When I first set up the pricing database, it distinguished only between partial leather and leather.

But the database now includes all non-exotic luxury cars, and manufacturers have been adding more leather to their luxury car interiors. In the last year or so leather-upholstered instrument panels
have become increasingly available in the segment. At a lower price point, first Mercedes and now Cadillac offer models with leatherette upholstery covering the IP–the latter refers to this treatment, sourced from the same company that supplies Mercedes, as “cut and sew.”

It might seem frivolous to upholster an instrument panel, but the interior can feel much more upscale as a result.

In a related vein, alcantara headliners are standard or optional in more and more luxury cars.

So the database has been upgraded to track these features, and (for model years beginning with 2008) leather door panels as well.

In adding the last, I was surprised by how rare leather on the door panels seems to be (if the sources I used are accurate). It seems that the stuff on the doors is often leatherette rather than leather.

Finally, the database will now track (for 2008+ cars) the number of rows covered in leather.

I’d like to get even more specific, and track the grade of leather, but as far as I can tell there’s no standard way to grade leather, and this information simply isn’t available. So this will remain one of those things not adjusted for.