Black Headliner: Terra vs HE (no cooler) Need some 2nd opinions

[Musubi]

My previous cars has taught me that I'm a big sucker for black headliners... so my choices are left with terra or HE. I only want white, and let's set the HE price markup aside. My deciding factor has now come down to whether I want the Terra interior, or no cooler in HE.

I've test drove all terra, non terra, and HE. And I loved the terra color in person. Something about the special color makes a rather "boring looking SUV" pop once you get in it. Which imo amplifies the whole "IFYKY vibes" of the LC200. On the outside it's just a odd looking highlander, but once you get in, it's beautiful, comfortable, and a mechincal legend.

But I have always used my center console for a ton of miscellaneous items. I put lotion, hand sanitizer, tissue, emergncy snacks, flashlights, leatherman in my RAV4, and I used it daily. I always envy how big my buddy's Ram1500 center console is. I understand how useful the coolbox can be on road trips, but I'm unsure about the trade off in daily storage. I've never owned a car with cool box so I don't have first hand experience that exactly says "I hate cool box" if that make sense.

Am I crazy to want an HE just for the lack of cool box? Obviously everything else with HE is nice. But I've been shopping for over a month, and I find myself bouncing back and fourth between these two choices. Perhaps my dream 200 would be buying an HE and swap seats with someone who has terra haha.

 

[mgeebs]

If you don’t like the cool box you don’t have to turn it on, so that’s also an option. I just use mine for storage unless I have a specific need. There’s an organizer on Amazon that fits in there and still lets you use the cool box feature too.

 

[Sandroad]

I’ve found large console boxes to be overrated. For me they turn into the equivalent of the junk drawer in my kitchen and what I need is always on the bottom.I have plenty of daily use storage in the door pockets and glove box and I love the cool box for drinks and snacks. However, my LC is primarily used for trips, so YMMV. It’s funny, when I first saw the cool box in a LC at the Detroit Auto Show I thought it was a silly gimmick. Now I can’t live without it. And the Terra interior rocks.

 

[Musubi]

If you don’t like the cool box you don’t have to turn it on, so that’s also an option.

Right I'd probably never turn it on. Until the day road tirp comes then I have to empty out my stuff inside and swap it with drinks. In one of the LC I test drove, the coolbox stinks. Idk if it's because the previous owner spilled stuff, or they just never use the space so air never circulate.

 

[Musubi]

they turn into the equivalent of the junk drawer in my kitchen and what I need is always on the bottom.

You actually make a very good point. Even though I use my center console daily, I do find myself digging quite often.

LC is primarily used for trips, so YMMV.

Gonna be a DD for me. So I need my bottle of lotion, hand sanitizer, and snacks...etc. If I get a coolbox/terra, then I'll just have to find elsewhere to put the lotion and stuff.

I thought it was a silly gimmick. Now I can’t live without it.

That seems to be what everyone says. Which is what got me conflicted a little.

 

[xeuxaz]

Right I'd probably never turn it on. Until the day road tirp comes then I have to empty out my stuff inside and swap it with drinks. In one of the LC I test drove, the coolbox stinks. Idk if it's because the previous owner spilled stuff, or they just never use the space so air never circulate.

The smell has to be from spills. They don't have odors from infrequent use.

 

[LTSR]

Find a terra interior 200, or else you’ll be left wanting. I love my terra + black headliner combo. The door cards also have terra on it, not just the seats. I also love my cool box and don’t want a 200 without it. I used one of the amazon storage devices that sits on the cool box to hold my leatherman, sanitizer, coins. some people hate the cool box so YMMV.

 

[Musubi]

I also love my cool box and don’t want a 200 without it. I used one of the amazon storage devices that sits on the cool box to hold my leatherman, sanitizer, coins.

Do you just remove your sanitizer, leatherman and other stuff when you use the cool box? Or you fit everything and cool down your leatherman too?

 

[LTSR]

Do you just remove your sanitizer, leatherman and other stuff when you use the cool box? Or you fit everything and cool down your leatherman too?

the leatherman, sanitizer and other stuff sit on the storage bin that sits on top of the cool box. if the cool box is left on all the items in the storage bin is also cold but that doesn’t harm anything. I’ll try and find a photo.

edit: photo - What have you done to your 200 Series this week? - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/what-have-you-done-to-your-200-series-this-week.818471/page-658#post-14205111

 

[Musubi]

I’ll try and find a photo.

Hmmm neat. So if I'm understanding this correctly, that knob allows you to pull the top tray out, and you leave the bottom empty for coolbox items?

 

[dudemancool1904]

Cool box fits two 750 ml bottles of wine. Or a 6 pack and sandwiches, etc. for me it’s a can’t live without. And when not using it I just stash my yeti or Klean Kanteen water bottle.

Definitely go for terra.

 

[gasman4u]

Blue ridge overland makes an organizer you can use for your rear view visor. I have all sorts of kit on my pax visor. Leatherman, shears, tourniquets, etc.

+1 on not having to turn on your cool box. You don’t have to use it. But probably cool to have if you need it.

 

[bloc]

Enough cool boxes have had the fan fail that I won’t run mine full-time anyway. Road-trips only for me.

 

[manofthewoods]

Enough cool boxes have had the fan fail that I won’t run mine full-time anyway. Road-trips only for me.

Same here. Mine is primarily my wife's DD. she's good about only using it when she needs it.
Her system is, if she forgets to turn it off she opens the door and leaves it up, then at the next drive turns it off after starting the engine.
Also, it turns on the AC, and you can't turn the AC off with the cool box on. Drove me nuts trying to figure that out. I don't want the compressor running unless I need it.
We love the feature, but don't use it too much.

 

[ryanCA]

On the outside it's just a odd looking highlander

I put lotion, hand sanitizer, tissue

in my RAV4,

I always envy how big my buddy's ..

Get the Terra. It will make a you a real man...and you won't have all these self confidence issues about size and vehicle...

 

[manofthewoods]

Get the Terra. It will make a you a real man...and you won't have all these self confidence issues about size and vehicle...

Also...
Cool box, great for beer
Champagne or chardonnay? Not so much

 

[Musubi]

you won't have all these self confidence issues about size and vehicle

I don't have any confidence issues with the RAV4. It's staying. It's just time for a body on frame 4WD because I'm constantly finding out the off road limits for the RAV4.

 

[Musubi]

Thanks for everyone's feedback, definitely leaning more towards terra now. But I guess I'll update a little more context, outside of just the coolbox.

The two I'm looking at are both 2021, white, 80k miles. The HE is about $6k more.
The reason why I'm not so concerned about budget is because

- HE has KO2s on it. So subtract $1.5k off for wheels/tires that I'll need to purchase for the Terra. Then the difference becomes $4.5k
- The Terra is 10h more drive, and would add about $700 in fuel/hotel/food. (Altho this cost is offset if I buy a fridge for the HE)
- Both have great Toyota maintance recrods. Altho the HE has oil change every 5k, and Terra has the recommened 10k.

For roughly $4.5k more I can get an HE(that has 3rd row which is cool, but would be removed anyways.) I'd definitely prefer the larger center console, and obviously HE is HE. I do like the updated grill/tinted headlights, but not as much as terra interior.

 

[Musubi]

Enough cool boxes have had the fan fail

Hmmm this is news to me. Sounds like a relatively DIY fix?

 

[Sandroad]

Hmmm this is news to me. Sounds like a relatively DIY fix?

I don’t think it’s common, but there have been a few reports on here. I do leave mine off when not using it. I wish it had an external LED-on indicator. Replacing the fan is a yucky job. Not for the faint of heart and not a first DIY. Complex disassembly.