Alcantara vs leather questions

[extrapolator]

Hi, a couple questions about the NSX's interior. For 2019 Acura's "Build" site shows 3 options: Semi-Aniline Leather/Alcantara, Milano Leather/Alcantara and Semi-Aniline Full Leather.

- Is Alcantara as bad as I've been reading/watching about? i.e. Does it wear out/ wear off very quickly? They make it sounds like it lasts a year or 2.

- Is the Semi-Aniline Full Leather an actual full leather seat like full leather seats I used to see in Cadillacs of the 90's, etc. (I've actually always preferred cloth to leather so can't state from personal knowledge any other cars that had full real leather seats)

Thank you .... prospective '19 NSX buyer ...

 

[warrenw]

I have the full leather. It is leather on front and side, not the rear of the seat.
Perforated leather where the Alcantara would be. Non Perforated on bolsters, etc. (same as the Alcantara seats)
so basically the Alcantera is replaced with perforated leather.
Alcantara can be more difficult to enter and exit the car, but it really holds you in the seat for cornering. I personally prefer the full leather.

 

[extrapolator]

OK thanks. So one check mark for leather. Knowing I actually prefer cloth, I want to make the best of the 'lesser' choices :smile: Leather is fine, but I'm not interested in a leather-ish substitute that's inferior to both leather and cloth ... in a ~$175K car. Still looking for opinions as to whether or not that's really true. Is Alcantara more durable than the internet is telling me?

 

[powdbyrice]

After sitting in full leather and leather/alcantara seats, I prefer the full leather.

 

[Bricks and Bio]

The only place Alcantara has a disadvantage is for steering wheels (oil, grease, sweat from hands get it matted.

I had it in my Volvo 850R for 7 years and it was great.

Makes my NSX more cozy in the winter and keeps me from sliding around in my seat. Plus I like the 2 tone look.

Have a look at how the Ferraris, Lambos and McLarens are specced, Alcantara is used extensively

Here is a blurb on semi-analine leather

Semi-aniline leather is leather, which is only slightly pigmented (colour layer). The natural leather grain and the hair pores are not allowed to be concealed by the pigmentation. These can e only be slightly protected and must remain visible. However, it should be noted that, depending on the working steps in the tannery, the natural grain pattern and hair pores remain more or less clearly visible. For example, vacuum drying affects the visibility of the hair pores as compared to drying by hanging. Nevertheless, it is still a semi-aniline. The natural grain must, however, be completely preserved and should not be buffed. Semi-aniline leather is soft and warm and feels very natural due to the less intense coating and the absence of compression of the leather fibres by a strong embossing. However, embossing is not completely forbidden when producing semi-aniline leather.
In contrast to aniline leather, which is completely porous and very sensitive, semi-anilines have better protection. The protection is by no means as strong as for pigmented smooth leather, where the pigment layer acts as a barrier and the hair pores are no longer recognisable. Such leathers are mostly firmer and feel colderthan semi-aniline leathers.

Here is what Acura says about Milano

Select Acura interiors are crafted with top grain Milano leather for a finish that’s as soft as leather can get while remaining highly durable. For passenger comfort, perforation accommodates our Advance Package’s heated and cooling ventilation design with utmost style.

And a blurb about Milano

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[FONT=q_serif]Milano is a split grain (sometimes referred to as “corrected grain”), as opposed to top-grain which is smoother. What you end up with is a different texture.
Leather is animal skin and skin has many layers. The “top grain” is exactly what it implies, the top layer of the skin with minimal deliberate texture changes.
With split leather the process “shreds” (for lack of a better word) the top layer to create a texture pattern of the manufacturers choice; while the leather is still held together by it’s many under layers.
Milano is a specific type of split grain and has a tendency to be rougher/bumpier in appearance but may also be softer in feel depending on how it was finished in comparison to the smooth but “tough” finish common to top grain leathers.
In common use top grain is more often used for coats as it’s more protective and water resistant naturally. A split grain is more often used for furniture for two reasons: it’s frequently softer for comfort and the split grain process allows for easier matching of pieces from multiple animals when creating larger objects.
For top grain to look good it needs to either be from all one animal or matched carefully for pattern with another. With split grain the manufacturing process evens out the appearance by cutting it’s own pattern.



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