LT vs. LTZ: the seats

[pounamu]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to purchase a Sonic, and I'm fairly certain I want the turbo LT. Paying an extra 1,500 for the leatherette and heated seats didn't quite make sense for me money-wise (although living in the Northeast US, I have to say, heated seats sound mighty attractive). I also got a feeling from my test drive that the leatherette fabric would be prone to tearing in case something caught on it; it didn't feel as reliable as actual leather (obviously). Fabric seemed more sturdy. What do you think? And, if you have heated seats, are you happy with their performance? My understanding is that there' s only one level setting?

Thank you!

 

[Chrish051873]

Hello.

I live In NE Ohio. I love the heated seats, they work great.

I have also had no problems with the seats tearing, even got lucky twice forgetting I had the trusty screwdriver in my back pocket and hearing it scrape against the fabric as I got in the car. I would say it is tear resistant.

Chris

 

[xsonicLTZx]

I love my heated seats. I also have an 8 year old jumping in and out of the rear seats, and have no issues with the material at all. After 12,000 miles seats still look good as new. Maybe id recommend a decent seat cover, i want to get me some sheepskin covers ;-p

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Welcome to the forum ponamu. Please let me know if you have any other questions about your new Sonic once I get it. I am available to chat and answer any questions you have if you just send me a private message here on the forum. As far as the leatherette seats I have never has a complaint submitted to me about them tearing.

Glad you guys love your heated seats. For me it's a necessity living in Michigan. It gets REALLY cold here.


Jackie
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[sonic24740]

this is my first car with heated seat I LOVE THEM.. wish the steering wheels were heated also.. but well worth the extra money in my opinion

 

[lattyd]

I would also imagine that the leatherette seats are more resistant to stains and fluids in general

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

 

[barch88]

My cloth ones look great in my LT model, the black ones. Of course if I had the money I'd buy an RS or LTZ and get leatherette

 

[sonic24740]

My cloth ones look great in my LT model, the black ones. Of course if I had the money I'd buy an RS or LTZ and get leatherette

hey hey hey... the RS is Real Leather..

 

[Coppercat]

I've had my Sonic for a year now, an LTZ with the leatherette heated seats. I love the seats, I live in Canada, so heated seats are great, and I find they're really easy to keep clean, I've had no tearing or anything on mine.

 

[davecerv]

I enjoy my leatherette seats. I haven't had to use the heated feature yet but, I cant wait for it to be cold enough down here in Houston. I was interested in non cloth seats since me and my lady eat in the car a lot so if anything they seem easier to clean and also during the rain just sit down if your wet and its okay haha. No dust over time like cloth retains. And I like the wrapped steering wheel of course. I only wish that the sonic had cooled seats ahhhh, it should at least be added to the rs in the future I would sooo be tempted to trade up.

 

[chivalryder]

IMO, cloth seats are better than any other material. Any other material is slippery, so you're going to move around when cornering. TVR will not offer leather in their cars for this reason. Also, cloth retains heat better than leather or leatherette. With cloth, you don't need heated seats. Yes, it takes a little while to warm up the seats with your butt, but give it a bit of time and you'll forget that the temps are sub-zero outside!

I also hate the look to leatherette. Ew.

Also, why would you blow an extra $1500 on something you'll only use for 4 months of the year?

By the way, if you're looking at a car in a lot, you cannot add heated seats to a car that did not originally come with heated seats. I nearly had heated seats thrown in for free because I got in a huge argument with the salesman but after much deliberation with the head office, and looking at the wiring schematic, they discovered that the heated seats are wired into the air bag harness and they are not interchangeable.

So I got a few hundred bucks worth of free gas.

 

[Insanika]

I wouldn't have minded cloth seats.. If they didn't have that hideous pattern! Looks like leftover curtains from a hotel. I didn't want the leatherette either, so another bonus point for purchasing my RS. HOWEVER IMO anything is better than the cloth pattern in the Sonic.

Heated seats only 4 months? I use mine all the time coming home from work.. That heat is nice on an achy lower back!!

 

[chivalryder]

I guess I'm lucky I don't have an achy lower back. I'd make an offer to help alleviate that problem, but IIRC you already have someone to do that for you.

 

[Jarrow]

TVR?? That's your leather argument.

 

[chivalryder]

Yes, yes it is.

 

[Jarrow]

ok

 

[Insanika]

I guess I'm lucky I don't have an achy lower back. I'd make an offer to help alleviate that problem, but IIRC you already have someone to do that for you.

Yeah, something about leaning over patients, stooping over med tables, chasing doctors around while carrying 12 charts and trying to write in one, and the whole time carrying around gallons of pee that there is no time to release.. Makes for an great relationship with my heated leather seats on the 30 minute ride home.

You remember correctly, but thanks for thinkin of me!

 

[Scot]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to purchase a Sonic, and I'm fairly certain I want the turbo LT. Paying an extra 1,500 for the leatherette and heated seats didn't quite make sense for me money-wise (although living in the Northeast US, I have to say, heated seats sound mighty attractive). I also got a feeling from my test drive that the leatherette fabric would be prone to tearing in case something caught on it; it didn't feel as reliable as actual leather (obviously). Fabric seemed more sturdy. What do you think? And, if you have heated seats, are you happy with their performance? My understanding is that there' s only one level setting?

Thank you!

You get a bit more for $1500.
2013 Chevrolet Sonic Equipment Options | Hatchback Car | Chevrolet

Also, heated seats kick ass - and are not too difficult to install yourself. Here's one I recommend:
Amazon.com: Dorman 628-040 Universal Seat Heater Kit: Automotive

 

[wingnut]

I have an LTZ with the leatherette seats and have my dog in the car from time to time, No problem with his nails on the seat and he constantly moves from side to side in the car.
They seem pretty durable to me.

 

[mowcowbell]

You do get a little more than just heated leatherette seats in the LTZ. You get the nice 17" wheels, and a touchscreen MyLink radio. So far, the leatherette seems quite durable in my LTZ.