Cloth or Leather

[Instrument 41]

Which do prefer for your cars interior? I have cloth and thinking about recovering seats in leather. Why do you like one over the other?

[onewhippedpuppy]

I like the breathability, toughness, and grip of cloth. But I like the smell and look of leather. So I guess either?

[pwd72s]

Depends on the car. No problem with the cloth in Cindy's Camry...love the leather in my Mustang.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Best option is ultrasuede/alcantara seating surface surrounded by leather.

I had the local tailor make alcantera cushions for the base seats in my E320 sewn to 1/2" foam to create a factory look. Love it.

[Seahawk]

I am good with either as long as I can get seat heat - except for my truck: I sweat like Patrick Ewing in the fourth quarter and would ruin cloth seats pronto working around the farm.

On the Tundra I didn't want all the gewgaws that went with the leather seat package so I bought the truck I wanted and had the leather seats only added.

Need leather.

[masraum]

leather.

[cabmandone]

Leather depending on color. Easy to keep clean.

[kach22i]

Can you get a combination of both?

Cloth seat and back for grip, and leather side supports for wear.

https://www.motortrend.ca/en/news/2015-volkswagen-golf-gti-first-test/

[Steve Carlton]

[Tervuren]

Depends on how good the air conditioning is, and if it will be exposed to sharp/sharpish objects.

[drkshdw]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Depends on how good the air conditioning is...

^^This. There is nothing worse than leather seats in a car on a 100* day without AC.

Besides, how does one scootch and slide around and get comfy in a car seat made of cloth? It sticks to your clothes like velcro which is just annoying. Especially on long road trips when shifting weight from one cheek to another is imperative.

[porsche tech]

I've had many Audis over the years with leather and with cloth. I always liked the cloth seats that Audi had. Leather (as mentioned) is extremely hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Most of the Audis I owned were high mileage and the cloth seats held up well. It seems to be getting harder and harder to find cloth seats in a nice car.

[kach22i]

The seats I had in my 1986 Diesel Golf were a really nice cloth, the sides and high wear areas were leather or a really nice fake leather.

They were much better in hot weather than my 911's all leather seats.

I was thinking of that car when I first posted.

[Bill Douglas]

A Pelican, sorry can't remember who - I can only remember the seats , did the inserts/middle bits in black and white hound's tooth and the sides in black leather. Fantastic. Tasteful, and looked period correct for the car too.

[KNS]

Cloth. Most of the mufacturers are now using coated leather, helps to keep stains away and get the car through the warranty period. Except it doesn’t breathe! Other than the nice smell what’s the point of having leather if it doesn’t breathe?

Cloth is so much nicer whether it’s cold or hot outside.

[RANDY P]

Good leather. Cheap leather is a curse and will make the car look aged earlier than it should. If I had to do it over again and was forced to take crappy leather with the options I want- I'd bite the bullet and get Katzkin. For what you get Katzkin pricewise isn't too bad actually

Fortunately, I prefer my cars with few advanced options so that also usually means no leather, but Alcantara, etc.

rjp

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by kns

cloth. Most of the mufacturers are now using coated leather, helps to keep stains away and get the car through the warranty period. Except it doesn’t breathe! Other than the nice smell what’s the point of having leather if it doesn’t breathe?

this

[Chocaholic]

Perforated leather with AC blower to cool the boys. Gets mighty hot and muggy here in GA.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Leather with seat heat and cool.

[jcommin]

Leather and heated seats! That's the ticket. I grew up with vinyl seats - hot in the summer , cold in the winter. Leather is wonderful and i like the smell. Hot in t he summer and cold in the winter - I can live with it. Heated seats - I wouldn't buy a car without them. Cloth - automotive grade cloth is very durable - my preference is leather.