When purchasing a new car, there is a lot to ponder, including the make, model, gas mileage, technical specifications, etc. In addition to these technical details, the aesthetic appeal and comfort of the car’s interior are also immensely important. The vehicle you drive represents your personality and your lifestyle. Therefore, before choosing the car’s upholstery, it is essential to consider how often and for what purpose you’ll be driving the vehicle.
The choice between leather vs. cloth car seats is genuinely a matter of personal preference, and both types of materials have their individualistic advantages and disadvantages. Here in this article, we have thoroughly analyzed the most favorable features and pros and cons of Leather and cloth car seats. This detailed comparison between Leather vs. cloth car Seats will help you decide the best suitable material for your car.
Which One is Better?
Although both leather and cloth seats have pros and cons, leather seats are the market leader due to their luxurious feel, stylish appearance, durability, and resale value. According to us, leather car seats make a vehicle’s interior look fantastic. Moreover, leather is sturdy, durable, and comfortable as well. Though you may be paying a premium price for the whole package firsthand, you’ll attain a significant resell value.
1. Leather Car Seats
Highlighting Features
- Looks luxurious and stylish
- The comfortable and plush feel
- Add in lavish car smell
- Allergens can’t settle in
- Durable
- Strong and sturdy material
- Less likely to rip
- Easy to wipe off stains
2. Cloth Car Seats
Highlighting Features
- Low maintenance
- Maintains the average temperature of seats in any weather conditions
- Available in various colors
- Wide range of textures and patterns
- Affordable price range
- Great for people with children or pets
About Leather Car Seats
Leather is a premium quality, flexible, plush fabric obtained from animal hide. The animal hide undergoes several processes, such as tanning to refine leather fabric. Additionally, most of the leather used in the automobile industry comes from the cows’ hides. The main reason behind using cows’ hides is the enormous cow meat industry. The meat industry is thriving in almost every part of the world, and leather is its major byproduct.
Based on the tanning methods, finishing techniques, and dying processes, the quality and texture of the leather vary. The higher the leather’s quality, the more it will cost. Leather car seats are a perfect choice for someone willing to pay a premium price to get a luxurious feel, sturdiness, durability, and excellent resell value.
About Cloth Car Seats
The cloth car seat has a soft and comfortable fabric cover, and most low-budget vehicles have cloth upholstery. This material has crisscrossed artificial or natural textile fibers finished via weaving, knitting, braiding, or felting.
The crisscross arrangement of fibers makes it comfy and breathable, and the softness and breathability of cloth make it excellent to use in all kinds of weather conditions. These car seats come in a wide variety of prints, colors, and textures, offering you a broad spectrum of options to choose from.
Cloth seats are an excellent choice for people looking for low-maintenance, family-friendly, and affordable car seats.
Head to Head Comparison (Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats)
1. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Aesthetic Appeal
Undoubtedly, cars with leather interiors look stylish and supreme. It has a soft, clean, and lavish appearance that no other material can match. Contrarily, the car’s interior with cloth upholstery does not have the same aesthetic appeal. Modern vehicles with posh appearance have leather car interiors. Many car buyers with modish taste prefer leather seat covers over the cloth.
2. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Cleanliness
Whether you are buying a new car or a used vehicle, the ease of cleaning it from the inside out is essential. In this regard, the leather interior is much more feasible to clean. And in case of any spillage or stain, the liquid will not penetrate inside the Leather, and you can easily wipe it off.
But, in the case of cloth seats, the liquid will absorb inside the porous material, and it is challenging to clean the stain. For pet owners or a family with children, a car seat with leather upholstery may work best as they’ll require continual cleaning of the seats.
3. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Impact of Weather Conditions
When choosing between Leather or cloth seats, it is essential to be eco-conscious. Leather directly reacts to the environment as it absorbs both cold and heat. In cold weather, leather seats become too cool to sit on. Therefore many manufacturers offer Seat warmers for cars with leather upholstery for winter. Similarly, if you park your car in direct sunlight for a long, then the leather seats will absorb heat and become uncomfortable to sit on.
Cloth is a breathable material, and it remains easy to sit on compared to leather seats in harsh weather conditions. Most car buyers living in hot environments stick to cloth upholstery.
4. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Safety from the Allergens
Cars are one of the favorite residing places of allergens as they mostly retain warm temperatures and are not often cleaned, and swirling winds bring dirt, dust, and all sorts of pollutants. Hence thorough and deep cleaning of all parts of cars is necessary to be safe from allergens. Leather seats are the perfect choice for those sensitive to allergens.
Natural Leather is a sturdy and robust material that does not absorb allergens such as dust, dirt, fungi, and bacteria. On the contrary, cloth seats tend to absorb odors, dust, dirt, pet dander, and other allergens. Regular cleaning and maintenance of the vehicle’s interior by an upholstery cleaner is vital to keep you and your family at bay from allergic reactions.
5. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Versatility in Texture and Colors
As Leather comes from natural or animal byproducts, It has limited colors choices. The most common colors found in leather car seats include brown and black. On the other hand, many color palettes and prints are available in cloth car seats. Someone who wishes to add exquisite patterns or vibrant colors to their new or used cars then chooses cloth car seats.
6. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Durability
What lasts longer, Leather or cloth? Unlike cloth, real Leather is an exceptionally durable material. Leather seats are solid and firm; thus, it is difficult to pull them. There are strong chances of ripping or tearing cloth seats than full leather seats.
7. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Price
Price is one of the determining factors in buying a new car. Among several factors, the cloth or leather seats pose a significant difference in the total cost of the new vehicle.
Leather seats are expensive as high-quality Leather produces by using cutting-edge technology at high-end facilities. The use of real leather upholstery raises the price of the vehicle by several thousand dollars. However, many cloth upholstery manufacturers are improving the quality of their materials. So, you may be able to get affordable yet high-standard cloth seats.
8. Leather Vs. Cloth Car Seats: Resale Value
Answering one frequently asked question, How does Leather compare with cloth in terms of resale value? Though Leather is available at a substantially higher cost than cloth, it gives your new vehicle great value when you wish to resell. Of course, the used car’s price will hugely differ from the brand new car, but the leather car seats have a significantly reselling price compared to cloth upholstered cars.
The exact value you’ll get depends on several other factors as well, including overall condition, model, and mileage. Furthermore, if the leather seats have been ripped, you must not expect too much.
The cloth car seat does not have high resale value because it is inexpensive, and usually, all affordable cars have cloth upholstery. There is nothing special or unique about cloth car seats, and they won’t resell at a higher value.
Which is Right for You? Cloth vs. Leather
Leather and cloth seats are two of the most common choices for car upholstery. And there is no right or wrong choice between the two as both have their positives and negatives. Indeed, choosing leather seats and cloth seats primarily depends on your lifestyle.
If you wish for a durable, high standard, and excellent resale value option, then you’ll prefer leather seats. Whether you should go for low maintenance, budget-friendly cloth seats or plush, generally soft, comfy, and expensive leather car seats depends on your needs and requirements.
