I've seen a couple different source casually refer to the hand-stitched areas of the dash and doors as "leather."

But I've always assumed that the areas on the door armrest and center armrest, in particular, used molded vinyl to achieve the linear grooves they use as decoration. And frankly, I wouldn't expect to see leather at this price point anywhere except the seating surfaces, steering wheel and maybe the shifter/shift boot.

Does anyone know which areas of the ES interior are made with real animal hides?

 

I don’t really know what material the dash is made of, but I’m pretty comfortable saying it’s not leather. It is a material that is quite soft and easily scratched, and I have never seen leather with those properties. As to the armrests, yes they are molded vinyl - at least in my Luxury package vehicle in the US market.

 

I'm quite certain that, as you said, that the only areas covered with leather would be the seating surfaces. Surfaces like the seat sides, seat backs, door arm rests, and the center arm rest are definitely not leather. The center arm rests and some of the side seat surfaces appear to be the Lexus NuLuxe.

Also, I recall that, when the Generation 6 was first announced, Lexus had a press release in which they were touting the fact that the ES dash board was made from some sort of re-cycled plant material. I would assume that Lexus is still using that material or something similar to it for the dash boards on the Generation 7 ES.

 

I recalled a post a few months ago from a couple of owners — you might have been one of them — who were frustrated by indelible scratches in the dashboard upper face and in the side of the console adjoining the passenger seat. I recall thinking "leather doesn't do that."

 

Yes no way the dash material is leather. Of course in my FSport, there is ZERO real leather.

 

If you're frustrated that Lexus refuses to sell a car with both handling suspension and leather seats, I share your frustration. I have no idea in the world why they think this combination would not find customers, considering it's pretty much the entire German automotive business model.

 

No frustration here whatsoever. The Nuluxe imo is far superior to the leather in my wife's RX.

 

I agree. The leather in my wife's RX has wrinkles and noticeable wear whereas the Nuluxe in my ES still looks new.

 

Happy is good!

 

Glad some people like the faux leather. But I just had an ES 250 with NuLux as a loaner. My first experience with it. And hopefully last. Felt like sitting on oilcloth. Fortunately, this is one of those cases where there need be no consensus.

 

Not the steering wheel rim?

 

That may be the only genuine leather in the FSport.

 

Yeah, I have a tendency to assume the shift boot is real hide, but I suspect I'm wrong.

 

The semi Aniline leather (not the normal leather) is more comfortable, more luxurious and better looking material than Nulux.

It’s a personal preference, but I dislike fake stuff. I rather have real cloth seats.

 

Yep you can have cloth seats. I'd prefer a Yugo with pleather🤣