Thoughts on Softex vs Cloth?

I sat on both of them today. I wasn't swayed by the fake leather...to me, leather should have that heavy running stitch on the seams...these dont...they almost look glued. it was too slick...it reminded me of a bike seat. Im pretty hard on seats and usually put a cover on them so Im going to save the $ and get the C3...the fake leather didn't seem worth the extra money.

 

I went for the 4 to have the softex and the seat heater. I happened to like the seat due to the fact that is will be much easier to maintained. It was good enough for me and I own 5 cars now with leather seats.

 

My opinion is that the cloth is definitely better. I went to check out both today and the softex seemed too plastic-y. Not the luxury that you would expect from an upgrade. I also sat in the car for just a minute with one leg outside of the car on the ground... a somewhat natural position. When I stood up the edge of the seat was folded and wrinkled. My first thought was that if I had a friend do the same thing to my new car my head would explode. I would be afraid that it would get worn out quickly or that it would get creases in it. Maybe the material looks better when it's broken in but from what I saw it's not something that I would get.

 

I felt the softex was a bit too vinyl-ish for me. The cloth on first glance, looked really uncomfortable (like the stiff seats you find in the yaris and lower scions). But after sitting in my One, it's more of a compromise between a yaris and corolla, so it's not as bad as it looked to me. I'm happy I went with the cloth.

 

Cloth for me! The softex looks like it can get mighty hot in the summer, and I enjoy cut offs.

 

My "c" has the SofTex, and it absolutely DOES have heavy stitching all around them... I have no issues with their look, feel, or comfort (after over 300 miles already).

 

The obvious benefit of leather or Softex is the easy ability to wipe the seats clean. I don't have a lot of passengers in my 2011 cloth seats, but my rule is just about no eating or drinking anything in my car, except water.

My saying is - until I figure out how to put these car seats in a washing machine, have to be careful with food. I might get seat covers sometime, but for now I eat at a table. Besides, more dangerous to eat and drive anyway.

 

I also didn't like the two colored tones on the seats for either the fabric or the softex.
And what's up with the squigglies? So, I got dark solid leather on my III. It was $950 for the leather so I basically traded off in price for the moonroof.

 

I personally like the Softex. I had tan leather interior in my old Volvo wagon and it is all cracked and ugly now. The heavy white stitching on the softex looks pretty sweet, and my coworkers didnt even realize it wasnt leather. It is comfy, and seems very durable. Plus, I prefer to avoid animal hide if possible.

 

Its possible your coworkers were being kind and not bursting your bubble.

I didn't like the softex, I thought it felt cheap and fragile and that it was an obvious knockoff. I do certainly understand and support where they're going with the reduced VOC's and such. I would choose Softex over leather, but I would choose cloth over either. I find the following two points interesting:

1) Leather is available as an option on the Malysian Prius C (developing country). Toyota apparently caters to the economic/psycological desires of their customers around the world, without a cohesive environmental or animal-ethical stance. To me it appears they want to sell cars to all the different types in all the different parts of the world.

2) Americans used to upgrade from vinyl to cloth, now it looks like its an upgrade from cloth to vinyl (or softex, as they're calling it).

 

I test drove a C4 this weekend and I liked the softex. Is this a new product for Toyota so that there is no history on the product? The fabric in my 05 Prius Hatchback is creasing on the drivers seat, so is the new cloth these days more resistant to stretching?

What is the price difference between the C4 and a C3 with sun tint and alloy wheels? Those are the two option I want mostly, since the radios are the same in both.

 

While I haven't actually seen/felt it in person yet, I suspect that likening the softex to vinyl is a pretty big stretch?

Tinting is not a factory option. If you add the 15" alloys to the III the price delta would be approximately $1200 moving up to the IV. The additional options included on the IV would be heated seats/side mirrors, softex and fog lights. You also get an all dark dash without the two tone panel and blue accents (dash and doors). And if you get the black softex the seats are single tone as well.


ron

 

That's true. I remember growing up, the cars my parents bought. Vinyl was the entry level upholstery, because everyone knew the drawbacks. Cloth was considered an upgrade, and if the vehicle was luxurious enough, Leather was the premium.

I don't know how fair it is to compare Softex to 70's and 80's vinyl...but during that time period Cloth was definently considered an upgrade.

 

I was going to get the 4 but after I saw the softtex I decided to get the 3, the cloth seats are so much nicer, the softex is nothing but vinyl, sticky in the summer and cold in winter. I picked up my silver 3 with sunroof and alloy wheels last saturday, I like it, my biggest gripe is that it does not have a back-up camera like my 2007, its incredibly anoying especially when you are used to having one.

 

Not knocking the Softex at all but we didn't care for the "feel" but my wife wanted the seat heater. We ended up getting the three and had the dealer use an aftermarket installer to put in seat heaters. They have a high-low function but, obviously, not covered under the factory warranty.

 

I guess I am not missing much by opting for Prius C Three.

 

Having a dog that sometimes likes to go driving with me, do you think the Softex or the cloth would stand up better to dog claws? I was a little concerned with her punching holes through the Softex. I never have had any issues with her and the leather in my other car though, but I don't know the durability of this new stuff.