Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel Questions

[Bronco Blue]

I tried to find a thread covering this, but I couldn’t so I’m making a thread asking these questions.

I have an OBX and I test drove a BL yesterday and the leather they use to wrap their steering wheels are different. Like the OBX uses a thicker, tougher, textured leather while the BL uses a smoother, thinner leather that every other car manufacturer uses to wrap their steering wheels.

Why is that? Why do they use different leather on different trims? Wouldn’t it make sense to have them wrapped in the same leather? I’m just really curious.

When I drove the BL yesterday, that was one of the things I didn’t like on it because that kind of leather is slippery compared to the leather in the OBX that’s grippier. One would think that with the BL being the tougher, off road oriented trim, it would have the same tough leather that’s used on the OBX. Idk, just puzzled me when I drove it.

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[Mark S.]

Were they both brand new? If one of them is used it's possible the leather was aftermarket.

 

[Glamdring70]

I've driven both and I didn't think the leather was different, nor do I think the Ford "leather" wheel is real leather. It's hard, almost like vinyl/synthetics. I wish mine had soft, smooth leather like practically every car maker uses. The very smooth wheels on the Sports aren't the leather, that's the urethane wheel. This is the parts site leather wheel. Maybe you can zoom it in.

 

[Bronco Blue]

Were they both brand new? If one of them is used it's possible the leather was aftermarket.

Yes, they were both brand new

 

[Bronco Blue]

I've driven both and I didn't think the leather was different, nor do I think the Ford "leather" wheel is real leather. It's hard, almost like vinyl/synthetics. I wish mine had soft, smooth leather like practically every car maker uses. The very smooth wheels on the Sports aren't the leather, that's the urethane wheel. This is the parts site leather wheel. Maybe you can zoom it in.

My dad’s Escape has the same style leather that the BL I drove yesterday uses. I can take a pic of both wheels and post them real quick.

 

[Bronco Blue]

Here. The only thing different between the BL and my dad’s Escape is the red stitching, but it’s the same style leather.

 

[Tigger]

There are a lot of little things on the OBX that are nicely upgraded which is why I really liked mine before getting a HLE. Many think they are useless upgrades but I think they are well worth it.

 

[Bronco Blue]

There are a lot of little things on the OBX that are nicely upgraded which is why I really liked mine before getting a HLE. Many think they are useless upgrades but I think they are well worth it.

Yeah I’m not complaining. I like the way my steering wheel feels with the thicker, textured leather compared to my dad’s Escape and that BL I drove yesterday. I just find it odd that they used different kinds of leather for the steering wheel for different trims.

 

[Bronco Blue]

Also the BL had paddle shifters which I also thought was odd. Does that mean anything as to why it’s different?

 

[JAD67428]

I think it’s because one of them has a heated steering wheel and the other one doesn’t

 

[Bronco Blue]

I think it’s because one of them has a heated steering wheel and the other one doesn’t

Maybe, I had to check the window sticker on the BL to see if it has a heated steering wheel and it doesn’t.

I know with the leather steering wheel in my Dad’s Escape has the heated function and since it’s thin, it gets so hot that it makes it difficult to hold the steering wheel. I guess that’s a great thing with how cold it gets where I live during the winter.

The heated steering wheel in my BS doesn’t get as hot as my dad’s Escape probably because of the thicker leather.

 

[Alfa 2407]

The wheel in the badlands you drove was urethane wheel, if I remember correctly the leather wheel was optional on the badlands? Please correct me if I'm wrong, the wheel you sent a photo of is the same style as the one in my bb which did not have the leather steering wheel option

 

[rocks]

The wheel in the badlands you drove was urethane wheel, if I remember correctly the leather wheel was optional on the badlands? Please correct me if I'm wrong, the wheel you sent a photo of is the same style as the one in my bb which did not have the leather steering wheel option

Premium pkg?

• Leather-trimmed upholstery
• Power-adjustable passenger seat
• Driver's seat and side mirror memory settings
• Heated steering wheel
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Wireless charging pad
• 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system
• Rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking)

 

[Alfa 2407]

Premium pkg?

• Leather-trimmed upholstery
• Power-adjustable passenger seat
• Driver's seat and side mirror memory settings
• Heated steering wheel
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Wireless charging pad
• 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system
• Rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking)

Yup that's the one

 

[Glamdring70]

Here. The only thing different between the BL and my dad’s Escape is the red stitching, but it’s the same style leather.

I just don't follow. That wheel is exactly like my Badlands wheel and it's a lot more textured than the Escape wheel you posted. I don't think the car you test drove had the leather package. I think we all have to take their word for what is leather and what isn't, unless we start getting the wheels DNA tested.

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