Softex seats

[ttft2]

My '15 SR5P has Softex and so far I like them. Only time will tell how they hold up long term. I've owned vehicles with all manner of vinyl, cloth and leather and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Comes down to what works for you. I'm in and out of the 4R a lot with wet waders and such and never think twice about it. I like that.


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[Elite130]

I love my softex seats. I don't worry about them getting dirty because the dirt and mud just wipes off. Water hasn't affected them either. Plus they just seem so much more durable than leather.

 

[lojack323]

On longer drives I'm usually fused to the softex but overall I like them. Seem to clean up easy with kids around and are wearing pretty well.

I just miss the nut blower that older Toyota trucks had under the steering wheel. Best invention ever.

I cried a little when I sold my Tundra and found out the 4Runner didn't have one. :crybaby:

 

[Leucifer]

So far, I'm enjoying mine.
I'm in SoCal and they can be a little toasty when I first get in. I'm notorious for "running warm" (6'5" at 280lbs = big warm body), but I find them to be alright, even here. I also think they're firmer than the cloth seats, which is a plus for me (again, big person, squishy seats kinda suck).

Keeping them clean and nice so far has been a breeze. Big thing with leather (or softex) is if something spills, wipe it up ASAP. You do that, they damn near take care of themselves. That was part of the reason I wanted the softex to begin with.

A damp microfiber cloth does a pretty good job in spot-cleaning them. And for basic dusting. I haven't looked into protectants/cleaners yet for them.

 

[ryan87]

I'll give up my 12' trail seats for someone who hates their softex

 

[Throwback]

Has anyone tested out the alleged water repellency or whatever it is in the cloth Trail seats? As I understand it they Trails come with a different cloth than the SR5s do.

 

[KingTaco]

Has anyone tested out the alleged water repellency or whatever it is in the cloth Trail seats? As I understand it they Trails come with a different cloth than the SR5s do.

No stains for me. I've done all manner of disgusting acts to my '16 Trail seats, and they still manage to look new. I don't know how. I don't clean or protect them in any special way. Between biking, running, camping, dog, 2 kids, long road trips, etc, they have been through the wringer. I remember not liking the SR5 seats at all when I started test driving. That's when I moved up to the SR5P, but I'm pretty tall, and didn't fit comfortably under the sunroof. Then I found the lone Trail hidden in the corner of the lot and drove it home. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that they're black, but they have been great to me.

 

[Ojai4Runner]

Hahaha! I'm in Vegas so I can relate. I like the seats quite a bit actually. I just miss the nut blower that older Toyota trucks had under the steering wheel. Best invention ever.

^^^This^^^. My 2003 Sequoia has this vent under the steering wheel and it is awesome. And now I know what it's called. I think we should all lobby Mother Toyota to add a "nut blower" to the 4Runner.

 

[bharvey574]

I like them. They are comfortable and clean up nicely.

 

[kerryt1]

I was very unsure prior to buying, but so far I like them. They're not leather (good and bad), but they are most certainly not vinyl - YMMV. This was the best information I could find when researching:

New artificial leather gains increasing Toyota acceptance - SAE International

Softex is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). What makes Softex unique is its high breathability and thermal quality. It actually runs cooler because it reflects infrared rays, which is a primary reason for seat-cover heat absorption. In testing, Softex can run up to 10°C (18°F) cooler than other seating materials. The thermal effect is from within the polyurethane layer itself, not a surface treatment.

Most of the newer artificial leathers in use do "breathe" to some extent, if not as uniformly as natural leather. Softex, for example, absorbs moisture about 15% more slowly than natural leather but releases it more quickly, which is a plus, as in high humidity the passenger's back will feel more comfortable.
Although Softex releases moisture more quickly, so that in effect it dries faster, the material's characteristics are such that, unlike vinyl, it is highly resistant to dry-cracking, according to Toyota. Softex also reportedly has good strength-to-weight and surpasses natural leather in seam fatigue, abrasion, and scratching tests.

 

[mybabydaddy]

I’ve mentioned my opinion before on other posts, but short of the long, I like them. I don’t think they feel nor compare to “vinyl”... not sure how anyone thinks they feel and/or are similar, but to each their own. And yes, I love leather... but you know what? Leather wears, really fast.... And, in some cases, it can actually be some-what delicate. Softex? Hell no.... just beat the shiote out of it and it still looks like the day I bought the truck. I will take practicality over the perceived luxury feel in this case. If I truly wanted the latter, I wouldn’t have bought a 4Runner anyhow.

 

[Utlityman]

Only thing I dislike about the softtex seats is they aren't very comfortable on distant drives,if they had more cushioning they'd be great

 

[xmytruck]

I like them but some days they feel hot enough where i check if the heated seats are on. At first I though my heated seats were malfunctioning. When I bought the truck I did not notice how hot they got during the test drive.

 

[RyanEJ25]

Hahaha! I'm in Vegas so I can relate. I like the seats quite a bit actually. I just miss the nut blower that older Toyota trucks had under the steering wheel. Best invention ever.

I hate it. Back in the old days, you had to pay extra to upgrade from vinyl seats to cloth. At some point the automobile manufacturers figured out that if they gave the vinyl a fancy name, they could charge extra for the "upgrade" from fabric. We have all been duped into paying extra for seats that are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I'm already sweating my n#+$ off and it's only May. Can't wait for August to roll around.

Wait what?? I tried googling nut blower....while my afternoon went in a different direction I still didn't get a clear picture on what your talking about. Was there a blower under the steering column?

 

[Crocket]

Wait what?? I tried googling nut blower....while my afternoon went in a different direction I still didn't get a clear picture on what your talking about. Was there a blower under the steering column?

Here is a MKIII Supra "nut blower" (aka air vent) on the lower dash just under the steering wheel. Pretty cool (and warm) when you think about it. :thumb3:

 

[RaceAddict]

I like them but some days they feel hot enough where i check if the heated seats are on. At first I though my heated seats were malfunctioning. When I bought the truck I did not notice how hot they got during the test drive.

Yeah the softex really doesn't breathe. Anything over an hour and your back and butt will be unpleasantly damp when you get out of the truck. I got the truck in October when it was already cool outside and didn't notice this at all through the winter (obviously) but not that we're having warmer afternoon with temps in the high teens or 20s it's very noticeable and uncomfortable.

If anyone has any great ideas for seat coverings that breathe I'm all ears.

 

[emmantik]

I really like the Softex. They don't stain as easily as fabric/cloth and everything just seems to wipe off. Really low maintenance material IMO, I have 3 young boys all under the age of 10. I haven't noticed how hot they get in the summer either because once you have all the windows open or the a/c on you don't notice the heat on the seats.

 

[-dustin]

Really low maintenance material IMO, I have 3 young boys all under the age of 10.

Ditto. This is why I went with a Premium, for the Softex.

Prefer Softex to the leather my Subaru had. And no way does Softex compare to the vinyl I've experienced....mid-80s GMC and Dodge trucks. That shit sucked.

I don't recall my old 99 Tacoma having the Crotch Cooler (TM), but I had a Cherokee that had one. That thing was god-send in the summer. And spring.....and Fall....and most of winter....

My wife's 2008 Avalon has cooling seats, which are nice, as well. Not sure why so few vehicles have that. Heated seats are great, but in central Texas they are used sparingly.

 

[MaddoxPics]

Does anyone have pets? Nails ever an issue on the softex? I don't have any, but the mother-in-law brings her dog a lot when we go to the mountains. Just wondering if I need to worry about tears and buy some sort of cover to go over them when the dog is there.

 

[JayToo]

Does anyone have pets? Nails ever an issue on the softex? I don't have any, but the mother-in-law brings her dog a lot when we go to the mountains. Just wondering if I need to worry about tears and buy some sort of cover to go over them when the dog is there.

I haul my 75 lb. rott mix in the back seat all the time. the seat doesn't show any wear from his nails. his muddy footprints wipe right off the softex.

the dog snot on the windows is another issue. ound: