If you had to pick, SofTex or genuine leather?

[TEQ.FZJ]

Hey folks!

Noob here, in the market for a 2014 Trail or Trail Premium with a dilemma.

First off all, this is our main trail/camping rig; a '96 triple-locked FZJ80

So now our dilemma. I don't really care for the moonroof, dimming mirror, lights in the side view mirrors etc of the Trail Premium. The only thing I like is the seats. I haven't been able to find much feedback on the long term durability of this SofTex material. In person it feels pretty good, just like leather. How do you guys this think this will wear over the course of several years?

We have the option of getting a regular Trail model then adding a custom leather package for an extra $1,670, front seat heaters for $740 more. They can do two-tone and have over 25 colors to choose from. So, SofTex or real leather? Here's the color choices:

 

[Jeff M]

I had a 2010 Prius that I sold with 45K miles in it. The Soft-Tex seats it had in it still looked new.

 

[KVA]

Leather. Just my personal preference.

Great looking rig BTW!

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Good to hear the SofTex has lasted well. I'm really leaning towards the leather route but the wife wants a moonroof. Not sure why, she never opens it. And I want red leather on Super White or Mag Gray. She's not having it either.

Anybody have experience with Katzkin leather? The general consensus online is that it's much nicer than OEM leather packages.

 

[weeeee]

Former 5th gen owner here. I can try to sway your opinions a bit.

I had Katzkin leather added on my SR5. Coming from several other luxury vehicles I can honestly say that the Katzin leather was very good quality, and also very durable. The only caveats I had was that the fit was not 100%, more like 90%. There were a few minor annoyances that I had with the rear seat leather (the front of the bottom seat cushion had a little piece of Velcro that kept coming loose, the seams weren't 100% in the right place), but other than that I would probably go for the Katzkin again when I pick up another one.

Friend of mine has a Lexus CT with the Softex leather, it's nice but a little too soft in my opinion. I keep sliding about whenever I ride in his car.

 

[Jeff M]

And I want red leather on Super White or Mag Gray. She's not having it either.

Sounds like your wife is the voice of reason. haha

Anybody have experience with Katzkin leather? The general consensus online is that it's much nicer than OEM leather packages.

I put aftermarket leather in my Supra many years ago to replace the garbage OEM leather. It was either Katzkin or Leatherseats.com..can't remember but needless to say, the aftermarket stuff was 1000% times better than the OEM crap.

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Former 5th gen owner here. I can try to sway your opinions a bit.

I had Katzkin leather added on my SR5. Coming from several other luxury vehicles I can honestly say that the Katzin leather was very good quality, and also very durable. The only caveats I had was that the fit was not 100%, more like 90%. There were a few minor annoyances that I had with the rear seat leather (the front of the bottom seat cushion had a little piece of Velcro that kept coming loose, the seams weren't 100% in the right place), but other than that I would probably go for the Katzkin again when I pick up another one.

Friend of mine has a Lexus CT with the Softex leather, it's nice but a little too soft in my opinion. I keep sliding about whenever I ride in his car.

Do you think that had to do with the installation of it or the kit in general? Seems like install makes all the difference in the world when it comes to these OEM-like leather covers.

Good point about the slickness of it. SofTex does seem like it would get very slippery, almost like the leather I had in my E46 M3.

Sounds like your wife is the voice of reason. haha

I put aftermarket leather in my Supra many years ago to replace the garbage OEM leather. It was either Katzkin or Leatherseats.com..can't remember but needless to say, the aftermarket stuff was 1000% times better than the OEM crap.

What the heck, nobody likes the idea of red leather? I must be nuts ha! But yeah I hear ya on the quality. They have a 2014 SR5 with the Katzkin leather and man that stuff is NICE. I think the texture on it looks better than the Limited's leather.

 

[superwhite]

Good to hear the SofTex has lasted well. I'm really leaning towards the leather route but the wife wants a moonroof. Not sure why, she never opens it. And I want red leather on Super White or Mag Gray. She's not having it either.

Anybody have experience with Katzkin leather? The general consensus online is that it's much nicer than OEM leather packages.

Haha! I'm totally brain-farting on how much more the premium was for my SR5 over basic, but isn't it less in total than the aftermarket seats and heaters you're looking at? Just curious because if it were me I'd have to lean toward more "things" for less, assuming you do like the seats. On that note, I'm certainly no leather expert but I love my Softex in their first few months. Can't speak to long-term durability.

Separate note, this is actually the opposite discussion my wife and I had. I like leather but was all good with fabric. What I felt I needed was a sunroof!

And the red's not my thing, but at least it stands out!

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Haha! I'm totally brain-farting on how much more the premium was for my SR5 over basic, but isn't it less in total than the aftermarket seats and heaters you're looking at? Just curious because if it were me I'd have to lean toward more "things" for less, assuming you do like the seats. On that note, I'm certainly no leather expert but I love my Softex in their first few months. Can't speak to long-term durability.

Separate note, this is actually the opposite discussion my wife and I had. I like leather but was all good with fabric. What I felt I needed was a sunroof!

And the red's not my thing, but at least it stands out!

I actually like the cloth material on the Trail I saw today. Feels quite rugged.

Pricing, a Trail Premium or a Trail w/ leather will come out almost exactly the same. Give or take a few bucks. So it's either Trail Premium with fake leather and a few extra gizmos, or a Trail without the gizmos and real leather....

 

[superwhite]

Good luck, you'll be stoked either way! And the last rig was rad BTW... Mike

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Good luck, you'll be stoked either way! And the last rig was rad BTW... Mike

I'm sure we will be! And thanks, but I still have the Land Cruiser. I actually went out a few weeks ago with another member here, Bimrunner. The 80 is the weekend toy, 4Runner will do the daily driver duties. I figure it will make a good trail rig several years from now, that's why I want to get the Trail and have a good starting platform.

 

[Bimmer-Bob]

I think the SofTex is real nice, and should hold up well. The leatherette in my 4-year-old BMW still looks brand new, and has been a breeze to maintain, which is why I had to go with the SofTex over cloth. Personally I think you'd be nuts to spend $1700 to replace the SofTex with aftermarket leather, but to each his own.

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

I think the SofTex is real nice, and should hold up well. The leatherette in my 4-year-old BMW still looks brand new, and has been a breeze to maintain, which is why I had to go with the SofTex over cloth. Personally I think you'd be nuts to spend $1700 to replace the SofTex with aftermarket leather, but to each his own.

Well I wouldn't be replacing the SofTex, I'd be replacing the cloth seats of the regular Trail. If I do a Trail Premium I'd keep the SofTex.

 

[superwhite]

I'm sure we will be! And thanks, but I still have the Land Cruiser. I actually went out a few weeks ago with another member here, Bimrunner. The 80 is the weekend toy, 4Runner will do the daily driver duties. I figure it will make a good trail rig several years from now, that's why I want to get the Trail and have a good starting platform.

That's awesome, and I thought your LC looked familiar. Love bimrunner's runner...

 

[4r2014]

I don't have any experience with Toyota vinyl but I do on with MB. I have an ML with $20K in options
but I passed on the leather because the MB-Tex (MB's vinyl) seemed like the better match for what
I want...durability. Funny thing is that not one person even realized that the interior isn't leather.

Most German cars come standard with vinyl because the majority are leased and the leather seats end up
costing thousands for dealers to remedy after three year leases. The leather tends to come back unattractive
and cracked which is not appealing to CPO buyers. The vinyl looks new after three years.

 

[thelouv]

I actually like the cloth material on the Trail I saw today. Feels quite rugged.

Pricing, a Trail Premium or a Trail w/ leather will come out almost exactly the same. Give or take a few bucks. So it's either Trail Premium with fake leather and a few extra gizmos, or a Trail without the gizmos and real leather....

Ordered our trail with prem pkg. Never conceived the route you thought of. My want was heated seats, wife wanted sunroof. Poof we got both plus nav, radio upgrade, garage door thingy, and auto dimming rear mirror (this is nice, on our 97).
Get what u want!

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

Ordered our trail with prem pkg. Never conceived the route you thought of. My want was heated seats, wife wanted sunroof. Poof we got both plus nav, radio upgrade, garage door thingy, and auto dimming rear mirror (this is nice, on our 97).
Get what u want!

Yeah, I've combed through the brochure and the differences between a Trail and Trail Premium are:

- moonroof
- auto on/off headlights
- dimming rear view mirror
- turn signals in side mirrors
- SoftTex heated seats
- Premium Audio & Nav ($500 option on the Trail)

I'm not too worried about all those little 'luxury' items as they don't do much for me. Since I plan on keeping this truck for the long haul, I'm already thinking of the potential problems with moonroofs. The moonroof on my 18yr old Land Cruiser leaks sometime. Not something I wanna deal with.

 

[The Waco Kid]

I'm not too worried about all those little 'luxury' items as they don't do much for me. Since I plan on keeping this truck for the long haul, I'm already thinking of the potential problems with moonroofs. The moonroof on my 18yr old Land Cruiser leaks sometime. Not something I wanna deal with.

This is precisely why I went with the regular. K.I.S.S. If I could have ordered the truck without the screen, I would have. I settled, because I like the look of the '14 more.

 

[Jeff M]

Yeah, I've combed through the brochure and the differences between a Trail and Trail Premium are:

- moonroof
- auto on/off headlights
- dimming rear view mirror
- turn signals in side mirrors
- SoftTex heated seats
- Premium Audio & Nav ($500 option on the Trail)

I'm not too worried about all those little 'luxury' items as they don't do much for me. Since I plan on keeping this truck for the long haul, I'm already thinking of the potential problems with moonroofs. The moonroof on my 18yr old Land Cruiser leaks sometime. Not something I wanna deal with.

FYI: The Trail Premiums DO NOT have auto on/off headlights.

 

[TEQ.FZJ]

FYI: The Trail Premiums DO NOT have auto on/off headlights.

Really? The 4Runner brochure says it's Standard Equipment on the SR5 Premium, Trail Premium and Limited models...