I'm not sure how many of you LS owners hold leather as a highly important feature - but those of you who do might know the answer to this question.

The leather in an 05 LS430 is extremely supple. Moreso than in, say, the GX, RX, ES, SC or LX. What year was the first to have that REALLY soft leather?

 

01LS + I am pretty sure is when they started using semi-analine leather. I think it was an option or maybe standard not sure.

Semi-Analine means its hardly treated at all and retains the original softness and texture of the leather.

 

My mom's 99 LS400 leather is EXTREMELY soft. May be even softer than my 04 LS430 UL with Saddle, which is very soft as well.

 

Started in '01 with the Custom luxury (not sure one was offered in '01), and Ultra luxury packages as part of the interior upgrade.

It also included suede headliner.

 

I believe it started with the '98 LS400. I remember going to the dealer and sitting in one when it first came out, and was just amazed at how much softer the leather was than my '91.

 

The semi-aniline was an option on my Custom Luxury '03. I was under the impression that it was an option on all models, even the Ultra.

 

i believe on ultra, maybe an option, but pretty much all of them had it. semi-aniline leather and suede lining

 

alacantraaaaa

 

The Ultra Luxury edition ones have far superior leather, than the base models.

 

I think for LS430(all years), only the black leather for the UL/custom lux. is semi-aniline, the Ecru leather for the UL/custom is called "premium leather", but not semi-aniline, but I suppose it's also softer than the regular leather though, since it's premium & higher grade.
Semi-aniline or "premium" leather is standard for all UL/custom lux. models I think.

As for the rarer saddle & maroon leather, I am not sure whether they were available in semi-aniline, we've never even had the maroon leather available up here in Canada, & the saddle is discontinued after only one year I think ...

 

I LOVE the soft leather on the LS 430, and my experience with the LS 460 suggests a similar level of supple smoothness....

 

i remember reading that the ecru leather was nappa leather