I’m sure you’ll get into that car seats leather vs cloth debate when it’s time to buy a new car. When choosing the trim for your car, which car seat do you choose? Leather is seen as the luxurious option, but is it better?
There are tradeoffs you need to consider between leather and cloth upholstery, in terms of aesthetics, comfort, temperature, durability, price, and even how they absorb smells and stains. The better option will depend on how important those qualities are for you.
This guide will walk you through how leather and cloth car seats differ and help you decide which one fits better for you.
Are Leather Seats in a Car Better Than Cloth?
Leather car seats are not necessarily better than cloth upholstery for your car. Unfortunately, there’s no universal answer to that question because it depends on your tastes and priorities.
Sure, leather car seats make a car look fancier on the inside. They’ll certainly help you impress your passengers and anyone standing close enough to see through your windows.
However, those seats eat more into your car-buying budget, and you might end up regretting the extra expense for leather car seats.
Leather vs Cloth Car Seats: What Are the Differences?
Leather and cloth car seats are both fantastic choices, but the better one depends on your personal preferences and priorities.
To help you decide which one’s better for you, check out these seven areas where leather and cloth car seats differ.
Factors to Consider Before Deciding on Car Seats Cover
1. Aesthetics
Custom leather car seats look amazing, no matter what car you drive. Those seats will add elegance to your vehicle, regardless of the brand or model. So, that gives leather a leg up over cloth upholstery.
However, cloth also has one thing leather doesn’t: more flexibility. To counter this, manufacturers create more variations for leather seat covers. Still, they can't match the unlimited number of colours, patterns, and textures that you get with cloth upholstery.
2. Comfort
Form and function go hand in hand when it comes to car upholstery. So, aside from your car seats looking good, they must also provide enough comfort.
Leather does feel good against the skin, but cloth seats provide much more softness that makes traveling more comfortable, especially on long road trips.
3. Temperature
Leather is known for being warmer, with cloth leaning more towards the cooler side of things.
That might not be a big deal depending on your climate, but if you're anywhere in Australia, you know how hot it can get.
If you park your car out in the sun, your leather seats will be too hot to sit on, so you'll need to let them cool down before driving away.
Again, this is not to say that you should avoid leather altogether. Everything is a trade-off, and some people are willing to put up with some heat for the other benefits of leather car seats.
4. Durability
The durability of your car seats is something you must consider, especially if you plan on using child seats in your vehicle.
Unfortunately, leather seats tend to wear unevenly. They can be punctured by child seats or form cracks over time.
Cloth seats will have none of these issues, but they can also tear when the time comes.
5. Smell
For many drivers, smell is also another concern. Family cars will likely experience spills of all kinds that leave behind smells. Plus, anyone who has ever smoked in a vehicle knows it’s a challenging smell to remove.
In this area, leather comes out on top thanks to its resistance to smells. That's unlike fabric car seats that absorb odours and make it very challenging to remove.
6. Stains
Smell isn’t the only thing that leather is excellent against, but stains as well.
Car seats made of cloth easily trap stains, making cleaning them a nightmare. Leather does quite the opposite.
Of course, you’ll still have to learn how to clean car seats leather upholstery and give your leather car seats proper care, but rest assured that stains are not a major problem with for leather seats.
7. Cost
Leather car seats are the more expensive option between the two. Not only for the higher price you pay for the car but also for car seats leather repair.
Despite the many good things about leather car seats, they wear unevenly and puncture easily. Repairing that damage is possible, but it'll be pricey.
Is there a middle ground between the two?
You could reduce your costs slightly by purchasing leather seat covers for cars and putting them over your cloth car seats instead.
How Do I Know If My Car Seats Are Real Leather?
Let's suppose you decide to invest in leather seats for your car or buy car seats’ leather covers. You’re paying a higher price for that leather material, so you must be more cautious about where you buy it from.
That’s because the automotive market also offers faux leather, also known as ‘fake leather’ or ‘vegan leather’.
Many people choose faux leather voluntarily because of their preferences, and that’s fine.
Unfortunately, some dishonest sellers will sell you faux leather claiming that it’s real.
Qualities of Real Leather Seat Covers for Cars
To know if you’re getting real or fake leather, here are 3 qualities of authentic leather you need to look for:
- Stretch: Real leather has a stretchy quality, while fake leather doesn’t stretch so easily.
- Warmth: Real leather feels warm, so the material heats up on hot summer days. Fake leather feels cooler to the touch.
- Smell: Real leather smells like oak. It’s a distinct smell that fake leathers don’t have.
If you ever suspect that you’re not getting the genuine leather that you’re paying for, it’s worth doing a bit more checking before you hand your money over.
Looking for sellers of car seats’ leather or cloth covers? Find what you’re looking for through CarpartAU. The Directory will point you to the nearest automotive businesses in your area, where you can find what you need!
To get you started, check out this leather specialist in Brighton Road, Hove SA! They have showrooms in Melbourne and Sydney!
By Ray Hasbollah