Leather vs Cloth Seats

I personaly think the leather seats are way more comfertable. I test drove an 06 with cloth and and purchased a package 8. I think they are more comfertable and leather is easyer to clean.

 

I only test drove a 2005 #6 for about 20 minutes, and it had the cloth seats. They were decently comfortable IMO. I have a 2006 #8 with the leather seats, and have sat in the car for 1-2 hours at a time a few times and have found them to be extremely comfortable. I'm looking forward to an 800-mile roundtrip roadtrip this weekend, so we'll see how I feel on Sunday evening when I get home. I'm a 5'2" female, about 125 lbs. I don't know if the comfortableness of the seats varies with people of different heights/weights.

 

I have a package #8 and rate the leather seats as average and comfortable. Comparing the leather seats of the Prius to the leather seats of our Volvo or the Highlander Hybrid, the leather seats are definately average. They lack the extra padding that makes a leather seat transform from comfortable to amazing.

I also flew 400 miles from Cleveland to Chicago to purchase my package #8. Driving home was a very comfortable experience, but it could have been better. However, I'm spoiled by our luxury Volvo.

Despite all of this, don't feel that I'm knocking the package #8. Go for it. It'll be worth the wait, esp. after the leather has been worked in a bit. You won't ever go wrong.

 

to answer your question, i wish i would have waited for a #8 with leather now, but there's nothing i can do about it now. go leather.

 

I thought the leather option is implemented at the dealer.
When I picked up my Prius last month I saw a 2006 being
fitted with leather interior.

 

Modernsituations,
There is something you can do about it, at least you can here in the San Fancisco area. The local Toyota dealership has all the info on aftermarket leather. You can choose from a HUGE selection of leather colors and have your cloth interior redone in leather. The ones I've seen done look just like they came from the factory. Cost is about $1600.

Lane - waiting for a driftwood Prius in San Francisco

 

Real #8's come from Japan. The port installed leather (in our case, Jacksonville, FL SET) looks identical to the real #8, except no leather on the arm rests or center consel.

You should be able to get very nice aftermarket leather for about $900, less than the #8 added cost, and even more less than the SET aftermarket charge. You could even likely have the foam adjusted for your preference, and seat heaters I have been told can be added for another $300.

I'm still waiting for my package 8, but doing it all over again, may have just got the #7 and went aftermarket, providing you check out the shop and thier work.

 

I also flew to the Chicago region to get a true option package #8 car (OP8). I took a look at the port installed (PI) leather on a SouthEast region car which is why I bought out of region.

The big difference is the fit. In the SouthEast, the PI leather is a snug slipcover, but it looks slightly loose is some areas. Additionally, many of the small bits are not covereded, head rests, arm rests, center console (the cloth armrests soil quickly). The PI front headrests have zippered-on leather covers, but they are not as nice as OP8 stitched to fit. I don't remember seeing seat back map pockets in the PI car (OP8 has pockets). There is extra front seat padding with the PI leather I saw.

The leather quality looked to be about the same between PI and OP8, neither of which is that great. I too am spoiled with luxury car leather (BMW, Acura NSX). The leather is thin and not all that subtle. It feels thicker than it really is because it is glued to a thin layer of foam backing. I worry that it won't be long before the foam starts to go bad, or something punctures the thin leather.

In order of preference I would put PI leather last and aftermarket tied with OP8. I choose OP8 because it assured a good fit and finish.

 

I have the leather seats and it took about two months to get it delivered. I test drove both myself and I just preferred the feel of the leather all around (getting in and out, comfort while driving).

The way I saw it is that I was going to be in it a lot and I wanted to be comfy. YMMV.

 

FYI... We purchased an #7 and added aftermarket leather. #7 models seem to be more abundant and as Two Architects we loved the ability to choose from 30 different leathers. We also got heated driver & Passenger Seats. $1800 add on to the #7. The current '06 specification for Fabric is awful. I highly recommend Leather.

The only thing that I do not like, and wish the Toyota would awake to is DE-vinyling the Interior of the Prius. All Leather packages Stock or otherwise have some Vinyl sections.

The Vinyl's got to go if this car is going to be truely Green!

 

Have you asked your dealer to do an out of region swap with another dealer who has better access to unclaimed package 8s in your color choices. It isn't impossible, but shopping around and finding a dealer that is willing to do the footwork through the Toyota sales network could land you the vehicle of your choice a lot sooner and without all the stupid excuses the dealers are giving you.

In general, many toyota dealers rely almost exclusively on allocated car arrivals to fill their orders. That is where the waiting list comes from. Actually going out and trying to find the exact vehicle package and color combination a customer wants is rare, but not impossible for them to do. They just trade off one of their allocated units and receive your exact car in exchange.

Don't let a dealer push you into another package. Their goal is simple: to sell you a car, any car, and as soon as possible. As long as you wait for your choices they don't get a sale or any profit or comission. That is at least part of the reason they are "letting you know" of a "shortage" of package 8s. Don't let them beat you into getting a package you aren't interested in.

 

$900?

No way. $740 out the door. Just got it done on my package #9 ~ 2004 at a shop on the west side of L.A. last week. As for whether leather is nicer? Hooo yea. No more coffee spilled into fabrick. When the guy pulled the fabric off (even tho I've had it detailed numerous times) the inside of the fabric was WAY stained. Yuck.

Here's my new Leather Prius ~ pride & joy ~ pics:

http://usera.imagecave.com/w4abj/IMG_0529a.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/w4abj/IMG_0530a.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/w4abj/IMG_0531a.JPG

http://usera.imagecave.com/w4abj/IMG_0533a.JPG

Plus my 90 lb black lab's hair doesn't stink up the car the way fabric did. And those cologne & perfume excess people don't "linger any more". I drive 43,000 miles on prius fabric and am I glad it's outa here! Leather is way more comfy
gary

 

Hey Gary,
That looks great. I am in LA too and just had the place the dealer uses-- cost me $1200. You got yours for $740?! What shop did it?
Thanks

 

There's a guy on ebay who bought out one of the Prius OEM leather manufactures when they stopped manufacturing. That leather itself was $355. The remainder is the installation. Got their biz card on my desk. Will post when I get home this afternoon.

 

I have the 04, w/cloth "ivory" by golly I'll get a darker leather color next time....
BTW, has anyone else noticed the rear center arm rest seems to be made dwarfs?

 

Maybe go to dark leather if you're in cold areas ONLY. But if you've ever gotten into a dark leather car, mid summer Las Vegas? YIKES!. You'd never go dark leather again. Heat & sun crack it apart quicker too, and if it's dirt you don't want to show? Well, that means you're hiding dirt in dark leather and personally, I'd like to see the dirt so I know when it's time to clean.

Any who, my installer guy's (took 2 and 3 of them, all day long!) business card says, "Star Auto Sound & Auto Upholstery". The leather supplier was actually the West L.A. person. He was the person who actually found the installer for me. The installer folks are on Olympic Blvd, somewhat east of the OEM leather provider guy. Web site www.starautosound.com and their phone is (323) 939-3616 Yes, it took me over a year of waiting to get that good a price.

 

I bought aftermarket leather last July at a shop in Indianapolis that caters to 95% dealers, so the work has to look good!

My cost was $1100 installed. If you want factory leather, you have to go with Pkg. #8 which includes lots of items that you may not want except for the leather. This could easily be a $5000 difference from some of the more popular packages.

With aftermarket leather, you get a choice of colors. In additon to colors, I could choose perforated seats or solid leather. Try that from the factory!

I have no regrets--leather is the way to go!

 

I think this is just what I have been looking for. Hill, do you have a name of someone I could ask for? I am anxious to get this cloth taken out. Also, were you able to adjust the foam? I want to change it out altogether to make it less stiff and not as thick.