Thanks for posting this as I have the same question. I have an OSD order placed that is spec'd with Comfort seats and I'm hoping to be able to check out both options in time to change (upgrade) my order before the car is built. A first hand account of this plus how much difference there is in the grades of leather would be very helpful.

 

Posting to bump this topic up. I placed my OSD order with the standard Momentum seats and I'm debating changing to the Contour seats to get the better grade of leather, but I'm having a hard time deciding considering that I can't compare the two options in person. In comparing the various Volvo sites, it appears the XC90 offers two grades of leather. The base, grade "A", comes standard in the Momentum. Volvo uses different names in different regions -- Moritz (OSD), Leather Faced (Volvo UK), Comfort Leather (Volvo Canada), or Leather (Volvo USA) -- but the code is xAx0 (the "x" changes depending on the color selected). In all regions, there is a second option for a higher quality leather which is referred to as either Agnes, Napa, or Soft Napa. This comes in variations -- perforated (code xCx0), which is standard for Inscription, and solid option (xBx0). In the US, the only way to get the solid option is to purchase the Contour seat package. It looks like the Brits are the lucky ones here as it seems the solid Agnes/Napa leather can be ordered for the standard seat design.

My question... has anybody compared the two options? Has anybody come across a press report which specifically describes the seats and the quality of the leather? Any other thoughts and comments? Thanks in advance. I really wish the OSD configurator would allow the top grade leather option for the standard Comfort seats.

 

I've never really seen the big deal about "premium leather" upgrade. To me it's more of a downgrade almost. I had the most expensive leather Volvo has used to date in the S60 R with Gobi. It was beautiful and soft and awesome.....until you drove the car and had to care for it. The premium just never seem to wear as well, it just gets marked up so easily. It's so soft it seems to show "stretch marks" or lines after a short while. And many complain of poorer color-fastness since it uses much different tanning to keep the leather soft. 1999 Volvo S80 T6 models has this high-end leather, and they just wore terrible. They don't HAVE to wear bad, it just requires you to be a little cautious about how you treat them and you must clean and conditions them religiously...as in every few months. It's beautiful, but man, I grew to dislike it.

I'm sure the standard leather is the same quality as the leather that you are seeing on the run-of-the-mill Volvos that are build now. So if you find the leather quality in new S60 to be nice, then you will probably enjoy it in your new XC90. I'd be more concerned about choosing seat type based off of if I want a gazillion-way adjustability, or if heavily bolstered seats fit your body type (if you are a bigger person, you might hate them!).

This is a little conjecture here on my part, but I'd say either leather will be nice, and the upgraded leather will require a lot more care to keep looking "upgraded". Kids, dogs, light color seats and a general disdain of cleaning leather might make the premium seats not such a great choice for a lot of people.

 

Thank for your perspective. I hadn't considered issues of wear and upkeep before, but it certainly good to know what to expect for each of these options. Considering the wear and abuse that young kids have, I'm inclined to stick with the "base" leather.

 

Irregardless of which leather you decide in, read my post here and look up the product in the link. It can help protect the leather from, it seems, much of what you can throw at em'.

Link: http://forums.swedespeed.com/showth...showthread.php?222256-Onyx-Black-First-Edition&p=2438072&viewfull=1#post2438072

 

I think if you go check out "premium leather" on a used car lot for $100,000+ cars you might be shocked to see how poorly some leather's wear. The are luxurious hides, and in turn require extra care. It seems some people have more money than sense, and a lot of really expensive cars aren't really "cared for" very well, and the leather shows it. My parents have a 2005 S60 with 130,000 miles on it, and the leather looks virtually as new....and it was in much better shape than my S60 R Gobi leather was with 50,000 miles, and I cared for that monthly.

 

My wife had a 530i with BMW's standard Dakota leather and I had an M5 with the Nappa leather...my experience mirrors ***********'s comments. The Dakota wore great, while the Nappa actually wore a hole in the bolster...soft/luxurious=more easily damaged. Still, I might pay for the upgrade knowing that...as VF also states though, the bolsters might be a bigger concern, which is ironic as larger bolsters mean more rubbing on ingress/egress and more chance for wear on Nappa.

 

The new R-Design seats are definitely designed for someone with a thinner build. I am 6'2", 190lbs and the fit was great but larger proportions will have some challenges with the Contour seat. Overall, the seats have the same Volvo comfort as the current sport seats in the XC/S/V60s yet more adjustability and a tad bit more aggressive bolsters on the sides and shoulders. Both are supporting seats with the seat foam a bit more aggressive in the Contour seat.

 

The new R-Design seats are definitely designed for someone with a thinner build. I am 6'2", 190lbs and the fit was great but larger proportions will have some challenges with the Contour seat. Overall, the seats have the same Volvo comfort as the current sport seats in the XC/S/V60s yet more adjustability and a tad bit more aggressive bolsters on the sides and shoulders. Both are supporting seats with the seat foam a bit more aggressive in the Contour seat.

I'm more than a touch heavier than that and I found the R-Design seats in Detroit quite tight in the hip/rear area. Contour was just fine. Maybe the R-Design would get me going to the gym more often as motivation??

 

Funny, they added "R-Design" back on the seats. Didn't they just take that away for 2015 S60/V60/XC60 R-Design models?! And, just on the miniscule chance that this post does make a difference, I'm definitely in favor of having the "R-Design" stamping on them!

 

I don't get it--the "R-Design" XC90 overall is basically just fancier looking, but has no real performance upgrades whatsoever, am I right?

 

Yes, all looks no extra engine modifications, and I think no suspension difference either, but I haven't been watching it that closely since we're going with inscription

 

I noticed in person what is pictured in that bottom of the above pictures on the seats - the light colored leather in the Black XC90 had already picked up discoloration from what I guess is jeans.

 

same thing got mentioned at the Paris show, these might even be the same cars. Anyone with kids or dogs is probably going to steer way clear of those light seats. Not a big fan of black, but it seems like most people are dropping the dark gray interior and going with brown for some reason as a third option.