Nicks-n-Cuts on the Center Console - 2015 Volvo S60 Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Nicks-n-Cuts on the Center Console - 2015 Volvo S60 Long-Term Road Test

With less than 10,000 miles on the odometer, our 2015 Volvo S60 test car is showing a bit of interior wear.

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kirkhilles1

Yuck. That's the type of thing that I'd think would be tough to repair, if possible at all. The center console needs to be tough as it gets opened and shut and spilled on coffee and oils from your elbows resting on it. Any ONE of those small dents would be bad enough, but multiple ones in multiple spots? Blah. That's the type of thing that you'd need to replace before selling.

jfa1177

This is the problem with soft touch. More often than not the substrate is hard plastic and the soft touch is a paint applied after. While it looks good when new and brings the interior quality up initially, long term it wears really poorly (mid-2000 BMWs are notorious for peeling soft touch). If it were an over molded urethane or something similar it would be a different story (and a different set of problems).

defyant15

I have a 2013 XC90. I am anal about upkeep. It's got 33K miles and is really babied. The interior fit and finish is excellent.

However, I have similar issues on the soft touch plastics on the door. They get easily nicked and dented. Additionally, my R-Design leather seats are full of scratches and scuffs, even though we dont wear studded plants/jeans or ones with buttons, no pets etc AND condition and clean it regularly. I think JFA's statement along with the exact materials Volvo is using has something to do with this. They refused to cover under warranty.

socal_eric

jfa1177 said:

This is the problem with soft touch. More often than not the substrate is hard plastic and the soft touch is a paint applied after. While it looks good when new and brings the interior quality up initially, long term it wears really poorly (mid-2000 BMWs are notorious for peeling soft touch). If it were an over molded urethane or something similar it would be a different story (and a different set of problems).

As a real-world example my '08 Cobalt SS got panned by much of the media for some of the hard plastic surfaces on the dash and door panels, but some seven years later they clean up perfect and look just like new. I'm all for pleasant to look at, nice to feel soft-touch material but some manufacturers more than other seem to concentrate on what the car looks like on the dealer's lot and don't take into consideration how it will hold up in daily use years down the road.

I'd like to see that become the next big thing for the luxury segment rather than adding electronics and various tech. Most new cars are screwed together well but if you're going to command premium dollars for a premium product it would be nice if interior surfaces were extremely UV resistant and won't fade, peel or get tons of scratches, the headlamps didn't yellow and haze after a few years, paint clear coat could last more than five or ten years in harsh climates without getting chalky, etc.