• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Anybody else not diggin' these newer car's interior materials???

redgtxdi

redgtxdi

Diamond Member
I've noticed a lot of car makers are lately putting these materials on their seats that have gone so far as to literally make them damn-near "abrasive". (imho)

In a recent test drive I had of a Camry SE back to back with an LE, I took notice of a couple things.

First thing I noticed was how the SE suspension was definitely stiffer. Great for high speed turns, not so great for comfort.

Combine that with the cheesegrater polyester/vinyl fabric on the seats and I definitely was noticing I wasn't having a very relaxing drive.

Next.....I got in the LE and even just SITTING DOWN I felt the comfort of traditional uber-soft cloth that felt MUCH better on my back. Combine that with the softer suspension that definitely doesn't handle well at higher speeds, but...MAN... it sure makes things like that speed bump heading out of the dealership and the dip at the stop sign sure as hell feel A LOT better.

Anyway......noticing these harsher materials going into a lot of the "sport" types (Mazdas, SE cars, GT cars, etc.), I assume as a way to suggest they're more rugged, durable or youthful, but screw that......I'll take some traditional soft cloth any day.
 
You are entitled to that opinion. 😉

I thought this would be a gripe about dashboard and door panel plastics, which have degraded on Japanese cars in the past decade, IMO. Everything else has improved (ergonomics, switchgear, design, legibility), but they used to use some really nice soft padded plastics in the Accords and Camrys that you just don't see anymore. Hardly a deal-breaker, but any regression sticks out like a sore thumb when so many other aspects of the cars have improved. The opposite is true for American cars, of course, and now they're pretty similar in terms of plastics.
 
My friend got a Scion xD and it has the seats you are talking about the dash material and I hate it. It feels like I'm sitting on a rock covered with sandpaper.
 
Zero,

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. The makers are producing them, so obviously some folks like 'em, but they just don't appeal to me.

I've got a 10yr old Camry LE w/ original cloth and 2 kids who've beat it up over the last 8 years and they're still great. (and still soft & comfortable to sit in)


And to makatoo.........Yes, I'm not even a leather person and I'd definitely take leather over the backpack material, cheese grater stuff lately.
 
Cars are getting cheaper and cheaper in quality as the years go on. Pretty soon you will have to buy a "luxury" car to get any sort of decent interior. My 12 year old Ford Crown Victoria is nicer on the inside than most new non-luxury cars these days. There isn't any hard-thin plastic in the interior of my car. The leather seats have held up very well.
 
Originally posted by: RichUK
You get what you pay for?
Click to expand...

Duh! I am amazed at the people who like to buy cheap...then complain about the quality down the road. I got a Mazda 6 about a year ago (of course with leather seats and interior) and I still have people ask if it is new now. Leather just lasts, plain and simple.
 
Originally posted by: Jawo
Originally posted by: RichUK
You get what you pay for?
Click to expand...

Duh! I am amazed at the people who like to buy cheap...then complain about the quality down the road. I got a Mazda 6 about a year ago (of course with leather seats and interior) and I still have people ask if it is new now. Leather just lasts, plain and simple.
Click to expand...

It's been my experience, actually, that leather doesn't last as well as quality fabric upholstery. It tends to crack in the highly-stressed areas, like the edges of the bottom of the driver's seat. A lot of this depends on quality - the leather in my BMW seems thicker and of higher-quality than the other cars I've had with leather, including an Acura, an Accord and a Maxima, but only time will tell. It definitely helps to condition it, in any case.
 
Originally posted by: redgtxdi
Zero,

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. The makers are producing them, so obviously some folks like 'em, but they just don't appeal to me.
.
Click to expand...


Apparently the majority (or the loudest whiners) like them, other wise they wouldn't sell enough to continue that way.


I opened the thread though expecting complaints about complete interiors as well. I think the new interiors look just like the outside of the cars, big and blocky.
 
I too am not a fan of the current style interiors. Middle consoles are too passenger oriented and not for the driver

Old designs used to have the gauge cluster's top line going to the middle console and down, now the gauge cluster is usually seperate and its own entity apart from the center console

In our ES350 the materials are solid plastic but soft to the touch with leather on the door handle area (where you use to close it)

I miss the old style of having a nice leathery styled dash material with leather padding on the doors (like my 2000 I30 and 1996 I30)
 
My '08 Focus is a mixed bag, interior-wise. The layout is excellent, and it's very comfortable. The knobs/buttons/steering wheel/shifter are all great. The seats are pretty comfortable for an economy car, and I don't have any problem with room at all, even though I'm 6'3" / large frame.

BUT

The hard plastic on the doors and dash is pretty bad. The dash plastic isn't so bad, because it doesn't take any abuse really. But the hard plastic on the doors is awful, it scratches ridiculously easy, and even though my Focus only has 10k miles on it (since Feb), the doors have dozens of tiny little nicks in them.
 
Even Caddys suffer from the newer shoddy interior. with the leather option the CTS and STS are plagued with cheap feeling plastic.

I haven't even seen the new Toyotas because they are just not interesting at all, and the few that I have test driven are obviously not built for tall people. Suprisingly enough the only car on the lot I could get into was the Yaris. (about 1.5 years ago when I ended up with my altima). I didn't try a Camry, but did drive the Solara.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top