Pleather

I've had the leatherette, which I call 'pleather", in three VW products. I would rate it very highly on durability, comfort, and cleanability. The only thing missing is that leather smell. I've seen too many vehicles with dirty, cracked, and torn leather. Yes it's nice, but you had best get some saddle soap and be willing to put some labor into it. With pleather, all it takes is a moist cloth most of the time. A little mild soap solution wil do for sticky "kid spills".

 

....which I call 'pleather"...

That's a fact.
If you want real leather, you've gotta go with the big boy package. If you're good with the 'simulated leather', then you're good!

 

Yup, like the Leatherette just fine. Hadn't realized it was pleather at first until I read the window sticker. Sat in a Lux model and the leather does feel nice, but not really too different than the Leatherette. Of course it's winter now, so my opinion may change in the heat of summer (especially with a black car), but so far I'm very satisfied. And, with a 4 year old, I can clean up the seats with some soap and water instead of leather cleaners and conditioners like I did with our old car.

The Lux package is nice and contains more than just the leather and panoramic sunroof though. It comes with motorized folding mirrors, memory seats, upgraded audio, etc. In the end, it came down to not wanting the panoramic roof for us. We liked the panoramic roof, but the shade still let quite a bit of light through when closed which would make it rough for our son to nap in his car seat. So knowing that, we opted for the Sport model.

 

Lux package

Yup, like the Leatherette just fine. Hadn't realized it was pleather at first until I read the window sticker. Sat in a Lux model and the leather does feel nice, but not really too different than the Leatherette. Of course it's winter now, so my opinion may change in the heat of summer (especially with a black car), but so far I'm very satisfied. And, with a 4 year old, I can clean up the seats with some soap and water instead of leather cleaners and conditioners like I did with our old car.

The Lux package is nice and contains more than just the leather and panoramic sunroof though. It comes with motorized folding mirrors, memory seats, upgraded audio, etc. In the end, it came down to not wanting the panoramic roof for us. We liked the panoramic roof, but the shade still let quite a bit of light through when closed which would make it rough for our son to nap in his car seat. So knowing that, we opted for the Sport model.

Yes I over simplified the LUX package a little, there are extra features besides leather and sunroof, but the Sport comes pretty equiped already. Just would like to see some of the items available as options alone.

 

Leatherette is fine, it's actually a huge upgrade from the leatherette in earlier Vw products, the feel is much more leathery and much less plasticy. It should also be much more durable.

 

I had an 08 Passat before getting my CC and the seats looked as new as the day we got it when we traded it in. I like the leatherette.

 

I love Leatherette. Never understood the fascination with Leather. Leatherette feels the same, cleans up easier with any type of all purpose cleaner and doesn't bunch, crack or stretch over time....I hate the extra care required with leather....

did I mention I prefer Leatherette?

 

Leatherette won't "breath" as well is its only real downside. Perhaps also its smell(if you are into that sort of thing), and last but not certainly least, the issue of todays cars having too high levels of toxic fumes being emanated from plastic related parts in the form of sublimation.

On that topic alone, read up on what Volvo has done in the last few years to reduce those levels compared to other manufacturers, it is quite interesting.

 

When I was looking for my touareg I originally wanted leatherette but ended up with leather because I just couldn't find one.

 

Leather vs Pleather

Before deciding on the TDI Touareg I test drove the competition, my opinion. BMW X5 35D and MB ML350 BlueTEC, want the diesel for towing performance and the great MPG when not towing. Found it interesting that the MB sales rep said he never sold a ML350 with leather, his thoughts were the pleather wears better, cost less, and the smell of leather wears off anyway. Really liked his thinking also that the pleather color is throughout the material not just on the surface like most leather.

 

Most Benz's and BMWs are vynil interior...leather is usually part of an overpriced option package that you'll never see on dealer lots. Funny you mention that the rep said he never sold an ML with leather, in Canada the ML diesel isn't even available with leather as an option.

I wouldn't get hung up on it one way or the other. If you've got it great, if you don't modern synthetic materials are really good.

 

Everyone who sees and touches the interior of my Treg thinks its leather. I love the leatherette for it's comfort, durability and how easy it is to clean up. It handles salty ocean damp waders and bathing suits extremely well. No salt stains.

Dave

 

I dont know what the 2011 Treg pleather is like, but on the 2010 Tiguan I test drove, I did not care for the pleather at all. Seemed cheap stiff.

My 02 Passat leather looks great. Leather conditioner 2-3x year is all I do.

 

Tell me about it, I could have went from cricket leather to Nappa leather with a 6000 USD premium and then another 3,000 USD taxes from the govt here when I did the importation. OOCH...

 

I'm surprised nobody here has an eco opinion about this. Leather is just unnecessary and cruel considering the amazing alternatives in this day and age. I guess I'm just a modern day hippie but I certainly avoid animal skin as a "luxury". Gotta wake yourself up from the american dream and think outside of what they tell us is luxury. Somewhere along the line skin became a valuable luxury as opposed to a necessity for our cave elders. I don't understand the logic but then again I'm just one person.

 

I like it.....good message

 

People don't slaughter cows for leather.

 

Leatherette

I started this thread months ago and after 6 months with the leatherette I absolutely love it. It is cold in the morning but the seat heaters are great and take the chill out quickly, give you a warm butt in no time. Cleaning is a breeze, I even saved a hide for someone willing to pay extra.

 

Oh, well…Leather is lather and leatherette is leatherette – overall it a personal preference. I wanted leather (I am rude and cruel cow-eating guy), but it was a tough justification for me to go with LUX package since it includes panoramic sun-roof, which is a thing I do not appreciate and do not like at all. Other features of the LUX package are nice and I would order them separately, but the sun-roof (used a few times a year at the best) should be an option by itself. A standard, non-panoramic sunroof on American-made trucks is $850- $1000 option. I am guessing that a VW panoramic sunroof is about as twice as much. I’d better get other things ordered for this money – 20” wheels or Dynaaudio sound system…

 

I agree pano roof should be a stand alone option...

 

I think that I would tend to agree with this statement, even though we have a Lux with a Pano.

With that being said, now that it's colder, I like the pano roof a lot more. In the summer time, we basically leave the cloth closed most of the time. We do, however, pitch open the sunroof, and let the heat out. I think that really does improve the overall heat in the inside of the car, but YMMV.

If I could have gotten a truck with sunroof only, I would have gone that route, and forgone the pano, though. Sunroof ultimately does the same thing at the end of the day...

 

I would have thought the Dynaudio should be included with the Lux package as well or at least an option.

 

I have a lux 2012 with leather obviously, but frankly hoped to get leathertte. My Jetta TDI has leatherette and I love it. Stays clean and comfortable. Can't figure why the leather isn't an option . It's not ike they make 100s of thousands of Tregs. These are custom made vehicles. JP

 

Did you mean the leather in the Egg is nice and leatherette is as tough as nails? Leather in my TDI is of a very fine quality and I love it!

 

What I mean is that the leather in my 2012 Egg is beautiful but is also tough as nails. It looks to be dyed all the way through. If one makes sure that the leather gets conditioned at least once a year it should not get that spidered or cracked look which comes from allowing the leather to get dirty and/or dried out. Zaino makes some fabulous products which I have used on other leathers (Subaru) and after five years the leather, treated twice a year with Zaino still looked new.

I do not work for or have any financial interest in Zaino.

I guess my point was that I really like the leather. For me, the Lux package was worth the money but for others it may not be.

 

If you think your leather is too "stiff" check out leatherique. A full kit runs around $50. Oil first, cleaner second. It's amazing. Zaino is great for the smell.

 

Nope. My leather is not stiff. It is fine.

 

Leatherette is cool in summer and warm in winter. its tough and always looks like leather in the treg. Goes great with rubber mats. I wouldn't get leather because I don't care for big sunroof, and I live in Vermont.

 

My leatherette in my 2009 Jedi TDI Sportwagen was burning hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

The sunroof really should have been separated from the leather and the power seat memory. They could have linked the sunroof and the wood trim together.

I would have then opted for the leather with no roof (I prefer the non wood trim on the Sport) although I do like the bigger wheels on the LUX.

 

Cricket leather is considered stiffer and/or tougher to the touch than Nappa leather, there is no doubt about that.

Leatherette is great, it lasts long, does not wrinkle and crack anywhere close to how leather does, but it will never breath as well as leather, hence why they add holes in leatherette. Smell is an other thing, if you are into that. At the end of the day, leather offers that "finer things in life" touch and feel of the senses if you are into that, and if it fits your lifestyle as far as an automobile cockpit goes. Personally, I am all for high quality leather.

Also, off gassing of synthetic materials and plastics is something I'd like to investigate further one day, but that his for now beyond the scope of the discussion here, so I'll let that one be.

 

I would have no problem with the fake stuff. It does look good. I like the look of the Sport w/Nav except for the piano black center console...should be the aluminum found on doors and passenger side dash...the R-Line T3 has this for the center console. The black will show everything.

Put the stock 19s on the Sport and I would be a buyer sooner than later. Leatherette is not a dealbreaker. It's a hidden benefit!

 

Yeah, truly make a sport version like the R-Line for the States. You can pick your engine but keep the interior sporty.