Leather Seats?

[Crazy Dazz]

Curious on this.

Maybe I'm just showing my age, but I have always liked leather seats.

So, is it just my perception, or have they become LESS common (in new cars) of late?

When looking/browsing on car sales, I often filter by features. I've noticed that even when filtered by all the latest features, only a fraction of the cars selected will have leather seats.

Is this a case of changing tastes?
Perhaps a reflection of more Vegan/Vegetarian tastes?

Or has leather become so comparatively expensive, that's it reserved for only the top-level trim, on high-end models or luxury brands?

Also, Heated Seats? Even 20 years ago these were becoming common on many imported brands, especially European, American, and Japanese.
But now I find they're less common than all the latest tech wizardry.

[rare ss]

I'd rather cloth seats myself (1981 model) never understood the attraction for heated seats particularly in Perth but I must admit driving the work car around in the winter they do get cranked up when it's cold, vented seats would be a much better option for Oz IMO

[Giant Cranium]

I reckon more new cars have ‘leather’ than ever before. But very few would be leather. Which is probably what is causing the search function issue

[lra]

Leather comes from dead animals. It is cruel to kill and eat animals, but people do it. What is left over is their skin, which is disgusting in its raw state.
So, you want to dry it and sit on it in your atmosphere polluting machine. Double disgusting.
Not only that, you want to put electric wires in that ex-skin so you can warm your bum on a less than naturally heated sunshine day.

Please excuse what I have written above, I had a greenie, woke, PETA moment.

Most leather now is just pleather, a split with a simulated grain and seal. Compare an old Jag upholstery with a Falcon / Territory / Holden. And it is expensive to produce now, which is what Australia doesn't do anymore, it is cheaper to dump the skins and import leather from NZ.
As for heated seats and steering wheels, who needs these in Australia.

[Tonz]

PETA
P eople
E ating
T asty
A nimals

[Citroënbender]

Imagine if seats were upholstered with bacon.

[Tonz]

would'nt get much driving done

[Franco Cozzo]

I'm pro cloth seats, because you don't have to maintain them like you do with 'leather' seats or they go all brittle and crack.

Not huge on heated seats, feels like you shat your dacks.

I've got enough *** there to be well insulated from the cold, it's like wearing 6 jackets.

[rare ss]

+2 for the wear and maintenance also

Big fan of velour, the VK has a plush wool insert, god I love the 80's



The FG F6 is running clotch trim which still good good for 11 years of daily use

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I'm pro cloth seats, because you don't have to maintain them like you do with 'leather' seats or they go all brittle and crack.

Not huge on heated seats, feels like you shat your dacks.

I've got enough *** there to be well insulated from the cold, it's like wearing 6 jackets.

They need more maintenance to make them not putrid. Cloth seats are harder to clean which means they never get cleaned.

[Crazy Dazz]

Leather is 100% easier to keep clean and looking new. Especially compared to any premium cloth.

Heated Seats, that put the heat in the right spot, are awesome when you're old and have a crook lower back.

[Rastas]

Heated/cooled and even massage nappa leather seats are very common in 2024 China cars or in Alcantara if you don't like leather.
And since China now makes over 1/3 of all new cars these days I guess that is where all the leather has gone.

[FASTXR]

Originally Posted by lra

As for heated seats and steering wheels, who needs these in Australia.

Clearly you've never experienced a Canberra winter; when its -6 in the morning I'll take all the heat I can get

[Dr Smith]

I'm never buying a car without heated seats, fitted them to our Territory and my Vito ...it's that early morning heat that is only bettered by a real massage...

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

They need more maintenance to make them not putrid. Cloth seats are harder to clean which means they never get cleaned.

I've never cleaned my car seats and I don't intend on starting, just don't wear white clothes in my cars

Should have seen 30 years of fat truck driver *** sweat that come out the seats of my ACCO when I hit them with the upholstery cleaner

[Giant Cranium]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

I've never cleaned my car seats and I don't intend on starting, just don't wear white clothes in my cars

Should have seen 30 years of fat truck driver *** sweat that come out the seats of my ACCO when I hit them with the upholstery cleaner

Brother ew

[Citroënbender]

Time for HNOK to post in this thread.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Time for HNOK to post in this thread.

Oh, please no.

[MFL]

Originally Posted by rare ss

+2 for the wear and maintenance also

Big fan of velour, the VK has a plush wool insert, god I love the 80's

image

I miss my old Brock (VK SS), and the interior was nice.

[DFB FGXR6]

This is a tough question. There is no doubt in my mind that cloth is more comfortable, both in temperature control and in softness. And when it looks like this, well................................I purposely chose this over the leather option...........







However, my first car, an AU III Fairmont had Vulgarlour. Which always had to be combed to remove all the pilling. Hated it. I also wouldn't choose a cloth interior these days either, most of the higher end cars don't offer it anyway. And cloth is harder to clean.

Leather? Well, its not really leather in the true sense. The only portion that is considered leather does vary somewhat, but for the most part its limited to the steering wheel and the parts of the seat you sit on/rest against. The bolsters, sides and seat backs are all vinyl. And of the "real" leather, its what they call split grain, which has a plastic coating on top to provide wear resistance. In actual fact, you really wouldn't want real leather in a car, it becomes far too brittle over time and how many people are going to invest time into keeping the car seats hydrated? I would, but then..........







And don't think because you bought an expensive car that you are getting real leather or more of it. Even Jaguar, the king of wood and leather, its the same story as any other mass-produced car.

What bugs me the insistence on black leather. Boring boring boring. This seems to be a very Australia thing, because car companies just spec out their range with black on black for simplicity. But it's just so dull.

The Jag I referenced earlier, well I specifically wanted the Light Oyster interior, in black makes the interior very bland.





The same basic interior used in my sisters F-Pace.................



The same thing with the G-Series. In black, it was too monotone, but in Cashmere or Northan Tan?









The Mustang is offered in several interior colours, including the boring black, they offer saddle brown, red, white and even blue on the Darkhorse. And which do they offer us? I would have totally gone with red if it was offered.











Aussies are more conservative than we realise.

[Work Horse]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Imagine if seats were upholstered with bacon.

Mmmmm bacon!