cancelling my full leather interior option as every picture I've seen has the 'baggy' effect going on where your upper back will be and where the seat would normally have the gap for the head rest.

The quality just doesn't look that good and its £800 (heated)!

 

Can anyone who has taken delivery of their car with leather give me their opinion on the quality?

 

My better half really isn't keen on not having it (kids!). I know the standard interior has leather effect on the reverse of the front seats so this protects them from the little feet kicking them, whats the centre of the rear like as standard, armrest etc as I didn't pay much if any to it when I test drove the other week.

 

An example attached!

 

 

I would agree from my current Yeti Elegance experience, Skoda leather seating is not top of the class in terms of quality or fit/finish but it is practical when it comes to keeping it clean, more so than cloth seating I've had in the past. Probably this will be the one feature about it I'll miss when hopefully I switch to an Octavia III SE next year.

 

 

TP

Someone here has just posted pics of their new car with leather and it looked really good.

I didn't order the leather for the reasons above. Kind of with I had now.

I have leather on my Mk 2 vRS - I have 2 kids who were 2 & 4 when I bought the car.

Leather just wipes clean. The cloth on my other car does not.

If you can afford leather, go for it.

Go for the compromise and get the dealer-applied scotchguard-esque protection?  If it doesn't come clean, they replace the seats...  Think it comes with the Lifeshine pack? 

My drivers seat base on my MK2 blackline has gone shiny and is a little baggy after only 8.5k.

A bit shart to be honest and wouldnt expect the MK3 to fair any better. Just glad the leather came with the car and I hadnt paid 800 quid for it.

My drivers seat base on my MK2 blackline has gone shiny and is a little baggy after only 8.5k.

A bit shart to be honest and wouldnt expect the MK3 to fair any better. Just glad the leather came with the car and I hadnt paid 800 quid for it.

 

Try some Autoglym leather cleaner then balm.

 

 

TP

Can't comment specifically on the Mk3 VRS seats but that picture doesn't look good, and some of the other pictures I've seen are similar.

 

I actually prefer the half leather/alcantara in my Superb SE to full leather, and they are still heated. I've protected them with GTechniq I1 and L1 and they stay clean remarkably well.

 

Is there an option for leather/alcantara on the Mk3 vRS?

My drivers seat base on my MK2 blackline has gone shiny and is a little baggy after only 8.5k.

A bit shart to be honest and wouldnt expect the MK3 to fair any better. Just glad the leather came with the car and I hadnt paid 800 quid for it.

 

 

If you keep sharting in the seat I'm not surprised it's gone a little baggy....

Can't comment specifically on the Mk3 VRS seats but that picture doesn't look good, and some of the other pictures I've seen are similar.

 

I actually prefer the half leather/alcantara in my Superb SE to full leather, and they are still heated. I've protected them with GTechniq I1 and L1 and they stay clean remarkably well.

 

Is there an option for leather/alcantara on the Mk3 vRS?

I dont think there is an alcantara option, is it not just cloth? Dont really want to pay for the leather to be moaning to Skoda about them in a few months and wishing I saved myself £800.

The Elegance spec gets "alcantara and leather" but doesn't appear to be an option to have that further down the line i.e. on SE.

 

On the vRS it looks like it's either cloth or leather, no middle ground.

 

I can see lots of people complaining and wishing they hadn't spent the £800

Cloth is best, they should charge extra for it .  It's not a bi*** to get stains out like alcantara, nor does it get all sweaty, shiny, saggy and crack like cheap leather does after awhile.

 

edited to add the word "cheap" above.

Edited 29 October, 201312 yr by Orville

No point in comparing the seats in any other Skoda or model of Octavia for that matter to those in the current Octavia VRS as they are completely different from all the others.

No point in comparing the seats in any other Skoda or model of Octavia for that matter to those in the current Octavia VRS as they are completely different from all the others.

Id disagree there; I quite like the leather(ette) in my MK2 but its evident its not the best quality; given Skoda are trying to drive build costs down with the MK3 id be surprised if the quality is as good as the MK2's to be honest; lets face it its unlikely to be any better.

Sure they are a different profile possibly made by someone completely different but they are still skoda commissioned to skoda standards (to a cost in other words). 800 quids alot of money to spend on faux leather that may not wear particularly well; certainly would be ****ed with mine if id shelled out 800 quid on it, drivers seat base after a few thousand miles already looks a few years old, and im only average build.

Each to their own but i wouldnt be having it out of choice on my next one if I were to buy a vRs

Edited 29 October, 201312 yr by pipsyp

Id disagree there; I quite like the leather(ette) in my MK2 but its evident its not the best quality; given Skoda are trying to drive build costs down with the MK3 id be surprised if the quality is as good as the MK2's to be honest; lets face it its unlikely to be any better.

Sure they are a different profile possibly made by someone completely different but they are still skoda commissioned to skoda standards (to a cost in other words). 800 quids alot of money to spend on faux leather that may not wear particularly well; certainly would be ****ed with mine if id shelled out 800 quid on it, drivers seat base after a few thousand miles already looks a few years old, and im only average build.

Each to their own but i wouldnt be having it out of choice on my next one if I were to buy a vRs

Well my Octavia Elegance has the leather seat option and I'm happy with them so far (the only Skoda I've had with leather), I've have been told by a couple of Yeti drivers that my leather is a little more supple than theirs. More importantly, what I was saying though is that the seats are of such a radically different design, the comment in the original post about the 'bagginess' in the upper back section is only applicable to the mkIII VRS -personally I think it should have had a couple of vertical seams in it to give it a bit more shape and structure.

 

Here's mine after 5,500 miles

 

 

Well my Octavia Elegance has the leather seat option and I'm happy with them so far (the only Skoda I've had with leather), I've have been told by a couple of Yeti drivers that my leather is a little more supple than theirs. More importantly, what I was saying though is that the seats are of such a radically different design, the comment in the original post about the 'bagginess' in the upper back section is only applicable to the mkIII VRS -personally I think it should have had a couple of vertical seams in it to give it a bit more shape and structure.

Here's mine after 5,500 miles

Sorry Greenstripe, when I say base i mean the squab that you sit on. On my car the centre panel where I sit has gone quite shiny and started to get slightly baggy; its not terrible and suspect a liberal application if a decent leather restorer would bring it straight back but it looks obviously more worn than the passenger seat...that admittedly doesnt see anything like the use.

I think part of the issue is that the foam in the seats isnt that great and it has given a bit under the leather.

Even on your car you can tell the drivers seat is showing more squab wear in the same way, the light wrinking in the squab where youve been sat for the past 5.5k

Edited 29 October, 201312 yr by pipsyp

It's the nature of leather that it will give a bit -it would be just the same on any car. If the foam inside the seat were firm enough to stop this happening I think the seat would be impossibly uncomfortable. Personally I don't have a problem with it. pipsyp-sorry that you are disappointed with yours. But this is going off topic as I was referring to the original post about the upper back section of the VRS leather which is more a matter of design rather than material/build quality, if you look at them all seem to have this look from new. 

Go for the compromise and get the dealer-applied scotchguard-esque protection?  If it doesn't come clean, they replace the seats...  Think it comes with the Lifeshine pack? 

This life shine pack makes me laugh,if a child pukes on the seat it won't make any difference,same as life shine bull to the paintwork after a few washes it will be gone anyway and it doesn't protect from damage etc

Since taking an interest in Skoda vehicles and having driven several models, I think seating is where product quality is a little too conservative.

There is a risk that people shall associate poor seating with Skoda, and it could become an unfortunate trademark unless it is improved.

The Octavia VRS has quite rightly attracted public attention, however, good work can be easily be undone very quickly where product quality doesn't meet the expectations of customers influenced by colourful advertising.

Recent pictures of ill fitting leather seats have to be a concern for both customer and manufacturer. It would be interesting to hear Skoda's opinion of the recent pictures.

Edited 29 October, 201312 yr by piggieslane

My dad has recently changed his 09 Superb II for a 60 plate Merc E250. Been out in it for the first time today and couldn't help comparing it to the Skoda's. Generally the cabin materials are of a higher spec than the Skoda but not markedly so and there's a greater use of soft touch materials. However despite almost 30k on the clock the leather seats look factory fresh (no bagginess) and have a firmer feel to them. Noticed also the seat base side panels rather than fake leather as on our Yeti are strangely cloth.

 

 

TP

Has any of the 'leather' ever seen a cow?

My LE leather is still 100% tip top after 40k - and as I understand it, the LE covers were swiftly applied at the border just before the dealers took delivery....

 

I need leather (due to previously mentioned children factor) but I can't seem to work out how to get it on a 4x4....

 

If my leather started to sag I would be invoking Sale of Goods Act 1979 tout-sweet... wouldn't make me not order it though.

Father in law has a 61 E350 CDi Avantgarde Edition 125 and its a million times nicer in both perceived quality and build than my Octavia, but then its a 40-odd grand car and it'd be wrong if it wasnt.

Again they use fake "Artico" leather in those unless you go for very expensive Nappa options but again there is the difference, my drivers seat looks well sat in, his like its still got delivery mileage.

Leather seats in premium cars make sense; personally Id forego an £800 spend on a Skoda and live with the half leather and cloth the vRS comes with; will undoubtedly wear better.

My LE leather is still 100% tip top after 40k - and as I understand it, the LE covers were swiftly applied at the border just before the dealers took delivery....

 

I need leather (due to previously mentioned children factor) but I can't seem to work out how to get it on a 4x4....

 

If my leather started to sag I would be invoking Sale of Goods Act 1979 tout-sweet... wouldn't make me not order it though.

 

As SUK don't import the Elegance 4x4 we are pretty stuck for the option of factory leather seats, even in Europe I don't believe its available to spec on the SE.

 

Otherwise you could consider;

 

http://www.theseatsurgeons.com/metadot/index.pl?id=2171;isa=Category;op=show

 

 

 

TP

I think I have made my mind up.

Thanks for all the opinions.

Currently I have leather in my mkII vrs and whilst I love it, it does help with the kids and yes at the time the black line hadn't been announced and the standard interior had the grey inserts, that swayed my decision to spent the extra to upgrade. I think the mkIII interior as standard has improved dramatically and I love the new shape/design.

Going by the pictures around already I'm sure I will be looking out for the least little bit of sagging etc and the extra £800 or £20 odd a month isn't sitting well with me. It's getting cancelled and I'm going to add another cheaper option instead and still be better off for it.

As for lifeshine, the dealers won't be getting that either as I would much rather buy the scotch guard and do it myself once every 4-6 months. I have used this before and it does work really well. Once split some juice and it just beaded together on the surface and was easily wiped.