2015 Model S 70D Leather vs "Standard" Seats

[ScottR]

I'm looking at purchasing a 2015 Tesla 70D with lots of options. The
car has everything I want (ad then some) but it does not have leather
seats. I'm not sure exactly what Tesla calls it, but it has the standard
seats.

I've been to a couple of Tesla sales offices to sit in one and check it out,
but neither Las Vegas or Salt Lake City have a car with those seats.

I live in Southern Utah where it gets very hot in the summer (Las Vegas
climate).

I'm curious what Tesla owners who have both seating types think of both
the leather and non-leather seating.

Also, what impact does it have, if any, on resale 2 or 3 years down the
line.

Thanks very much.

 

[Uncle Paul]

While the standard black textile seats are very comfortable, breathable, well wearing and good looking, they do usually sell for lower prices than the higher end leather versions.

Something about leather that just looks more expensive.

My brain says textile, my heart says leather.

 

[Patrick W]

I think they've been nicknamed vegan seats. That's what I got and am happy with them. But then I don't wear leather so would feel uncomfortable sitting on it.

 

[supratachophobia]

Textile FTW on two cars so far. And don't call them vegan.

 

[FloridaGary]

I currently have the next gen leather in my S, but I am seriously considering the non-leather seats that will be offered in the Model 3. I believe they are only shown in white, so I would like to see if they expand the color palette to encourage more sales of non-leather seats. I think most buyers expect a quality leather in higher priced cars. My concern about heat went away years ago when ceramic window tint entered the market. I live in Florida and my car sits outside all day while at work. I have yet to see my car's interior temperature break 100 degrees. Without tint, the interior would easily go to 120 degrees.

 

[rjcbox]

Love my textile seats

 

[Patrick W]

Textile FTW on two cars so far. And don't call them vegan.

Admittedly, being vegan myself I like the term but I can't claim credit for calling animal-free cars vegan. Google "vegan cars" and you'll see the term being widely used. One example:
Electric Cars Aren't Enough. Tesla Is Now Going Vegan

 

[docherf]

I got the textile seats and love them. Wish they were cooled, though.

 

[GasKilla]

I have the textile seat too, I think they are great and supposedly will have better long term wear than leather. So if you plan to keep your car for the long run then the textile seats are a good call.

 

[freeewilly]

Love my textile seats +1
Textile seats will look better than leather seats after a couple of years, leather seats get worn easily on MS. Textile seats still looks brand new.

 

[Uncle Paul]

For activists it is a tough choice between the seats. The Vinyl fabric seats are made from petroleum and the others from animal hides.

 

[steph280]

we wanted to check out the textile seats when we were putting our order together, but none of the SC in driving distance had one to show us. Didn't want to end up with wife nagging (you should have gotten...) so I went with next gen seat.

 

[muleferg]

Love my Vegan seats. The reason they are called that here is because Leilani Maaja Münter is a vegan and wanted the textile seats. At that time they were not available. She talked Elon into to offering them. Thanks Leilani.

 

[peteyswift]

It would be nice if they offered non-leather Next Gen seats as the current textile seats don't have the same amount of bolstering, afaik. But, it looks like the cloth seats in the Model X do have the same bolstering as leather options.

 

[valkeriefire]

We ordered our 90D with textile seats. $2500 for the next gen just seemed absurd and we live Las Vegas so leather isn't great after getting all sweaty at the gym and then driving home. I agree that cloth holds up better over time. I've looked a ton of used Teslas and all of them show ripples in the leather after a few years (some cars even 1 year old had them). Those ripples can crease and crack if you don't properly treat your leather. Cloth seats on the other hand age very well. The seats on my 2005 Prius are almost as good as new and our 2011 Sienna looks new still. The bolsters are smaller on the textile seats but some people prefer that. I liked the "hugging" feeling of the next gen seats but I'm a fit 5'11" 170lbs. I think if you weighed over 200lbs or were a little out of shape the next gen would be uncomfortable due to pushing into your sides. To each their own. I'm hoping to keep the 90D for a long time but I do think if I sold it short term the textile seats would hurt resale. The used Teslas with textile I saw were more rare but seemed to be selling for less.

BTW: one of the owner advisors at the Las Vegas store has a Textile Tesla as his personal car and he showed it to us, if you ask around I'm sure you'll find him.

 

[slipnslider]

Are the seat different other than the covering material? I had heard that people were complaining about the first generation of seats in the S, and that better seats were available later as an option. My fiance has a bad back so I want to get her the most comfortable supportive seat I can.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Are the seat different other than the covering material? I had heard that people were complaining about the first generation of seats in the S, and that better seats were available later as an option. My fiance has a bad back so I want to get her the most comfortable supportive seat I can.

The "Next Generation" seats had bigger side bolsters, which most people found very attractive. The textile seats are the original generation, so in typical American-car style they're more bench-like and you might slide around in them during hard turns. I find the textile seats have plenty of adjustability, though, and the friction of the cloth seems to keep me in the seat much better than you'd expect, despite the lack of bolstering.

I love my textile seats. About 2.5 years later, they still look to be in perfect condition. I'd order them again.

I've been keeping a close eye on the resale prices of the textile cars in anticipation of ordering again, and haven't typically seen a sharp hit to textile cars. At least not one that clearly overcomes the $2.5k upfront cost of the leather seats.

 

[freeewilly]

Nothing against leather, I will pick leather if Tesla use the same kind of leather in BMW or MB.

 

[chipmunk]

I'm a bit curious about how many of the folks who have and like the textile seats have also sat in next gen seats. Personally, I usually like cloth seats, however, I find the next gen seats (which you can only get with leather in the Model S) to be far more comfortable. If you like a seat that surrounds you (with bolstering) then you really want next gen seats. I find the original seats to be way too flat and don't hold you well in curves.

If you want to try out the original seats, maybe you can go to a service center and ask to sit in a loaner with the original seats. In my experience, most of the loaners have the original seats.

 

[Panthers1521]

I think there are more threads on this than any other subject. Really everything about the textile seats is better (except wow factor for looks). Textile are going to hold up better over time, Leather will taking a beating over time and will show, Leather will get hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. Personally i would skip the leather, in the end you are going to love the car even stripped.