Cloth interior beats leather, discuss....
Discussion
Perception: Leather is grown, it's a skin, an animal, historically and hugely marketed as the superior surface.
But......it's too cold, then too it's hot, it's slippery, gets shiny, it cracks and, much like a leather sofa, just isn't as cosy warm or comfy as a quality cloth seat.
Any thoughts?
But......it's too cold, then too it's hot, it's slippery, gets shiny, it cracks and, much like a leather sofa, just isn't as cosy warm or comfy as a quality cloth seat.
Any thoughts?
I think the big problem with leather (both in cars and sofas) is that the huge majority of the time it's not really leather at all but PU. Good real leather is a nice surface but it's also very expensive.
Having said that, good synthetic cloths can also be very nice surfaces and are a damned slight cheaper, so yes in general I'd agree that cloth is preferable to leather as something to sit on. .
Having said that, good synthetic cloths can also be very nice surfaces and are a damned slight cheaper, so yes in general I'd agree that cloth is preferable to leather as something to sit on. .
Agree, the cloth /Alcantara interior was surprisingly one of the selling points for my recent e46 purchase.
It's really nice, comfortable and people comment on how comfortable it is.
The bolsters are still worn though (not horrendously) and I see it having to be a replacement covering as suppose to leathery which is more able to be patched up and restored
It's really nice, comfortable and people comment on how comfortable it is.
The bolsters are still worn though (not horrendously) and I see it having to be a replacement covering as suppose to leathery which is more able to be patched up and restored
If you look in early cars where the driver is exposed they often had leather as it was easy to clean and reaonsably weather resistant. The passengers often had fabric which was seen as far more luxurious.
At some time or another this idea reversed and leather somehow became the luxury item.
At some time or another this idea reversed and leather somehow became the luxury item.
duckhunt said:
The bolsters are still worn though (not horrendously) and I see it having to be a replacement covering as suppose to leathery which is more able to be patched up and restored
I think half-leather, with the main seat base being cloth and the bolsters being leather, makes a lot of sense. 
I have leather and I prefer it. Never too hot or too cold, more comfortable and easier to keep clean. Most of all I don't get static shocks like I do with from my wife's cloth seats.
I had really good cloth seats in the Leon and bad leather(ish) in the Kia, so I guess it just comes down to the quality of the seat and materials used.
I had really good cloth seats in the Leon and bad leather(ish) in the Kia, so I guess it just comes down to the quality of the seat and materials used.
Edited by Mike335i on Monday 6th November 07:15
The market says leather is posh and cloth is poverty spec.
But everything has leather now, or really nasty cloth if you are too tight to pay for leather, bring back velour and other premium fabrics, that Toyota Century the other week had cloth and they are very expensive, the Japanese are obviously not that impressed by plastic looking leather we get excited about over here, maybe the market is mature enough to not be terrified by more upmarket cars with cloth interiors.
Ffs even budget airlines have leather seats, not about luxury, more abou being hard wearing and easy to wipe down.
But everything has leather now, or really nasty cloth if you are too tight to pay for leather, bring back velour and other premium fabrics, that Toyota Century the other week had cloth and they are very expensive, the Japanese are obviously not that impressed by plastic looking leather we get excited about over here, maybe the market is mature enough to not be terrified by more upmarket cars with cloth interiors.
Ffs even budget airlines have leather seats, not about luxury, more abou being hard wearing and easy to wipe down.
Leather is easier to clean, smells better as won't soak up other odours, lasts better if maintained and looks better.
The too hot, too cold argument is daft also. Can't think of one occasion in the last 5 years where heat in the summer has been an issue and with heated seats nowadays cold in the winter isn't either.
The too hot, too cold argument is daft also. Can't think of one occasion in the last 5 years where heat in the summer has been an issue and with heated seats nowadays cold in the winter isn't either.
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