"leather" seating surface really Leather?

[Ride92]

Just picked up a 2016 GT AWD and I'm curious to know what the "leather" seats are actually made out of. I know a lot of Mercedes use MBtex which a leatherette and BMW has something similar. The internet seems to think that the new leatherettes may actually be better then real genuine cow hide as they hold up better and are easier to care for. My wife 2003 audi has leatherette and it still look brand new.

So my question is what is the GT "leather" seats actually made out of? Is it all a leatherette, just some parts leatherette? I want to make sure I care for the seats the proper way. What products are people liking to care for the leather seats?

 

[paris1]

Typically Mazda leather seats follow the traditional formula of leather seating surfaces (and not a particularly good grade either) and "leatherette" side and back panels. I don't have leather, but I'm sure the GT CX-5 interior follows the same rule.

 

[GAXIBM]

I think the actual seating surface is leather with a protective coating that stops liquid and provides a slicker longer wearing surface. I don't think leather treatments penetrate the coating except in the perforations...

 

[Ride92]

So the side bolsters are leatherette? And the perforated center sections are cow?

 

[yrwei52]

So the side bolsters are leatherette? And the perforated center sections are cow?

"Leatherette" is nothing new and it has been available for many years on European cars. To me it's nothing special just like good old American "vinyl" seats! BMW, Mercedes, and Audi often offer leatherette seats on base models as a standard equipment. As for Mazda CX-5, leather is on every "seating surface". For side bolsters the side touching your body is leather but the other side is not.

I agree with paris1, Mazda's leather is not a particularly good grade leather.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

"Leatherette" is nothing new and it has been available for many years on European cars. To me it's nothing special just like good old American "vinyl" seats! BMW, Mercedes, and Audi often offer leatherette seats on base models as a standard equipment. As for Mazda CX-5, leather is on every "seating surface". For side bolsters the side touching your body is leather but the other side is not.

I agree with paris1, Mazda's leather is not a particularly good grade leather.

While it might not be the most supple leather does the leather hold up over the long term?

 

[stormcloud]

"Leatherette" is nothing new and it has been available for many years on European cars. To me it's nothing special just like good old American "vinyl" seats! BMW, Mercedes, and Audi often offer leatherette seats on base models as a standard equipment. As for Mazda CX-5, leather is on every "seating surface". For side bolsters the side touching your body is leather but the other side is not.

I agree with paris1, Mazda's leather is not a particularly good grade leather.

By the way, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 leather is much better than the 2015 Toyota RAV4 Limited "faux leather"! We test drove one and it smelled toxic and really felt like cheap vinyl...

 

[doopie]

Besides other options I would like, to choose cloth or leather on the GT trim would be nice.

 

[ZuluCX]

I do not know what it is really, but it has been pretty good to me for over 3 years now (much better than the mitsubishi outlander I had before). Honestly, it looks like new and we have rough winters here.

Resistant, easy to clean....beats cloth all the way in my book! especially with kids!

 

[SayNoToPistons]

A bit of a bump.

All surfaces that touches your body is leather. The surfaces facing the side is leatherette, headrest is leatherette, and the backs of the seat are leatherette. I have to agree that the leather Mazda used for the CX-5 is mediocre at best. The only quality leather would be the steering wheel, shift knob, and handbrake.

I had a 2014 Mazda6 for a week and the leather in it is significantly better in quality. Hell, even the seats are contoured better.

 

[Ulrich]

That's why I "only" got a Touring with cloth seats and then had the seats upgraded to (real) leather using Katzkin seat covers. The GT had nothing that was worth the extra money to me, aside the leather seats, so I actually saved some money in the process. Katzkin seats should be right around $1000.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

Eh, don't get me wrong. I would choose a GT over a Touring again for the automatic climate control, wheels, moonroof, etc. My girlfriend has a 2015 Touring.