Artico vs. Leather

[LTD]

Well, now that the fat has been chewed.

I asked the question as part of my decision making process on a new car I was intending to purchase. Thank you for all your input.

I was looking at a new E Class Coupe.

SE trim gives the leather interior as standard but at the expense of a lot of other things.
Sport trim gives Artico as standard but gives lots of things that the SE doesn't.

In the end, the pre-facelift choices meant that I could realistically only get a E Coupe Sport with leather interior if I saddled it with COMAND and loads of other extras that I didn't want or couldn't afford. COMAND and a pano-roof added over 10% to the price - neither I wanted or needed.

So my new car has Artico and I reckon that only the Mercedes faithful would tell the difference ... c'est la vie.

I appreciate that many of you consider real leather to be the only choice. I accept that and agree 100% with you. It's exactly the reason why I have a pair of Natuzzi leather couches on order for my home.

No right, no wrong, just choices .....

 

[markjay]

There is no such thing as Artico.

Not if you ask Car Giant, anyway... all their Mercedes cars are advertised as 'leather'...

 

[V12]

Would love to hear more of what it's like to live with. Although my first impression wasn't great, what it's like on a day to day basis is a different story usually...

 

[LTD]

There is no such thing as Artico.

Not if you ask Car Giant, anyway... all their Mercedes cars are advertised as 'leather'...

Man-made leather as advertised.

Man-made cow ? Never seen one .... have you ?

 

[LTD]

Would love to hear more of what it's like to live with. Although my first impression wasn't great, what it's like on a day to day basis is a different story usually...

Go to a dealer and look at 3yo cars.

The Artico ones look much fresher

 

[whitenemesis]

I've travelled in Stuttgart taxis with 300k on the clock and the Artico looks like new, the way leather ages is part of the attraction for me. Each to their own!

 

[jaymanek]

Artico is much more durable, however it does split at crease points, especially on the W204.

Leather wears a lot quicker and goes shiny over the years. Artico doesnt.

Leather looks the best, especially in light colours.

For practicality, I have to say half leather and artico wins for reasons already mentioned.

Most people cannot tell the difference.

 

[b1g1an]

Not much quite as disappointing as admiring the outside of an older car that looks like it just left the factory then opening the door and seeing creased leather. It's not character...it's just worn. Leather furniture, and I mean proper leather not this coated rubbish from DFS and the like, gets character.

Every other bit of a car lasts so well nowadays but seats seem to have gone in the opposite direction.

 

[James]

There is no such thing as Artico.

Not if you ask Car Giant, anyway... all their Mercedes cars are advertised as 'leather'...

I am glad someone has noticed this!
I think a lot of people are duped into thinking that Artico is leather by the trade - it does look very similar to the real stuff which is why it has become so popular as a cheap alternative. It seems to be a standard fitment on a number of models now. It used to be standard on some models in the 50's and 60's and then used to be a rarely chosen option in the 80's and 90's. Historically, MB-tex in a Mercedes on the used-car circuit was akin to specifying a duff colour and was therefore less desirable.

Incidentally went to see a second hand BMW X3 with what they described as full leather - it actually had what BMW call 'Sensotec' - plastic to you and I. I pointed this out to the salesperson and he was apologetic saying 'Oh I'd better revise the listing'. I notice he never did and it probably was sold to some unsuspecting punter. At the end of the day they will sell 10 of these to some poor sod saying its leather to get rid of the car and only 1 or 2 may ever notice - until they come to trade it in several years later. By then it is too late to have any recourse.

Personally I think charging £25k upwards for a car and putting plastic upholstery in it is lamentable. Leather lasts just as well if looked after where a similar Artico upholstered car may suffer from splitting. Unfortunately leather supplied in cars (even Rolls Royces) these days is a lot thinner compared to the stuff that the likes of Connolly used to produce and owners tend not to give interiors any basic care or they may get it in light colours like magnolia which look great when new, but attract the dirt badly. But look in a well cared for Mercedes or other high spec leather upholstered car from the 1970's or 80s and it well have an attractive patina you would not get on a vinyl upholstered car.

Mercedes has done a seemingly clever marketing trick of calling it Artico - if they called it what it really is (plastic, vinyl, MB-Tex, or even leatherette) it would probably be less popular. The US market has always loved MB-Tex and many Mercedes exported over there had this as standard fitment over cloth or velour unless it was the flagship model and I suppose MB UK are trying the same ploy over here.

 

[st4]

I've had Artico. Like leather is horrid to sit on. Like leather you slide in the seat and like leather it nips yer bum in summer and freezes it in winter.

Jays right, half artico and leather is fine.

 

[EVL]

As an upholsterer I do quite a few seat repairs with split panels. I'd say that out off every 10 that come in (that arent cloth), 8 are vinyl and 2 leather. In my opinion the leather doesnt split as easily as vinyl (regardless of what fancy name is given to it), but does crease alot more.