Mandatory leather steering wheel - major fail

[azul_r]

I would seem to be right in the C-Max target demographics.  We'd like to downsize from current vehicles now the older kids have left home but we still want decent size and practicality.  We'd also like far better fuel consumption, partly for the cost savings, partly because it just seems the responsible thing to do.  My wife hates the Prius console layout, so we would seem prime candidates for a C-Max.

 

But - I'm vegetarian, and avoid leather.  As such, I know I'm one of a very small minority, but this is something that's non-negotiable for me.   Imagine what your reaction if you were told that the steering wheel you were using was lovingly made from human skin.  I imagine you'd be grossed out.  Well, take that emotion, scale it down to maybe just ten percent of what it was, and that's kind of how I feel about using cow skin.  I'm not saying that all you people who prefer leather seats are evil, horrible people, just that it's not for me.

 

So I was keen on the idea of the C-Max until I saw that there was no way to get steering wheel and gear shift gaiter in anything but leather.  I appreciate it that for many people these will be slight positives, but for a few they will be huge negatives.  I wonder if Ford marketing people are aware of this?  I did some internet searches, and somewhat to my surprise found that when Toyota introduced the Prius they avoided the use of leather as a matter of policy, because some people might find it of dubious morality and Toyota was keen to grab the moral high ground (or at least appear to have done that).

 

Perhaps it's good and proper that Ford are aiming for a mass market and not worried about the niche early adopters, but it's not an all round win for them, I was looking at the on-line comparisons that show leather steering wheel as some kind of plus for the C-Max - and thinking to myself that it was a huge minus, and to search for all the cars that had that as unavailable or option only.

 

I skipped trying a C-Max and did a test drive of a Fusion hybrid.  It was a very nice car, but even with the back seats folded for pass-through, it didn't really have the versatility that we'd like.  I guess we'll be reluctant Toyota buyers.

 

Actually, we're in a double minority.  We currently have a Taurus wagon and really like the layout.  What we'd like would be a Fusion wagon, a variant that Ford sell outside the USA as the Mondeo wagon.  It seems that the vagaries of EPA classifications have pushed American car makers to promote SUVs and CUVs to do the job that the wagon used to do, but we'd prefer the better handling and better aerodynamics/fuel consumption of the lower vehicle.  The fuel consumption of the C-Max at high speeds seems a little disappointing, I wonder what it would have been had it been a bit lower and more aerodynamic.

[valkraider]

I wouldn't call losing the potential Vegan customers a "major" fail.

 

Perhaps it should be optional, yes. Maybe talk to dealers and ask if it is something that can be handled with a custom order? If not, then maybe the CMAX isn't for you...

 

But seriously - comparing it to human skin is a bit extreme and generally how Vegans lose credibility with me.

 

Wagons are good, at least VW/Audi still make a couple. But the American market seems to not sell enough to warrant the effort needed to produce a lot of wagon models.

 

[dtorres]

Funny I was pleased to see I could get the leather wrapped steering wheel without having to upgrade to the SEL model. I like the feel of the leather over a rubberized steering wheel.

 

I guess to each their own :-)

[Laurel]

I have vegan friends and they feel the same as you.  Good luck finding a car for your family.  Might be worth having the leather taken off the steering wheel--as the C-Max is great.

[valkraider]

Might be worth having the leather taken off the steering wheel--as the C-Max is great.

 

Doesn't that violate the whole intent?

 

[Laurel]

I guess so, but if you got the cloth seats and just had the leather taken off the wheel and put a cotton cover on the steering wheel wouldn't that work out?  Cause you buy the car for all the features and not the steering wheel.

[azul_r]

To valkraider, I'm sorry if I came over as holier-than-thou.  My little digression on skin was by way of saying that an answer of "get over yourself, or go get a steering wheel cover at Pep Boys if you must" wouldn't really work for me.  If someone thought I had some psychological condition that caused the disgust emotion to come up inappropriately, they'd probably be right.  So I'm just venting that there's a small (OK, very small) market that is being ignored by Ford marketing.

 

There's actually an interesting question here.  How does a company deal with features that the majority has a slight preference for but a small minority has a strong preference against?

 

I think the number of vegetarians in the US is around 3%, but I'd think the number is a bit higher for the C-Max target demographic.  Just guessing numbers, I'd think that out of every thousand potential customers, 40 would be vegetarian, of which 20 wouldn't even notice the issue, 10 would have thought about it and not be concerned, and 10 have a preference against.  Then out of that ten, maybe only two or three would have this as a showstopper, but that would still be two or three customers in every thousand lost.   I wonder if having non-leather on the base model would have been enough to lose people like dtorres, who prefer leather and would have this nudge their buying decision the other way?   It would be interesting to know if any people have researched this and what they found.

 

To Laurel, thanks for mentioning about the vegan friends.  If any Ford marketing people are reading this, please take note.

 

 

 

 

[valkraider]

 

 

 

I guess so, but if you got the cloth seats and just had the leather taken off the wheel and put a cotton cover on the steering wheel wouldn't that work out?  Cause you buy the car for all the features and not the steering wheel.

 

 

 

So like buying a steak dinner, throwing away the meat and just eating the baked potato and salad?

Perhaps this thread will devolve into a political mess... ;)

 

I have no problem with hoping Ford would provide options.  Options are good, even if I disagree with the motivations to choose them.  Not every likes the panoramic sunroof but that didn't stop me from ordering it...

Edited December 5, 2012 by valkraider

[valkraider]

I think the number of vegetarians in the US is around 3%, but I'd think the number is a bit higher for the C-Max target demographic.  Just guessing numbers, I'd think that out of every thousand potential customers, 40 would be vegetarian, of which 20 wouldn't even notice the issue, 10 would have thought about it and not be concerned, and 10 have a preference against.  Then out of that ten, maybe only two or three would have this as a showstopper, but that would still be two or three customers in every thousand lost.   I wonder if having non-leather on the base model would have been enough to lose people like dtorres, who prefer leather and would have this nudge their buying decision the other way?   It would be interesting to know if any people have researched this and what they found.

 

Let's be clear, Vegetarian is not the same as Vegan.

 

Vegetarian people probably have little problem with leather in general, they simply have made a dietary choice to not eat meat.

 

Vegan is more of a philosophical or political viewpoint around the ethical treatment of animals.

 

Again, options are a *good* thing.  A car company should try not to exclude any potential customers - regardless of lifestyle choices.

[valkraider]

Also, remember - often vehicles enter the market with a more limited set of options and the manufacturer will add more choices or trims or options as model years progress.

 

Send feedback to Ford, let them know your concerns.  If they don't know they are missing a market - they won't be able to respond.

[Chinto]

Walmart sells Naugahyde steering wheel covers to slip over any wheel.   They also have the lace up type for a more factory feel.  I remember applying the lace up type to my old cars that would have the hard plastic wheels and hang a peace sign necklace from the rear view mirror back in the day.      

[CNCGeek]

Not a vegan, but I also find it odd that leather is required on hybrids.  I have never really liked leather as an interior, it's hot in the summer and cold in the winter, on the wheel it does not bother me so much.  I think I would probaby not mind a non-leather wheel though I am not sure what that would be.

 

As an aside, the Lexus ct200 has a really nice synthetic leather interior - and it is a very nice (but small) hybrid - not sure if the wheel is leather or synthetic, or if there is a cloth option though.

[FoutsNC]

The best option would be to write a letter to Ford marketing and ask for an alternative.  I would also send a copy directly to the CEO as well. You might be surprised in their response.  Car manufacturers are attempting to be a bit more accomadating with their options. They put some emphasis on the green aspects of the cloth seats.  In case you weren't aware, the shifter is also leather.  I assume that would need to be changed too for you.

[Jus-A-CMax]

Perhaps if one of the dealer has a custom shop ala Galpin Ford has a Galpin Auto Sports, they can do anything to the trim - usually add or enhance so I don't see why they cannot custom swap out with some other material, or make it wood like the Jaguars. Try that route and see if one the dealers near you have the same setup. Probably cost you money but if the car is what you want, it's middle of the line.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Jus-A-CMax

[erwhitham]

My daughter refuses to buy or wear leather. Interestingly, she's moved from strictly vegetarian to eating occasional free range meats from humanely treated animals. I love my leather interior CMax but totally appreciate others' values. As a side note, I wanted the leather but not the sunroof as I've dealt with melanomas. Couldn't have one without the other, ( except perhaps factory ordered?)so that sunroof will probably never be used.

[C-MaxJaxon]

My daughter refuses to buy or wear leather. Interestingly, she's moved from strictly vegetarian to eating occasional free range meats from humanely treated animals. I love my leather interior CMax but totally appreciate others' values. As a side note, I wanted the leather but not the sunroof as I've dealt with melanomas. Couldn't have one without the other, ( except perhaps factory ordered?)so that sunroof will probably never be used.

 

Glass blocks most UV light and you can add film to the glass for more UV blocking.

[valkraider]

The leather seats are not tied to the sunroof. They can be ordered separately.

[valkraider]

Perhaps if one of the dealer has a custom shop ala Galpin Ford has a Galpin Auto Sports, they can do anything to the trim - usually add or enhance so I don't see why they cannot custom swap out with some other material, or make it wood like the Jaguars. Try that route and see if one the dealers near you have the same setup. Probably cost you money but if the car is what you want, it's middle of the line.

Again, wouldn't that defeat the purpose? The animal already died. The leather is already used. So by replacing the leather steering wheel with something synthetic the animal somewhat died in vain. Isn't the point to not kill the animal for the leather?

[azul_r]

The suggestion of writing to Ford marketing seems reasonable, even if I don't expect anything more than a polite letter back.  I'll try to do this sometime over the weekend and will post any reply.

[erwhitham]

Glass blocks most UV light and you can add film to the glass for more UV blocking.

Hmm, I was told by medical personnel that normal glass allows UV light. Appreciate the suggestion for added film.

[RaPieR]

I would seem to be right in the C-Max target demographics.  We'd like to downsize from current vehicles now the older kids have left home but we still want decent size and practicality.  We'd also like far better fuel consumption, partly for the cost savings, partly because it just seems the responsible thing to do.  My wife hates the Prius console layout, so we would seem prime candidates for a C-Max.

 

But - I'm vegetarian, and avoid leather.  As such, I know I'm one of a very small minority, but this is something that's non-negotiable for me.   Imagine what your reaction if you were told that the steering wheel you were using was lovingly made from human skin.  I imagine you'd be grossed out.  Well, take that emotion, scale it down to maybe just ten percent of what it was, and that's kind of how I feel about using cow skin.  I'm not saying that all you people who prefer leather seats are evil, horrible people, just that it's not for me.

 

So I was keen on the idea of the C-Max until I saw that there was no way to get steering wheel and gear shift gaiter in anything but leather.  I appreciate it that for many people these will be slight positives, but for a few they will be huge negatives.  I wonder if Ford marketing people are aware of this?  I did some internet searches, and somewhat to my surprise found that when Toyota introduced the Prius they avoided the use of leather as a matter of policy, because some people might find it of dubious morality and Toyota was keen to grab the moral high ground (or at least appear to have done that).

 

Perhaps it's good and proper that Ford are aiming for a mass market and not worried about the niche early adopters, but it's not an all round win for them, I was looking at the on-line comparisons that show leather steering wheel as some kind of plus for the C-Max - and thinking to myself that it was a huge minus, and to search for all the cars that had that as unavailable or option only.

 

I skipped trying a C-Max and did a test drive of a Fusion hybrid.  It was a very nice car, but even with the back seats folded for pass-through, it didn't really have the versatility that we'd like.  I guess we'll be reluctant Toyota buyers.

 

Actually, we're in a double minority.  We currently have a Taurus wagon and really like the layout.  What we'd like would be a Fusion wagon, a variant that Ford sell outside the USA as the Mondeo wagon.  It seems that the vagaries of EPA classifications have pushed American car makers to promote SUVs and CUVs to do the job that the wagon used to do, but we'd prefer the better handling and better aerodynamics/fuel consumption of the lower vehicle.  The fuel consumption of the C-Max at high speeds seems a little disappointing, I wonder what it would have been had it been a bit lower and more aerodynamic.

Is the leather trim in the C-Max even real leather?  I have my doubts that it is actual leather and not some synthetic material.

 

When I first saw this thread I thought it was going to refer to the stitching on the leather steering wheel.  It is rough and coarse and detracts from the soft upscale feel of the leather wrapped wheel.

[FoutsNC]

Well, that's partially correct.  UVB rays are blocked by the standard the glass within vehicles.  Windshields are treated to block some UVA rays, yet it still gets through.  The side windows are usally not treated at all for UVA.  I am not sure if the roof glass in the C-Max is or isn't treated for UVA.  If you have had issues with skin cancer, I would highly suggest visiting a "good" tint shop in your area (Don't stop by the cheapo tint places).  A good shop will have several options.  Most tint will block most of the remaining UVA rays, yet there are some UV Blocking films that are clear that will block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.  My wife has lupus and we've had to do some research on this subject.  We use a dark reflective tint on everything except for the windshield.  We have the UV Blocking film on the windshield.  Not only does it help with the blocking of UV light, it also keeps it cooler in the summer and saves the interior.

[valkraider]

Well the sunroof is already tinted, and the C-Max comes with UV blocking glass all around. Additional tint will improve the UV blocking.

[captaineddie]

I agree with RaPieR.  The "leather" in the car doesn't even feel like leather--more like leatherette.  It's not anything like the leather in my King Ranch truck.

[Jus-A-CMax]

Ha...I was talking with my dealer, and he also came across another Vegan who opposed the leather steering wheel but this time, he wanted a Mustang. Interesting.