Leather seats

Do you prefer leather or material seats?

  • I prefer leather

    Votes: 230 79.9%
  • I prefer material

    Votes: 37 12.8%
  • I prefer material but have leather because it's expected

    Votes: 21 7.3%

  • Total voters
    288
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Dieselman

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There have been some comments where posters actually prefer material seats to leather covered ones, but find that there is a lack of availability, or that protocol dictates they should have leather.

From a pure comfort and personal choice view, who prefers leather and who prefers material?
 
Comfort wise I find no difference between the two. But my choice is leather for look, durability and ease of maintenance
 
Half-leather is a fair compromise, but for comfort cloth is best IMHO.

Mrs D had a Vauxhall Omega with great big heated seats timmed in velour cloth. Made for comfort.
 
Mrs D had a Vauxhall Omega with great big heated seats timmed in velour cloth. Made for comfort.

My preference would be velour or suede.
In general head of state cars are trimmed in velour or suede as they are the most comfortable, but don't wear as well as "workman" leather.
 
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Leather sticks to exposed skin on long journeys! Preferred the half leather on my old Mazda, but it's similar to diesels and silver paintwork - that is what is available in any quantity in the used exec market and the perception is that it will sell on more easily.
 
I used to avoid leather on the assumption that it would be more slippy and sweaty, prefering Alcantara.

Now I've got leather because there was no alternative (on W219), I've not found it a problem (maybe because it's Napa), and it's easier to keep clean (from dog hairs).

But I'm keeping an open mind- if it looks and feels right, I'll consider any material- so no preference to express at this time.
 
If I were being driven around then I'd opt for a good-quality cloth (such as West of England wool) for the rear seats, but that's not practical for everyday use up-front - it would fray and trap dirt like nothing else.

A good quality hide, such as Connolly (or its present-day equivalent) or Poltrona Frau, offers a very practical solution, and if it has been well cut, can really enhance a car's interior.

However, the leather in the SLK might as well be Artico, and I have no idea where they dreampt up the pattern for the panels - it's a bizarre Y-shaped affair. Got to be better than sitting on Nylon or whatever they make 'cloth' seats out of these days, though. You wouldn't have it in your house, so why in your car?
 
I prefer the comfort of cloth/velour etc. I had half leather and alcantara seats in my Mondeo and liked them a lot but (and a big but at that) there's just no way that you can keep cloth as clean as leather in a well-used family car.

So I voted for the 'because it's expected' option but more because of the practicality point of view rather than selecting what I think others 'expect.'
 
I like the look of leather - but material/alcantara/suede is more comfortable.

I can't agree that leather is easier to live with - I worry all the time about scratching, scuffing, stretching, discolouring, and general ageing (especially black, which can start to look like plastic.)

When the last model of the ML ran out, nearly all of them came with alcantara - very few people seemed to spec the leather. I often wondered why...unusual for a Merc.
 
It depends on the type of car in my opinion.
In my s class it has to be leather , whereas the w123 models I have a few of I prefer the cloth interior,s. the wife has a w210 estate model which is her work bus ( childminder) that has cloth but I wish it was leather.
That doesn't really answer the question though does it.
 
I worry all the time about scratching, scuffing, stretching, discolouring, and general ageing

Don't - it's called patina and good quality cars wear it well. And when it gets to be too much, it can be brought back to life by wizards. Mind you, it needs to be good quality leather in the first place...
 
I like leather esp the smell, but it can be a bit cold sometimes, the last car I bought some one had polished it with mr sheen, idiots, kept sliding off lol ,, cleaned it off and used some leather balm problem solved
 
Suede and alcantara have to be the most unsuitable materials for seating. Suede stains easily and tends to flatten and go shiny. Alcantara will also bobble unless the very highest quality.

Leather ages beautifully. Scuffing and scratching is all part of the patina. A caught thread or rip just looks tatty on cloth seats..

All completely personal opinion of course!
 
There have been some comments where posters actually prefer material seats to leather covered ones, but find that there is a lack of availability, or that protocol dictates they should have leather.

From a pure comfort and personal choice view, who prefers leather and who prefers material?

You need a hobby............
 
Don't know why, but I prefer leather in an automatic car and cloth in a manual.
 
I have cream leather in my current car which looks great but is a nightmare every time my wife gets into car wearing blue jeans as the due comes out s over the seats. I prefer leather have not got it in c class on order.
 
Apologies for the poor grammar. Have just read my last thread and can't believe I sent it like that.
 

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