Why leather? Isn't cloth better?

I think it is a preference and a geographical choice. I lived in FL for 40+ years and sun-baked leather is HOT in August/Sept when wearing shorts. Not my first choice there. If I lived in the northern US/Canada, I probably would not like it either because it is cold if the seat heaters aren't warmed up. But, I live in Nashville and it is the 'perfect' climate for leather. I like the ease of cleaning as well.

 

1. More comfortable
2. Easier to clean
3. Looks nicer

 

you can also hide a fart in cloth. in leather, you have about 2 seconds to make up a roadkill odor story.

 

Going in and out of the cloth seats wears out the outer edge and destroys the padding. I’ve seen it on old chevys. But leather seats feel sticky and gross sometimes and hot in the summer. Pros and cons of both.

 

I didn’t think Tacoma’s came with leather. Not even my 4R is leather.

 

Since 17 w/Pro and 18 w/TRD and up as option.

 

I have never understood how leather became a premium seating surface exactly for the reasons you have stated. Leather looks horrible when it gets old and you can't make it look better and that is regardless how you maintain it. Cloth on the other hand, if you maintain it, it looks great for years.

You are right about the Toyota Leather. It isn't leather. Years ago we called it Naugahyde or Pleather and everyone hated it and cloth was the premium material. I think it is because of the luxury market pushes leather. You can't get Mercedes or BMW with cloth. Even they have switched to fake leather as well.

 

Look at cloth interiors on a 2010 Tacoma... even that looks like it’s beat to shit

 

All these leather haters trying to justify not having a premium optioned truck, trying to argue why its superior. Pro's and cons to both, matter of taste, but cloth has just as many pitfalls as leather if not more.

 

Not a fan of leather for a few reasons. It’s too cold. It’s too hot. It’s too slippery.

It can look really nice and it cleans easily though. My preference is almost always some sort of combination, leather bolsters and cloth/Alcantara centres or similar.

Don’t much care for sunroofs either, which is why my Lexus has cloth seats and no sunroof. Unfortunately that meant getting a low-grade package and adding the options I wanted but no regrets.

Jeff

 

I’m talking about genuine leather. Not some hybrid.

 

Remember when it was supposed to be "water resistant" in the TRDs? You'd spill a water bottle and end up with a nasty ass stain. Hated those seats in my 08 Sport. Nightmare to keep clean, and its just me in the da*n truck.

 

Seriously, okay fine yes its not real leather, we get that, most vehicles these days are not genuine leather. Calm yourself Karen, clearly we are talking about the option Toyota calls "leather" here.

 

Ask @Itchyfeet if he prefers leather or cloth

 

Take your own advice, quit crying. It’s softex.

 

I have to disagree with this completely. The leather in my last 4runner looked good at 257K and I almost completely neglected it.

My 2015 Tacoma with 102K had shitty looking cloth seats. The only time they looked nice was for about a week after they were professionally shampooed. They looked like garbage again after a few months.

Either one will look good if you take good care of it. It's just easier to keep leather clean. Or, fake leather, or whatever it is.

 

I'm not just pointing out your stupid comment that was pretty obvious as no one said it was genuine leather.

 

I like cloth seats for my truck as well but leather seats for my other cars.

 

I am sure the cows and vegans will also agree that cloth is better.

 

People hold genuine leather up on some god-tier pedestal like they forget what real leather does in a hot car. It dries out and cracks. I remember having to saddle soap my interior every week to avoid it looking like a shitty 1990 Mercedes thats had a hobo living in it. If you want it to last 20 years, get fake leather. Or reupholster your cloth seats every 15.

I like cloth, by the way. But I also take care not to rake my levis across the bolster when climbing in and out.