New XC90 Active - trim issue

[Pitvar]

Hello all, anyone else got an Active? We picked up ours yesterday and the steering wheel feels suspiciously plastic to me and not leather as stated in the spec for active - could anyone else with an Active confirm - have they got a leather wheel or is Volvo's leather just rubbish? The gear level has got leather as per the spec.

Thanks, Pitvar

EDIT - I've had another look and it could just be really plasticky leather - grateful if anyone can confirm their Active trim?

[Paul Wildsmith]

can't confirm, but the wheel in my 2010 S80 doesn't feel very leathery. And some of the bits that are plastic (eg: wiper/indicator stalks) feel a really cheap flimsy plastic. Welcome to cost cutting world I suppose.

[wimorrison]

My v70 SE Lux had a biege leather steering wheel and one of my stipulations on my new XC60 was that I did not want a) leather or b) light colour.

The reasoning was that the colour wore out of the biege leather during the five and a bit years where my hands sat and made the whole car look worn, I had to resort to some cream to dull the worn patches when i sold it to the dealer as a px Maybe this is why the leather doesn't feel leathery?

I have gone for the black wheel that comes on the XC60 SE Lux, looks excellent and shows of the aluminium spokes very well

[surf otter]

I've just taken delivery of a new XC90 active and it most certainly does have a stitched leather steering wheel which looks and feels really rather nice. (Not sure that helps you confirm what's on yours...)

[Pitvar]

Originally Posted by surf otter

I've just taken delivery of a new XC90 active and it most certainly does have a stitched leather steering wheel which looks and feels really rather nice. (Not sure that helps you confirm what's on yours...)

Hmmm - thanks Surf Otter - our doesn't feel good but maybe I've been spolit with a really good leather steering wheel on our last car MSport BMW wheel. I'm going to ask the dealer to confirm that it is supposed to be leather then maybe get a second expert opinion from a leather upholstery place...

Ours is stitched at the back which is why I think it might be leather as there are uneven stretches in places where the stitching is - I wonder if that's confirmation i.e. if it was Vinyl it wouldn't be stitched on; it would just be a solid cast wheel?

[surf otter]

Maybe it depends what you are used to. My XC90 follows 6 years with a trusty, reliable (but not exactly luxurious)....wait for it....Fiat Multipla...there I confessed. It was a very good cheap family hack that took a lot of abuse and never missed a beat, but it was time for a change.

In terms of sterring wheel, the multi sported nothing more glamourous than a nice grey plastic, so the XC90 active with its leather (yours sounds the same as mine, I'm pretty sure it is leather) is pure luxury.

Don't know what you think, but I had to do a 350 mile round trip this weekend and I think the car is fabulous. It's quiet, smooth, nice to drive and it seems tough in every sense of the word (including the seat fabric which I'm very impressed with).

My car looks just like your pictures (on a different thread) but it is Magic Blue in colour. I also got the running boards for loading stuff on the roof.

Someone commented on that thread that the wheels look good and I agree. This is opionion is confirmed by my 8 year old car mad son so they must be good. I also don't have an issue with steering lock, which some people seem to dislike on these cars - could be one of the benefits of the 17" wheels.

Any how, I think you've made an excellent choice of car.

[Pitvar]

Originally Posted by surf otter

Maybe it depends what you are used to.

Any how, I think you've made an excellent choice of car.

Yep, maybe I'm just getting to be a fussy get in me old age... maybe its just hard wearing leather!

And even though I'm biased I agree the Active is ace and it is a bonus getting such good wheels as standard ! I was really tempted by magic blue but as my better half insists its her car I had to let her choose really...

[kentishdriver]

There are many ways of treating leather, and it can be given different feels and finish characteristics. I have just been out to have a look at mine, any excuse to sit in the seat, and I can see how Pitvar may think its a bit plasticky. However, it is quite clearly leather on close look, and I like the feel to it, soft and warm, and it provides a good grip. I anticipate that it will wear well, and not go as shiny as some "more leathery" leathers.

And, even if a few corners have been cut on the Active models, I think Active owners can maintain a smug grin. By the time you factor in the cost of the Xenons and the rear tints (standard on the Active models) SE owners have effectively paid more than £5000 for leather face panels instead of fabric in the upholstery, and some XC90 owners have paid nearly £20,000 more for what is essentially 98% the same car.

[surf otter]

I agree that the Active is great value. I had always discounted the XC90 as a bit pricey and a bit too "smart" to work for me as a family car (I'm always a bit reluctant to spend too much money on cars). With the addition of some negotiated dealer discount, however, the Active starts to look like amazing value. This car is so much nicer than an upmarket variant of a "van-type" mpv.

I'm very impressed with the quality of the trim in this model. Personally, I prefer the fabric in the Active to the leather facings in the SE. (I am aware that the soverign hide and other up-market leathers are just lovely, but there goes the price tag out of my range...) If anyone is interested the fabric is black (ish) and looks like something you might get on a very nice saville row winter suit (is that a reasonable description?). All in all, very nice.

The ride in the car is just sublime and it's much nicer to drive than either of the two test cars I drove (both were built before the mysterious claimed chassis improvements - so maybe there's something in it).

Let's hope the car's long term reliability proves to be as good as my initial impressions.

[Buck Rogers]

Originally Posted by surf otter

I agree that the Active is great value. I had always discounted the XC90 as a bit pricey and a bit too "smart" to work for me as a family car (I'm always a bit reluctant to spend too much money on cars). With the addition of some negotiated dealer discount, however, the Active starts to look like amazing value. This car is so much nicer than an upmarket variant of a "van-type" mpv.

I'm very impressed with the quality of the trim in this model. Personally, I prefer the fabric in the Active to the leather facings in the SE. (I am aware that the soverign hide and other up-market leathers are just lovely, but there goes the price tag out of my range...) If anyone is interested the fabric is black (ish) and looks like something you might get on a very nice saville row winter suit (is that a reasonable description?). All in all, very nice.

The ride in the car is just sublime and it's much nicer to drive than either of the two test cars I drove (both were built before the mysterious claimed chassis improvements - so maybe there's something in it).

Let's hope the car's long term reliability proves to be as good as my initial impressions.

Sounds like you are a very happy XC90 Active owner, and like you I do not like leather seats. I am picking my 1st XC90 up next week (Active too) with a few dealer fits. Out of interest how's the MPG? I am also having the 8" RSE fitted by Volvo (drop down screen for 3rd row seats), anyone else got this?