Leather or not?

[Hugo Nebula]

Quick question. Do the seats in the (UK / EU) GR Sport have real leather bolsters? The brochure says that they are part leather but it feels like the leatherette on the seat backs.

[TonyHSD]

They are fake leather. 

[flash22]

Its vegan leather or as Toyota state "synthetic leather" if it states Partial leather this means it has leather facings on no wear parts

 

[Cyker]

Toyota are trying to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly so they've cut a lot of animal-based things out of their cars; No cows or other animals went into the creation of that 'leather'. (So no it's not leather)

<rant>

I must say I really dislike how these companies keep sticking the word 'Vegan' in front of things that are absolutely not vegan.

I consider false-advertising as it implies things that are not true; They should just invent a new marketing name for those things instead of hijacking existing names.

If it's decent it'll stand on its own merit, like alcantara vs suede.

 

[Kental]

Seat backs and bits not usually sat will generally be leatherette.

The GR Sport & Excel (according to the brochure) have partial leather or leather respectively. The Design states synthetic leather. So that is a deferential.

[Yugguy1970]

Metc have been using Artico for years.  Basically posh vinyl.

I hope Toyota's is better.

[Hybrid21]

My RAV4 Excel is SofTex, an artificial leather.

I know that it's used my many manufacturers these days instead of real leather.

 

[Catlover]

Especially on medium priced leather suites, the back and sides were often imitation leather.        
Today, lots of people do not want real leather…… animal rights etc.

[Stivino]

I think the stuff you are referring to is Alcantara.

[TonyHSD]

Corolla GR sport doesn’t have any real leather in the seats at all. Excel might have some and this can be seen on used cars example as leather has been aged. GR similar to Design trim has Synthetic leather and cloth upholstery on the seats. Hear you can see from pictures of a showroom car model 2022 GR Sport . All leather materials are of the same rough grade. 👍

[Cyker]

TBH I don't understand the obsession with leather; It smells funny when it gets wet, you slide all over the seat when cornering, it's like sitting on lava in summer and liquid nitrogen in winter, it marks easily - esp. e.g. light-coloured leathers and jeans!

My favourite seat material is still the unusual plushy stuff my colleague's old Passat had - So comfortable! I've never seen another vehicle with it alas...

 

[forkingabout]

Not a fan of leather seats, had 2 vehicles with it & I'm now really preferring the Alcantara on my C-HR

[Cyker]

Yea, wish that was an option on more cars!

[TonyHSD]

From all cars ever had and been sat in my current auris has the best ones, which are exact same materials as Yaris GR four- fake suede and combination of real and synthetic leather. Very comfortable, grippy enough without been too grippy and very comfortable. Easy to clean and seems hard wearing too. 👌 💺

[AndrueC]

On 6/21/2022 at 8:58 PM, Cyker said:

Toyota are trying to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly so they've cut a lot of animal-based things out of their cars; No cows or other animals went into the creation of that 'leather'. (So no it's not leather)

<rant>

I must say I really dislike how these companies keep sticking the word 'Vegan' in front of things that are absolutely not vegan.

https://dilbert.com/strip/2003-09-04

[Parts-King]

Pleather 😂😂

[Trackpad]

Bring back velour!!🙂

[Hybrid21]

I used to have a MK1 GT Cortina in the early seventies, it had lovely black PVC seats.

They came up lovely with a bit of Pledge, lovely smell, and good for removing most stains 😜

[Dylanfan]

In the 70s I had a Renault 16TL with the most comfortable seats I’ve ever had, soft, supple and in black plastic. Everything inside the car was black or dark grey, in the summer you would burn your hands on the steering wheel and your back side on the seats, it didn’t stop me loving the car though.

I think modern windows with all their coatings stop a lot of the heat getting into the car. Maurice

[TonyHSD]

The old Japanese cars from 1980’s to early 2000’s had a really good looking and ultra comfortable cloth seats. The material was superb, I have not seen anything like those since then. Also some cars like Mitsubishi Pajero jdm short wheel base from 1994  has a mechanical memory seat for the driver. 👌🚗

[Cyker]

I must admit, although I would still have preferred a darker interior, the light interior in my Excel has so far stopped me getting the traditional summer Burned Backside when sitting down after it's been in the sun all day

 

On 6/25/2022 at 12:52 PM, Trackpad said:

Bring back velour!!🙂

It's Brannigan's Law!

 

(Futurama reference  )

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Cyker said:

I must admit, although I would still have preferred a darker interior, the light interior in my Excel has so far stopped me getting the traditional summer Burned Backside when sitting down after it's been in the sun all day

 

It's Brannigan's Law!

 

(Futurama reference  )

Sun shade on the windscreen and side windows helps a lot. 👌

[Bernard Foy]

7 hours ago, Dylanfan said:

In the 70s I had a Renault 16TL with the most comfortable seats I’ve ever had, soft, supple and in black plastic. Everything inside the car was black or dark grey, in the summer you would burn your hands on the steering wheel and your back side on the seats, it didn’t stop me loving the car though.

I think modern windows with all their coatings stop a lot of the heat getting into the car. Maurice

Yes Renault always had very good well cushioned comfortable seats from and including the Renault 4 onwards.

[50p]

6 hours ago, Cyker said:

I must admit, although I would still have preferred a darker interior, the light interior in my Excel has so far stopped me getting the traditional summer Burned Backside when sitting down after it's been in the sun all day

Sadly my Corolla Excel has a dark interior and I would have preferred a light one! Luckily most of the dark roof is taken up by the pan roof.

[Dylanfan]

3 hours ago, Bernard Foy said:

Yes Renault always had very good well cushioned comfortable seats from and including the Renault 4 onwards.

I had both a 16 and a 12 and the seat and ride quality were both excellent. I’ve had Citroens for years and again great seating and ride quality. I think it was ‘cos French roads were very poor right up to the 80s.

Maurice