Leather Or Cloth Seats?

[Nightstalker]

Im trying to see what people think about the fact that MR T thinks that the UK spec Avensis does not need heated leather seats.

Also if people are put off the leather seats on the avensis purley because they are not heated....

Happy polling....

[jamesholden]

To be honest I don't think they need heating.

I work at night so come out very early in the morning and don't feel that my seats in the Camry need heating, afterall by the time you can feel the heater the seat has got upto body temperature anyway.

[Desmond22]

I don't think they need heating either except for really freezing weather but I voted for heated seats because I think a car of this price ought to have them as standard!

[Chris Dance]

I had heated seats on my Volvo 940 and never used them. I changed from Volvo to Avensis one reason was the Volvo was too hot in summer and had no air conditioning. I do not miss not having heated seats.

[funkyg]

Having two young kids, it's GOT to be leather. Just clean with a damp cloth, and hey presto, vomit's gone!

I've been caught out a couple of times with my tshirt/jumper sliding up causing me to jump a mile when my back touches the leather, but apart from that I don't think think they NEED to be heated.

Mike.

[uumode]

I think the Avensis leather in the T-Spirit subjectively to me appears 'thinner' compared to the hide on my E Class Mercedes. The drivers seat (from used ones on the forecourt) appear wrinkled as do the back seats where somebody has sat in it.

So for an Avensis I prefer cloth, which looked like new compared to the leather. Although leather is easier to clean, it can age and crack, cloth doesn't but can wear depending on what material is used. The material that is used in the Avensis seems quite resilient and tough as well as looking very acceptable. Compare this to the fabric seats in a Mercedes.. horrible.. I think the designers deliberately design a horrible pattern to force you to upgrade to leather!

As to heated seats, for me, it depends on the feeling. I sat in a friends Saab and it felt like I had just diarrheared my pants. Another friends C class felt more acceptable in the way it distributed the heat. Though I feel they should heat the back of the seats as well. Not sure how they work on the Spirit.

BTW I think heated seats are less useful when it isn't matched with a heated steering wheel.

[Iain l]

I think they should be heated, if you don't like it don't switch it on. I know of very few other cars with leather that are not heated, even my Fiat bravo with cloth seats were heated. My wife prefers to be cool in the car where as I prefer to be warm, the dual zone thing does not generate a force field to contain the heat round me or the cold air round my wife so heated seats would have been nice. Mind you a heated steering wheel would also be nice for those frosty mornings.