Auto interiors trump exteriors as consumers deciding factor

Car interior experts Asahi Kasei Europe conducted a survey among car owners concerning the future value of car interiors. Mobility, in general, is going through vast changes thanks to concepts like connectivity, autonomous vehicles, shared mobility and electronic driving. The key question here was, what makes consumers decide which future car they will buy.

Exterior design has played a major role in consumer decisions for many years. Current preferences, the survey found, are shifting more and more to interiors. This is vital knowledge for OEMs, as more than half of car users will need to be persuaded again when their next purchase arrives (53,2% will not buy the same brand or is undecided). The most notable finding here, was that for most buyers, they selected their previous car based on exterior, but value interior more for their future purchase.

Interior materials play a vital part in the future, and according to the survey 57% of respondents, value sustainable materials. At the same time, 44,8% admitted willingness to pay more for a high-quality look and feel.

In our view, there is nothing more luxurious and sustainable than responsibly manufactured genuine leather. It is a naturally occurring (non-plastic) material that is a by-product of another industry, benefitting from cutting edge developments in green chemistry. However, Asaki Kasei’s research suggest that, based on their findings, the demand for quality leather will lower. When it comes to sustainable materials, considering alternative materials as the better choice is a common and persistent error. After all, non-leather materials are non-circular, newly created, non-degradable plastics.

When it comes to luxurious look and feel, no material equals leather. But this surface material, that has been with us for untold generations, is also a sustainable solution to some of the major waste issues our world is facing. It has the technical functionalities to deal with interior challenges, like sound and noise, but also is much more durable than others.

Read the full article about the interior research.