I guess it's a mystery to everyone; not just me. I'm picturing diamond-quilt Naugahyde or perhaps a luscious, sticky Pleather...

Hopefully it rocks - just never heard of it and was surprised all Google turned up was a couple of office chairs.

 

A friend of mine said he wasn’t crazy about Toyota’s SofTex. I can’t find what SofTex is made of, but StarTex is urethane. I’m sure it’s all about function over form regardless of how it feels.

“...we talked to Peter Tenn, Legacy, Outback and Ascent carline manager at Subaru of America.

“The Onyx Edition XT is designed to look a little more rugged, a little more active. It’s got the black wheels; it’s got the black-out grill; it’s got a unique interior, which we call StarTex[emoji769]. It’s a durable urethane interior, so it’s a non-animal product. It has a nice feel, is easy to clean (and) is stain-resistant.” ...”
https://subarudrive.com/articles/ne...rnational-auto-show-oe19?utm_source=insider&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=may19

Similar name, same supplier? Pic from a friend that went to the NY auto show:

 

This is exactly why I'm pleased to have StarTex in my OBW. Also understanding that in 10 seconds I can add a layer of sheepskin to allow cooling air against my back in the hot & humid summers here. In three seconds I can remove the sheepskin should the situation demands. Easy on and easy off.

Why sheepskin? Easy, inexpensive, all natural and proven to be cooler.

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Beat the Heat: Does Sheepskin Keep you Cool in Summer?

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So, if like me you wear a thin t-shirt in the summer, but don't want to stick to the StarTex vinyl seat back, try a simple layer of sheepskin.

$40 - ULLERSLEV Sheepskin, off-white, 28" - IKEA

 

Had my 4runner for a few months now and I love the softex so far. Comfortable and cleans up easy. Know people who have had it for years with dogs jumping around in the truck and no wear issues. The real test will be AZ summer. If the startex is the same stuff id have no issue with it.

 

Hi Blue, how are your seats in the Summer heat? I'm considering the 2020 Outback with the StarTex seats just concerned if they get too hot in Southern California. Thanks,

 

Thanks for the insight, Blues (sorry, I found it rather serendipitous that both responder's user names start with "Blue"... ) Definitely more info than I had before.

On a sidenote, Just picked up a new lift chair for my dad yesterday that was covered in some artificial leather of some sort. I had no idea it was artificial until he said something about it as I wasn't with him when he bought it.

 

I'm hoping it is similar to the MBTex in my old Mercedes wagon. When I sold that car after 12 years and many hard miles the seats still looked brand new.

 

It's a fancy marketing word for plain old vinyl seats. I was hoping for corinthian leather in the Touring.

 

Paging @Carl Abrams

 

It's a marketing term for fancy, new vinyl seats.
Seriously, they're actually softer than the old vinyl seats that I remember, with more durability as Subaru expects people who get the Onyx XT to be doing a LOT of outside off road adventures. Sort of like what we see Brucey do in HIS Outback. That way you can get muddy / dirty and not worry as much about cloth seats or how perforated leather lets stuff work its way inside the holes.

 

I wonder why Subaru only says StarTex on the front seats?

 

I'd like to have StarTex, but prefer the touring trim. It's probably similar to leatherette material some cars use. I had leatherette in a Mini and a BMW. Both seats looked brand new after 6-7 years. Wears extremely well. My wife's three year old Forester XT leather has creases and cracks already.

 

It shouldn't if you look after it. My wife's Audi is 6 years old with leather and still looks great. I treat it with a leather cleaner and then a conditioner every quarter. Leather needs to be taken care of or it will dry out and crack. We live in Texas where it is very hot so its even more important.

 

So wait ... we are going back to the same seats cars had in the 60's and 70's?

Sweet!

Can they rig up a Nav system to work with an 8 track?

 

If this material is easy to clean and holds up over the years, then it's exactly what I want in a car. Also, urethane is not the same as vinyl, FWIW.

 

All those poor naugas getting slaughtered to make car seats.

 

My real question would be if the material makes you "sweaty" - I remember sticking to the back of my dad's Nissan pickup truck's vinyl seats when I was a kid... though it also didn't have air conditioning.

I'm torn between an Onyx and a Limited XT! I like the idea of not having to get a moonroof for long term ownership, and I barely use my moonroof even though my pano one is beautiful.

On my 2011 Outback I used the "tilt" function often, a few times a week especially when parked. But I never open the moonroof, so I guess it's a wasted feature on me.

Would love to hear some actual reviews on the seats/material... post away if you test drive one!

 

Would love to hear some actual reviews on the seats/material... post away if you test drive one!

The embargo for OPINIONS and reviews is still on. That's why I'm only posting real information. I can't tell you at this time my actual thoughts on the car - not on an open forum like this. If you were sitting across from me at my desk, THEN I could share my opinion. It's one of the rules the trainers specifically mentioned - mostly because no one bothered to tell us when the Ascent came out, and we were praising it before we were supposed to be able to do so.

 

Ah that makes sense.

 

I would imagine it closely resembles the Toyota SofTex, which is very durable, and environmentally friendly (now that certainly screams Subaru).

What is Toyota SofTex Upholstery?

Have you heard of SofTex and wondered what it is? Are you wondering what is Toyota SofTex upholstery? Get answers right here at White River Toyota!

www.whiterivertoyota.com

 

Just get one of the fiber mesh seat overlays my grandparent used to use back in the heyday of vinyl seats in the 1970's! I'll bet J.C. Whitney still sells them

 

I went looking for outside info/queries on the StarTek upholstery and found your post here. Just wanted to say that my husband and I just drove a 2020 Outback Onyx XT about a half hour ago and wow!!! The StarTek feels like leather to touch and was very comfortable seating, probably not bad for a long haul either. Can see why it will be easy to clean. The seats are inserted gray with black and a vivid green stitching that looks nice in front and rear. Not sure about the “sweat factor” that others have mentioned but it is 94 degrees on a bright and sunny Florida afternoon and neither of us stuck to the seats...of course the excellent a/c probably helped a bit.

Just my .02

 

I went looking for outside info/queries on the StarTek upholstery and found your post here. Just wanted to say that my husband and I just drove a 2020 Outback Onyx XT about a half hour ago and wow!!! The StarTek feels like leather to touch and was very comfortable seating, probably not bad for a long haul either. Can see why it will be easy to clean. The seats are inserted gray with black and a vivid green stitching that looks nice in front and rear. Not sure about the “sweat factor” that others have mentioned but it is 94 degrees on a bright and sunny Florida afternoon and neither of us stuck to the seats...of course the excellent a/c probably helped a bit.

Just my .02

Was at the dealer getting oil change and state inspection yesterday. I didn't do a test drive because traffic was getting heavy, but I sat in it, and I really liked the seats, especially the two-tone black and gray. These are not cooled; only the Touring has the ventilated seats. Still, overall liked the Onyx package and will seriously consider it, along with the Touring. I really love the Java Brown.

 

Just checked out the startex seats (dealer has the Onyx sitting in the showroom)... nifty material. Like a softer spongier vinyl. Not a bad seating surface at all. I’d be happy with it, as long as it’s durable (resistant to cracking and other issues as it ages).

 

BPA free? How hot before the material emits harmful gas? Just another round of Q & A from them eco-friendly straw hating peeps out there. *playing devils advocate

 

The star Tex is nice and soft. Reminds me more of a vinyl then a fake leather. The girlfriend calls it fake leather.

 

The star Tex is nice and soft. Reminds me more of a vinyl then a fake leather. The girlfriend calls it fake leather.

If the vinyl portions on the gen5 leather seats were a little more soft and pliant, that’s the feel of it.

 

I had the same question regarding a Urethane waterproof seat. Fortunately, an extended test drive in an Onyx edition last week on a hot day yielded my answer. My back was sweaty at 10 minutes.

Star Tex was soft and I'm sure it will be durable and yes it will be waterproof because that is what it feels like. This material is a deal breaker for the Onyx edition for me. The rest of the drive was excellent and I'll be looking at the XT options in leather.

 

I had the same question regarding a Urethane waterproof seat. Fortunately, an extended test drive in an Onyx edition last week on a hot day yielded my answer. My back was sweaty at 10 minutes.

Star Tex was soft and I'm sure it will be durable and yes it will be waterproof because that is what it feels like. This material is a deal breaker for the Onyx edition for me. The rest of the drive was excellent and I'll be looking at the XT options in leather.

That is unfortunate. It's hot almost all the time where I live, and doesn't rain much. Not sure this StarTex is for me, although I do love the Onyx. Once a local dealer gets one in stock I'll have to check it out (they've been "in transit" for weeks now)

 

Yes, StarTex is a pain to have in hot weather. I noticed it in this scorching, humid fall weather we have had here. I think most leather seats will have a similar effect. I am using a wooden-beads mesh I had on my trade-in leather for 12 years. I think I had it even before that one. Eventually, will find black/grey color. I thought about throwing it away, but then felt the StarTex condensation and grabbed it again.

 

I agree. I was fully expecting to order the onyx, but really didn’t care for the star-tex in person, and I had vinyl seats on a mid-2000s vw Jetta which I quite enjoyed.

I think they made a mistake not perforating the material to help with breathability. That’s present on the leather models, and I think it makes a big difference. I also thought the star-Tex just looked a bit cheap - didn’t seem as tightly bound to the seats compared to the leather. Again, probably an optical illusion from having larger chunks of material without the perforations.

The green stitching wasn’t my favorite to begin with, but I didn’t care for how it wasn’t everywhere funnily enough - they have the same grey from other models on the steering wheel and center console. Didn’t feel as premium as the leather.

Finally, if you want the gps and/or moonroof, you really aren’t saving much money over the limited xt (which I ordered). Sure, no front camera (but it’s too low rez to be much use off-road) and no full size spare (easy to add), but you gain a much better sound system and steering-responsive headlights.

 

... but you gain a much better sound system and steering-responsive headlights.

We have HarmanK and SRH (lights) on FXT '17, so when buying OBXT Onyx I did not think lights were that important. Harman K audio is slightly better than stock one, but far, far from B&W and Mark Levinson, maybe closer to Bose. Harman K is not an audiophile brand (they do own other audiophile brands though, but that's not a guarantee). (Bose is a cuss word among those circles anyway). I found some small tweaks in the stock Onyx Audio (audio settings, like EQ and beat processor, etc.) and it helped somewhat with sound. It's clearly that even stock audio has some sort of DSP sound processing. Stock system is plenty loud, actually. Limited and Touring have only an 8" subwoofer in the back. That's not enough to get to true 20Hz bass; you would need about 12" sub for that and the car would be resonating like crazy. Good to have features, but not critical for some.

 

Back to StarTex... When I saw it, my first thought was of a police cruiser's back seat. Accidents happen.
Many years ago, a friend of mine had his wife going into labor and he had to take her to the hospital in his Mercedes. So..., he put a trash bag over her seat. His wife was really pissed off... StarTex to the rescue!

 

I am not really concerned about the texture and color of the material since I am going to use seat covers from day 1. The cleanability is a bonus, though.

 

Where do you plan to get your seat covers?