[jbw]

My wife and I will be test driving a used 2007 Sienna next week and it has leather seats. My own worry is about the seats in the summer and winter. Can anyone tell me if during the winter if the seats are slippery (when cold) or during the summer if they are sticky (when hot and/or humid)?

I've read on these boards how many people have had issues with cracking on the sides of their leather seats. Has anyone not had this issue? Sounds likely everyone has that issue, it would be nice to know if anyone has NOT had this issue.

Thanks All,

- Justin

 

[bill_toyota]

I just got a 2007 sienna last december with leather seats. I can't tell you about the summer but it's not slippery in the winter. It is cold until the seat heater warms it up. On my other cars with leather, yes, it can get sticky on a very hot day and you're sweating on it. It usually isn't a problem though.

My sienna leather seats don't appear to have a cracking problem yet (the van has about 46000 miles now) but if I had my choice, I'd pick cloth seats. All leather seats will crack eventually. It's just a matter of when.

 

[Act162this]

wouldn't know about winters here, but at least in the summer, or after a day at the beach, the seats don't get sticky, you do. sit on a towel.

just noticed that the side of the driver's seat is beginning to get a little cracked and faded, but our ltd is getting on 8 years old and has spent the last five or six years of it's life as a daily driver in the sun (no covered parking). i suspect that because my wife and i are short, we kind of rub on the side of the seat every time we get in or out of the van, which doesn't help the seat any either.

every time i wash/detail the van, i just spray leather cleaner and rub some conditioner into the seats (okay, that makes it slippery until it dries off and soaks in) and that's kept them looking relatively good.

the only seat that's really dirty is under my son's car seat - even with the seat protector, after a day at the beach, hiking, or baseball he is just tall enough that his shoes hang down and touch the front of the leather seat. just gotta clean the seat off when i detail the car, but other than that, the leather is in fine condition.

the seats seem to hold up pretty well.

 

[Hopeful]

We have a 2011 that has leather, but I also prefer the cloth seats. When summer comes, I am going to get a seat cover of some sort, either one with the openings for the side impact airbags, or at least a cover for the bottom of the seat. Should be a fairly easy fix .

 

[piste]

Have a 2004 that we bought new...with leather ...7 years now...4 of those in SoCal pretty extreme summer heat...3 in the Northeast ..pretty often in single digits in the winter....Also have a 1997 SUV for the past 14 years...also leather. Never an issue for me with either vehicle in any conditions and personally if I can help it I'll NEVER own a vehicle again that does not have leather. It's the only way to go IMO. Cracking?...well they'll all show that surface cracking look a bit on the sides after so many years of getting in and out of the vehicle hundreds or thousands of times....but that's a total non issue as far as I'm concerned. Can't expect a vehicle to forever look brand new? It's a mild cosmetic non-issue if I'm understanding the condition described correctly. Good luck.

 

[Act162this]

ditto on the seat covers - after a couple of years of being the beach/hiking/camping/haul stuff around vehicle, i think it's time to invest in some seat covers.

my wife wanted leather when we got the van, but since she no longer drives the van anymore (she "appropriated" my new T4R) she doesn't really care anymore.

i think some wet okole (tm) seat covers will do the trick nicely - they worked well on all my other cars and held up well in the hot sun, exposure to salt air/water, etc... they are custom-made w/ accommodations for side airbags, etc... so no worries there.

hopefully my friend still manages the place so she can get me a good deal...