Difference in dashboard material?

I believe the plastic parts of the interior are the same among the cloth- and leather-seated cars.

 

I believe the dashboard is the same but the leather has a vinyl insert on the doors--cloth has cloth. There is a picture on the Toyota website gallery of the rear hatch that shows the cloth on the rear doors (partially) and a couple shots of the factory leather option interior vinyl trimmed front doors in other shots. I could not find 2 comparable direct shots of the two options.

 

I think the door panel inserts and console are synthetic leather, not vinyl. Vinyl is used on the undersides/back of the seats/headrests and you can feel the difference between vinyl and synthetic or real leather.

 

what's the difference between vinyl and synthetic leather?

 

Basically vinyl made to look and feel like real leather (Pleather). The point is different material is used on the door panel inserts and the undersides of the seats. Vinyl is unmistakably vinyl but it can be difficult to tell the difference between pleather and real leather.

 

Thanks for correcting my terminology of "vinyl" on the door, but I hope you'll forgive me if I chuckle a little when your explanation of the difference between vinly and synthetic leather starts with "basically vinyl". The difference in feel between the door and seat side is definitely noticable, and it's amazing what they can now make with petrochemicals. I guess the cows know the difference for sure. Leather seats used to be a single hide, now I understand that most of the lower priced car leather is a treated amalgamation of hide scraps, mixed in a slurry that bakes to a "leather" sheet that is then stained. But it's actually easier to care for than the hides!