According to car_compulsive in post #8 above, the factory leather is only the center of the seating area and the bolsters are vinyl. Which one of you is correct?
I also went with the II model. I couldn't see spending an extra $1000 just for a bluetooth feature and an upgraded stereo. I also have a new Garmin GPS that has a similar sized display (as the Prius) with lifetime map updates for way less than $200. I should add we have 3 cars between my wife & I, so adding all these extra features doesn't make economic sense for us; however, if the Prius is your only car, go ahead and buy all the feature comfortsyou can afford.
If its simply the nav and backup camera you want- it makes much more sense to go for the 2 and then add a Rosen Nav for under $1,000 which gives you more features than the Toyota included for much less.
He didn't say the Prius. He said "some leather seats...." The Prius (as with all Toyotas) have the bolsters in leather. Only the sides of the seat bottoms, seatback and the backing of the seatback are wrapped in vinyl.
I don't like taking cars apart, or adding to them. Once I saw the look/quality of the III cloth I focused on the IV. The OEM leather wrapped steering wheel is actually my fav IV feature..or maybe the door sensors. Both are my fav!
Thank you for clarifying. I remember a similar thread in the Subaru Outback forum and I was out in the garage giving every section of the Subaru seats the touch test with the back of my hand.
Haha. Well I've saved you a trip to the dealer Again, it's a surprise to me because every car we've had, had leather in the bolsters on the side you actually touch. But I guess somebody, somewhere will find a way to lower costs. Thankfully, Toyota hasn't taken that route with their leather seats yet.
We ordered a III because we thought we wanted the cloth seats. I had no problem with them but my wife generated a static electric charge every time she got out of the car. We tried many things to solve it and even thought about trading our 1 year old car in on a new IV model, but we ended up having the seats re-upholstered with Katzskins leather and having seat heaters also. The cost was a good bit higher than what a previous post mentioned but we do really like them. It was a very good job, actually removing the original upholstery before covering the seats with all leather and all side panels, etc. were also re-upholstered in the same leather. We have a silver car and opted for the darker gray leather. It cost $1650 plus tax, a lot less than it would have been to replace an almost new car. Plus, at the time we ordered the new IV in May, you couldn't get one.
Depends on if you want leather or not and can handle hot leather in the summer or if you do or don't live in an area where it gets hot. If you really want leather, then get the IV. Reupholstering in aftermarket leather is a risk due to the airbags. Yes, I know they make aftermarket leather kits that are "supposed to" work fine with the seat airbags, but there is no one backing that up. Toyota certainly won't.
A little off topic, but the next time you have trouble with static electricity and cloth seats, just be sure to touch the metal frame of the car before sliding in and out of the seats. I have issues with static in cold, dry weather in winter. I just touch the frame on top of the car while entering and exiting and no more static. May save you $1650 next time
I went with the III, it was $1k more than a II. It's really a no brainer since it's illegal to drive and talk with a cell phone in California. The JBL sound system was just a added plus. As for leather, didn't need it, to me the Prius is just a car to get me from point B from A, while saving gas. If I wanted leather seats in a car, it wouldn't be in a Prius. I may be wrong but the Prius leather seat isn't really leather? It's Leather Trim?
I chose the III over the IV mostly becuase I couldn't find a IV without Nav or Solar in my area so the price increase was huge, over $5K. One thing that I noticed is a big difference in the leather seats is that they have lumbar support.
I think you mean to say "leather seat surfaces"?? Unless you buy a Bentley, it is mostly leather seat surfaces (of varying quality of course). which means the stuff you sit on is leather (and with Toyota, the bolsters are leather-trimmed too) but the seat sides and seat backs are vinyl or synthetic leather. The door panel is trimmed in synthetic leather.
