Ever wonder why some cars are just more comfortable to sit in than others? Sitting in a car for the first time and feeling what luxury is? It mainly depends on the material used to make the seat that you sit in, and here are the different materials commonly seen in car seats:
*Do note that some seats can be a mixture of two different materials. One of the common ones is semi-leather seats, which is a combination of fabric and leather used in different parts of the seat.
Fabric
These are more common in lower-spec variants of vehicles, and are cheap to produce. They are able to stay cooler in warm climates (especially Malaysia), but are prone to stains and accumulate dust over time.
Leatherette
Also known as imitation leather seats, they are made to mimic leather seats and are cheaper owing to it being a type of synthetic leather. They add a premium feel to cars but still have a distinct feel compared to real leather. They are quite resistant to stains with the downside of being hotter compared to fabric seats.
Leather
Widely seen in higher-spec variants of vehicles, they are mainly made of corrected grain leather, which has been treated to look more uniformed and is considered a premium seat option in many vehicles. Leather is considerably more expensive than leatherette and fabric but is also softer to the touch and nicer to sit in compared to leatherette.
Nappa Leather
Considered an even higher grade of leather, it is made of full grain leather which is the closest to its natural form and has the same or better qualities compared to leather. It is more common in premium vehicles, and has been through an intricate process with better finishings to make it more softer and comfortable to sit in.
Alcantara Leather
The higher-end of leather, it has a different feel compared to leatherette and leather. Despite it being a type of synthetic leather, it has both the benefits of being cool like fabric and nice to the touch like leather. With such qualities comes a high price, and thus mainly used in sports cars, hypercars and race cars.