I'm planning on replacing my 2008 Fit Sport in about 6 months and I will most likely get a 2018 Fit EX or EXL. The price difference between the 2 is not huge and I realized today it's probably worth at least considering leather and heated seats. How are the leather seats. Are they comfortable? Feedback would be appreciated.

 

When I was shopping for my 2015 I thought I wanted the EXL, I changed my mind as soon as I sat in the leather seats. The leather feel cheap and not supple like in higher prices cars. I got an EX instead.

 

Agree. This has been my experience with the leather in most mainstream cars and even in most low end luxury cars such as the BMW 3 series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4, etc.

 

i would go for the cloth. not that the cloth is any nicer. spend that money on tint or something functional.

 

I live in New England. I would consider heated seats in the winter functional. If I still lived in Miami/Ft Lauderdale it wouldn't even be a consideration, but I'm not moving back.

 

We're lucky in Canada as we get heated seats on every trim level except the very base trim, DX, which doesn't even get air conditioning IIRC.

 

We get heated seats AND heated mirrors.

 

You're comparing to luxury cars. My comparison is:

1982 Toyota Tercel
1992 Toyota Tercel
1998 Honda CR-V LX
2006 Honda Element LX
2008 Honda Fit Sport

The nicest seats of the lot were in my CR-V, and even those weren't great. All of them had/have very firm, lower end cloth seats.

 

Wait, wait, I just reminded myself that both of the Tercels had really crappy vinyl seats, not cloth. Horribly crappy vinyl, but that was what my budget allowed in 1989 when I bought the first Tercel.

 

meh, i live in a snowbelt state. GK's parked out doors 24/7. could careless for heated seats for cloth.

 

Human Nature I think makes people recommend...what they have.
But my feeling is, if you feel the difference in price "really isn't that much"?
Then go for the EX-L.

The ONLY reason I'd go for less, is legitimately budget.
When I was looking at Fits the dealership had several EX's on the lot, and the "deals" were on the EX's. There WAS a significant price jump between the EX and the EX-L.

It's up to the OP.
I would also say? Heated seat options...seat covers "Clazzio" and/or upholstery options CAN be done aftermarket.

If you really want to go on the cheap?
I have an actually pretty great two piece seat cushion that plugs into the AC outlet, and offers not only heat...but also a hedonistic like massage option.
When the Winter gets really cold, I use it for the heat.
Remove it for Spring and Summer and Fall.

But my ultimate recommendation, would be, get what you want, if you can afford it. You probably won't retrospectively regret the difference paid in price, once you have it paid off.
If you don't get what you want? You'll always have the nagging voice telling you, you should of gotten the fully loaded EX-L.

 

The EX-L includes
Heated, Leather Seats
Heated sideview mirrors
turn signal nights on your sideview mirrors

I just got a EX and I just moved to a cold climate. I kinda regret it, but the $1000 I saved off MSRP, and the untold extra money I saved from tax... I think I'd have buyers' remorse either way.

 

I think it's as simple as sitting in both and seeing which you prefer.

Leather vs cloth is a personal thing and I'm even split on the subject. For me, cloth is generally more comfortable and breathes better. Leather looks better and is much easier to clean.

The cost difference becomes even less significant if you factor in resale value. You won't get it all back, but some of the difference will come back in the future.

 

You're absolutely right. I'm going to have to sit in them. Easier cleaning is appealing. I have 2 cats. They never go in the car, but their fur transfers onto everthing. My current car seats are absolutely COVERED in cat hair and it's extremely difficult to remove from the upholstery.

Resale is a non-issue for us. We usually keep cars for a long time. Whatever car I get I plan on keeping for at least 10 years.

 

Living in California it wasn't much of a debate. It was EX all the way for me. I had no need for heated seats with our climate, and Android Auto (or CarPlay) makes Honda Navigation redundant so there was never a need to consider adding that on. It came down to if paying $2400 MSRP more for basically just the leather seats was worth it. No way, since I could spend a fraction on that on upscale fitted leather seat covers and still get most of the benefits.

This calculus is obviously different the further north you are since the heated seats become more useful and valuable to have, but that was my thinking for what I have to live with in my neck of the woods. If only they had cooled seats…

 

I have cooled seats in a different car. Really hard to go back once you have them. Makes leather even nice in the heat of summer.

Fur comes off leather with a wipe of a rag and almost anything else comes off with a damp rag. Best I've found for removing fur from upholstery is a rubber glove. Still a mess and not fun!

 

I considered the leather/ heated seat option when I bought my 2017. I asked around and most people said heated seats are Cold in the Winter and Hot in the Summer so I didn't get them

 

The only car we have with leather seats is the BMW -- there was no cloth option. The Volvo has heated cloth seats.

Downsides to cloth seats: Dogs, and I drive a few miles to the beach to work out and so I use disposable plastic seat covers on the Volvo.

All things considered, I'd buy the Fit EX-cloth because it's available with a manual transmission.

If I traded cars every few years I might go for the EX-L with AT because the seats will be easier to clean and the AT will be easier to sell.

But as long as I generally keep cars, that doesn't matter.

 

Before I got my '16 LX, I test drove a '15 EX-L. I thought the leather seats were among the most uncomfortable I've ever sat upon. Hard as a brick, felt uncomfortable immediately, and approaching unbearable after a 10 min. test drive. The cloth seats felt like a revelation in comparison. Now mind you, the leather could wear in over time and become more comfortable - but I couldn't see myself wearing them in without a whole lot of discomfort first.