Seat Material: leather or fabric

Do you prefer leather or cloth seats? Why?

Ill go first, cloth. They regulate temperature better, breathe better, require less upkeep and have slightly more grip during performance driving.

Leather kinda sucks.

Fight me.

Cloth 100%. I do not understand the appeal of leather seats.

Good leather>Good Cloth>Good Vinyl>Cheap Cloth>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cheap Vinyl/Leather

I'd say leather mostly. But up until recently none of my cars have had AC and I can't stand a soaked fabric seats. Somehow it's just a hair more gross than a slick sweaty leather seat.

Although for some reason in my e30 I really enjoy whatever cheap leatherette/vinyl they used on the factory sport seats. They just fit the car better than a new set of supple leather buckets would.

Cloth wins for me 95% of the time. 

I will definitely choose cloth if possible. The heated leather seats in my V70XC were decent but I still prefer cloth. I have yet to have a running vehicle with heated cloth seats but I imagine that would be the best option. 

You can't just say leather.  Volvo leather from the 00's is lovely and pliable and comfortable and has seat heaters, so thumbs up except for July.  I haven't seen a Volvo cloth seat for a long time, but they had some super good tough velour in the first half of the 80's that was lovely.

American truck leather, particularly Ford King Ranch saddle leather is hard and stupid, and should never be purchased.

Most cloth seats now seems to made from swather canvases or burlap sacks.

Nice, soft cloth over soft leather over cheap canvas over saddle leather.

You have to be much more specific with leather. Proper leather is very different from that heavily lacquered crap that GM calls "leather".

For a daily, I prefer leather. Easier to clean when a muddy dog gets on it.  I am planning cloth in my caddy though. 

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

Good leather>Good Cloth>Good Vinyl>Cheap Cloth>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cheap Vinyl/Leather

This, but "good leather" includes being a light color such that it doesn't soak up all the heat in the world and then burn the crap out of you. I'd take good black cloth over "good" black leather all day. But the white leather in my cayman is pretty sweet and avoids pretty much all the typical downsides of leather.

Also, the real answer is leather with alcantara inserts, porsche GT car style.

Honestly, I didn't know you could still get cloth.  The last vehicle I bought that had cloth seats was the very excellent 1989 Mazda 626.  Everything since then has been leather.  Same with my wife's cars.  I must be shopping too far upmarket?

That said, I liked the cloth seats in the 626 just fine.  The black leather in my son's E39 can get hot.  Tan is fine in my wife's Accord.  So, depends on the color?

The crap leather some of you don't like is "plasticized" so that the leather feels and looks the same as the vinyl that's used on the surfaces that don't touch the occupant. Next time you're looking at new vehicles see if the phrase "leather seating surfaces" shows on the window sticker or adverts. It's written that way for a reason.

I hadn't considered alcantara. I have no experience, though I hope to one day.

For reference, my leather experience has been German, my cloth Japanese and American, and my "leather" American.

Garbage "leather" is garbage. Nice cloth seats, like those in the Mazdaspeed3 I had, are fantastic. The leather seats in my BMWs crumbled and made my back sweat. The leather in my Boxster is holding up okay and hasn't annoyed me too much yet. They are perforated and heated so temperature control is decent. But the Mazda seats were better.

I prefer cloth. leather tends to be hot in summer and slippery - I had a Jensen with leather seats that were so slippery that every time you had to nail the brakes, you'd juts about end up in the footwall if you didn't brace yourself first. 

I have leather seats in my BMW coupe that are fine but cloth (an option much rarer than leather) in my Solstice coupe and prefer that.  Besides the quality control and workmanship on leather seats in GM cars would make a British craftsman (if any still exist) laugh - crooked seams, over polished coated leathers, amateur  cutting. 

In reply to spandak :

Ahh you need to sit in a Jaguar. The leather is so  buttery soft compared to most cars. Yes it's a select grade of leather like a Rolls Royce. Plus leather tends to mold itself to the driver better. 
     Few people take care of leather. It needs a regular treatment to keep it soft and pliable.  But if properly treated it will definitely outwear cloth.    
   I've rescued many a Jaguar leather seat that has turned Rock hard. Even split seams or torn apart.  
  A few treatments with Leatherique and rock turns to butter. Then you can pull the cover off,  restich the seams,  even superglue the tears back together.  Sometimes a little careful sanding is called for.  

Now I like the patina of aging. It shows character and history. But if you want it new looking just re-dye it.  All leather is colored even Tan leather.  

A complaint that I have with interiors is that they're all black, grey, greige, beige, or off-white. 

I want tan colored, saddle colored, or red/burgundy. Black looks good, but gets hot. If it is cloth, someone get out the patterns of the 70's and 80's. Best part about Dad's GTI is the plaid seats.

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

Good leather>Good Cloth>Good Vinyl>Cheap Cloth>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Cheap Vinyl/Leather

I'd put cheap cloth over good vinyl, but otherwise yup.

Difficulty:  Good leather is really, really hard to come by.  It's usually stiff and noncompliant and smells awful, BMW.  I hated leather seats until I tried GOOD ones.

They're nice because they are much, much easier to clean, and they don't get all sweat stained, requiring removal and a solid powerwash.

Cloth. I live in the south. My vehicles are usually parked outdoors. I wear shorts a lot.

edit: Sometimes I only wear shorts and offend my neighbors.

For something that is likely to be driven in a way that will throw me around, cloth.  The RX-7 had leather seats and while they were glorious to sit in, I had to hang on for dear life during a spirited drive because I kept sliding around.  For a more tame vehicle, leather all the way.  Heated is good, ventilated is amazing.

If your hauling little kids or dogs, you need leather.

But if I'm ordering a new Volvo that comes standard with leather interior, I'm choosing the no-cost-option fabric inserts.

Anyone know a source for some plaid cloth seat material? Was thinking that would be cool for my MG project.

You ever jump into a hot car on a summer day without a shirt on? I do it kinda regularly. Cloth.

But really, MBTex is the correct answer. In 2.5billion years there will be no evidence of human life except for MBTex seats.

Cloth for me. 

If I want to sit on leather, I'll go ride a horse. 

Leather. It's durable and doesn't trap sweat - so it can actually be cleaned.

02Pilot said:

Cloth 100%. I do not understand the appeal of leather seats.

this time a bajillion. Leather is either freezing cold or burning your legs hot. Since we see both.... cloth for me.

I'd say that there is a time and a place for (good) leather—say, if ventilated seats are an option—but cloth does seem to be a little more forgiving during the summer in central Florida.