Cloth vs Softex?

I wish the perforated leather were still offered.
But, I'm going with Softex

 

Softex is very nice. So far standing up very well in Pearl S. -I- don't see any "comfort" difference. Softex is not hot and sweaty in summer nor cold in winter.
Leather like without the drawbacks of leather.

 

Paper or plastic?

I prefer cloth over plastic, although if they didn't up-charge for it, the "softex" seats wouldn't be too bad.
I'm just not going to get roped into buying the next higher trim level for the "advantage" of nauga.
It's:
Easier to keep clean.
But!
Easier to damage.

Both look like crap in 5 years, but the pleather cannot be fixed nearly as easily if (when) somebody knocks a hole in it.

Good Luck!

 

Deep dark jeans bleeding onto that very light colored cloth is all I can see. I had cloth for 9 years, it was fine but did turn blue from my jeans. I wanted the softex in my current Prius strictly for the heated seats because it gets damn cold here.

 

So this is the post of the millennium. Europe gets leather eh! But not the US. So one option is to get the cheapest Prius you can grab and put leather interior in it. Folks in California on hot on this BTW!

 

I'm a huge fan of cloth.

Lets you have a black interior without excessive heat, and I just find cloth more comfortable, too.

Mind you, I want my steering wheels to be leather or Softex wrapped... hence my selection of the Three.

 

So you are a man of the cloth?

Cloth is better if it never has a fluid that passes through to the foam padding.

Like coffee, drooling, and other stuff.

 

Isn't 'excessive heat' due to people not using a windshield shade, then they jump on leather / Softex seats and complain about heat?

Two days ago I had to get a smog check for my 2011 real quick, during sale process. So, this gas station mechanic with grease on arms starts doing the smog check. Luckily he didn't get grease on the door cloth or seat, but how do you think it would be getting grease out of cloth??

A: Very difficult.

I'll bet grease, chocolate, etc ... comes off Softex MUCH easier than any type of cloth.

I commuted on leather seat covers quite a few 90 F days and yeah, it's warm, but so is cloth. Not sure I get the leather is so hot argument except for first sitting on it after sun has been hitting them?

Consider this, do you see luxury cars with cloth seats? I don't And btw, I don't think either will 'look like crap' in 5 years unless you
1) treat your car like a dinner table and drop food and drink on car seats (good luck putting your car seats in a washing machine like you do your clothes)
2) Never clean and condition your leather or Softex seats.. Lexol has products for both.
3) Never vacuum or wipe your cloth seats clean.

Clothes would look like junk too if you didn't clean them

 

It's worth noting that Mercedes has had cloth available in their cars for quite a while, just not here...

And, IIRC, the Toyota Century's default interior is wool - cloth being positioned as a luxury option.

 

You could get the old Pacers with Levi Straus interior when new.

If I was rich I would have fine wool seat covers in a RR or Bently and pay to have them replaced every year.

But dead cow skin is what I prefer on my budget and then plastic.

 

IMHO softex looks better, but damn makes my back sweaty !