Lexkev1

Hello all!
Looking for a little help. Im looking at buying a 14' ES and just trying to find out what cars have Nuluxe and which ones have leather seats. There also seems to be interior codes, such as...la20, lb20, lc20 etc. Looking at previous posts, its hard to tell what cars have leather or Nuluxe. Anyone know how to tell for sure what cars have what? Or, does anyone know how to determine what these interior codes mean?

Dave Mac

Not sure about the trim codes but I think if the car has the luxury package that means leather and at some point all luxury package/leather cars had wood grain on the console trim rather than piano black. And the leather seats have a different style than the Nuluxe.

Dave Mac

lesz

For a 2013 or 2014 ES, it is pretty easy to tell. If the seats are not perforated, they are NuLuxe. If they are perforated, they are leather.

If they are perforated and if the driver's seat has the thigh extension, the car has the semi-aniline leather (Ultra Luxury Package). If the seats are perforated and if the driver's seat does not have the thigh extension, the car has the standard leather (Luxury Package).

Lexkev1

Ok, That sounds simple enough to detect. Some of the things I read may have indicated a bunch of different combinations which was confusing. Easy enough! On a slightly different topic...Can a car be equipped with just cooled seats alone? I realize that the ultra base model has Nuluxe without heated or cooled seats. Then there is a package with heated seats and another with heated & cooled seats. But are there cars with just cooled seats? Im looking at cars from Florida and dont want to get stuck with a car with just cooled seats. Wouldnt be a great thing in the north east. Thanks!

TechNut

I have never seen an ES without heated seats, but then I have never even sat in a completely base model. I kind of doubt you can even get one without heated seats but our members in warmer climates can probably answer that better than me.

The third post down in this thread suggests it is possible that a base ES can be purchased without heated seats:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...-included.html

You might also want to search the forum as it would seem this sort of option would have been discussed before. There are many threads discussing the seating fabrics and various seating options.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...uxe-vinal.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...or-nuluxe.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...ifference.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...-packages.html

LexBob2

Just a reminder that the seats are ventilated vs. cooled. I bring this up to make sure your expectations are realistic. Some drivers are disappointed that the ventilated seats don't feel cooler, but they are just recirculating cabin air vs. blowing cooled air.

yardie876

No, it's either no climate seats or heated/ventilated seats. Ventilated seats don't come alone.

Lexkev1

Lots of great info here. Thank you to all who replied!

Riles

I have the 2013 perforated seats in my ES300h, I'm surprised to see that people are saying that it's real leather. If it is, it isn't very nice leather. It's in showroom condition but feels very vinyl-esque and cheap. Go for better leather- it's my least favorite thing about this car but I don't want to drop $1500 on aftermarket covers and installation. I guess get ultra-lux instead of lux.

FmrAccord

Our leather seats are a combination of many materials.. The part your but and back touch is the real deal.. The back of the front seats up top feels like leather but have a different feel than the seat bottoms.

The sides on the bottom cushion feel like some sort of cloth.

Try touching the back seat underneath it closest to the floor..Lexus definitely did some cost cutting on these seats.

My car is a '16 ES with Luxury package.

Would Katzkin seats be 100% leather and none of this pleat her?

Kijug

You are correct, FmrAccord. Only the parts where your body touches the seats is leather. The sides, backs, tops, and other hidden portions are vinyl. This is standard for most leather seating and all leather couches are made that way. There's little justification for the cost of "all leather" when no one sits on the sides and backs, etc. I'd like it to be all leather also, but that's just the way things seem to be. I have a '14 ES/UL and enjoy the semi-aniline leather seats very much. I cannot say if the semi-aniline leather is any softer than the regular leather (Luxury package) but the semi-aniline is dyed all the way through. Hence, if I get a scratch or tear, it basically won't show because the color will be the same. My older car has just regular leather and if it tears slightly, cracks, or scratches, the white, non-dyed leather underneath shows. Actually, that was my biggest reason for going with the UL package, however, I do enjoy the glass roof (dual sunroofs) and ambient lighting. I do not use the thigh extender, it just doesn't do anything for me.

IS350jet

Our 2015 ES was our first Lexus with Nuluxe. Seriously, it blows genuine leather out of the water. Our 2017 has it, also. Our first three Lexus's had genuine leather and even though they were meticulously maintained, it showed its use after just 6 months. Nuluxe doesn't wear!! 3 years and you couldn't tell it from brand new. It is finest faux leather on the market, period.
Of course, all of this is just my opinion.

Lexhybrid

I have a 2016 ES300H with Nuluxe and it feels great to me better than the leather.