsterers,say the longevity of leather is superior to softex. Leather is warmer in the cooler temperatures. Manufactures are using softex to save money. High end vehicles still use leather. There is a reason for that ,it’s better and lasts longer. If a person that keeps their car for many years I think your better off with real leather as long as you maintain and condition your leather once in a while. Just like anything else if you want to keep it for extended period of time you need to maintain it.
Cloth !!!
Cloth seats for the WIN too!
@@Toyotajeff ;-)
Does the XLE Camry have softex or leather?
I had a Limited 4Runner (2003) and the seats cracked where they were compressed on the sides because of entering leaving the truck. It only took 5-6 years. Treated with conditioner couple times a year. To no avail.
After 10 years of ownership, there were a few really nasty cracks in the leather. Sewed them up Frankenstein, and called it "good enough" to sell. Sold it with the defect no problem.
2013 VW SUV, V-Tex leatherette. Basically, Softex, or pleather, or vinyl, whatever anyone wants to call it. It fools anyone who sits in the passenger seat. They think it's leather. Now after 9 years of ownership (2013-2022), it is impossible to tell if there is any wear at all on the drivers seat (116,500 miles).
The V-tex or Softex is the best. I will never option for leather seats again.
I’d add that if you get a Lexus or Tundra 1974 edition they use a better leather.
I have an 04 Lexus with 190k miles. Never treated the leather and it’s not cracking or wearing. Looks almost new.
Also, I’m 225 pounds so not light.
I think Toyota base leather isn’t as good and more susceptible to cracking/wearing.
I would imagine this would depend on the grade of leather as well, but point noted.
Yes, that softex is very durable. About how many miles did you put on the 4Runner in that first 5-6 years when the seats started cracking?
@@benw1827 About 75k miles
softex seats long term review
They are boiling hot in summer..ouch
Leather. 💯 All day long. Ventilated leather, even better!
I am still driving a 2006 Camry with leather seats and they look fabulous except for one spot where I scraped the seat with something sharp. (My fault) I have never done anything to my leather seats except wipe them off with water or spot clean a spill. No one is going to convince me that Softex will hold up like that.
@@sharonchance8077 Agree. My 2012 Acura had leather seats. (I sold it last Summer when I bought my Sienna.) They still looked amazing. Modern leather seats are treated with a protective coating. I can’t imagine vinyl is fun in the summer with shorts on.
W NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN B C !!!!! I sure hope others caught that reference!
No it’s W NNNNNNNNN B C!!!!!!!! lol
softex is very durable
I do believe Softex stay much cooler than leather...trust me, I live in Georgia!
Good to know!!!
Black soft Tex in Texas. I love them.
I don't like leather of vinyl seats, cloth is the most comfortable material for car seat. Nothing else even comes close.
Nice HairCut Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Is Toyota going away from leather and softex is the new thing?
The only benefit of Softex is the ease of cleaning. It locks in heat from the body very quickly and doesn’t dissipate it at all. It reminds me of the neoprene lining of those waist trainers; it’s meant to trap heat and make you sweat.
The comment that it breathes is absolutely false. Cannot discourage anyone more from purchasing softex (plastic) seats. Go cloth or leather with the ventilated seats. Leather seats are almost always perforated as well, which allows some breath ability; softex doesn’t offer this.
Please don’t make the mistake I made and avoid this cheap material like the plague.