An interesting question on Leather interior

[Sootchucker]

HI all. In trying to fill in the 3 months until my GTD arrives ( ) I was musing through the price list and something stuck me as a little odd.

Due to the ongoing debacle over whether Lane Assist is available or not, I was considering deleting the pack altogether and replacing it with leather (which the wife prefers over the plaid cloth), which would also mean I'd be able to remove winter pack as well (as the Leather comes with heated seats. So removing them two would save me £870 (£520 + £350), so I thought I'd see what the leather came in at.

Surprisingly whilst still very expensive, it struck me as a little odd that for the SE and GT models, leather is a £1,830.00 option but for the GTI/GTD it's "only" £1,675.00 (£155.00 cheaper). Anyone know why this should be (not that I'm complaining of course - still too bloody expensive). Suppose it's too much to ask that UK spec models get the Alcantera / Cloth seats and so upgrading to leather is slightly cheaper, or is this just another VW UK anomaly ?

As it happens, I've decided to keep the cloth anyway, but still wondered why it's cheaper ?

[Hawaii-Five-O]

Keep the tartan cloth. Och aye the noo*



* Apologies to our Scottish brethren

[monkeyhanger]

The tartan cloth probably has a higher designated cost against it than SE and GT models, or perhaps the GTI/GTD sports seats more closely resemble those used for leather, regardless of model you put the leather seats into, meaning less of a price differential.

[Gryzor]

Cloth all the way - a GTI without it loses a big chunk of its character!

[Bill_the_Bear]

My current car has leather though and its infinitely better than the cloth on the car before that (both Fiestas).  How hard wearing is the tartan in the GTI?  If it had had the option of half leather half cloth seats I would have picked that instead...

I'm not overly keen on the tartan pattern, it has history but not to me.  Also its not very dark is it?  Kinda looks faded to my eyes.  A bit better in person than in a photo but still... meh.

[Gryzor]

My current car has leather though and its infinitely better than the cloth on the car before that (both Fiestas).  How hard wearing is the tartan in the GTI?  If it had had the option of half leather half cloth seats I would have picked that instead...

I'm not overly keen on the tartan pattern, it has history but not to me.  Also its not very dark is it?  Kinda looks faded to my eyes.  A bit better in person than in a photo but still... meh.

The Tartan in my Mk5 GTI is as almost as clean and presentable as when I first bough the car 8 years ago, and it is driven daily.  Like anything it all depends on how well you look after stuff.

If I could have had half alcantara and tartan, I'd have done that, but not half leather - wouldn't look right IMO.  Just don't like leather seats at all in cars, never have done.

Edit: Bear, you need to change the GTI in your banner, it's not a 5 door!

[Hawaii-Five-O]

I'd only go for leather if it was top quality, perforated and came in a range of colours (like on top Mercs). That's never gonna be made available on a Golf I'm afraid (even at a premium).

Like Gryzor I'm not really a fan and prefer the retro tartan cloth. It's a bit of fun

[Gryzor]

I'd only go for leather if it was top quality, perforated and came in a range of colours (like on top Mercs). That's never gonna be made available on a Golf I'm afraid (even at a premium).

Like Gryzor I'm not really a fan and prefer the retro tartan cloth. It's a bit of fun

Right, and at £1600 or whatever it costs, I'd expect it to be top quality as well...but it's not.  Must admit, if you could get a really nice dark antiqued brown, soft, high quality leather, that could look quite nice inside a black cabin and white exterior.

[Exonian]

The GTI in VW Driver had red stitching too on the leather interior shot from the launch day.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Edit: Bear, you need to change the GTI in your banner, it's not a 5 door!

Couldn't find a 5 door pic at the right angle.  When my car finally arrives I'll be replacing it with a pic of the real thing however.