Ok, so I have read all the other posts about the sides panels of the leather seats splitting and that LR have fixed this under warranty. I had the drivers seat done under warranty no probs, but was told at the time that I wouldn't get the same issue with the passenger side. But guess what, a year out of warranty and the passenger side has started to go and LR won't replace repair.

In none of the other posts has anyone mentioned that when they bought "leather seats" they weren't told (or the spec mentioned anywhere) that the seats are part leather. I certainly was under the impression that I had bought full leather seats. The fact that the side panels are vinyl is made much worse by the paper thin thickness of the vinyl that they have used.

Can anyone point me to the full spec for a 2009 HST that details leather seats or not, so that I may be able to take this point up with LR? I am sure this could be a trades description issue

You on to a loser here as Land Rover have never stated it is full leather in any literature, website or brochure.

They state leather seat facings or something like that but they never state full leather. Even the Windsor leather in Freelanders is not full leather.

Apart from the mega brands like Aston, Rolls, Bentley etc. all other brands 'leather' is just the seat facings, you can get full leather from most makes, but it is double the price and listed as Nappa leather or similar.

I have a lot of experience with leather interiors, and I would never pay for a leather interior off a manufacturers options list with my own money. In my Audi company car I have their leather pack and the leather they use is shocking.

My friend owns classic car services and he has re-trimmed the last 10 of my cars in proper leather and it is a fraction of the cost of a manufacturers Nappa leather option. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

Absolutely correct Mav. I remember the furore when the Insignia was launched, and the Elite that supposedly came with leather...in fact, it was only facings, and the rest being wipe-down vinyl. The true "nappa" leather was a £3.5k option alone!! Foraging near Gaydon....
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MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

Very true about the Insignia. But even then, Vauxhall never stated full leather.

I had an Insignia SE and they listed the interior as Cloth and Morrocano. Which was all fake leather.

Manufacturers are not stupid to claim something it isn't.

I think Mercedes have the best one. "Artico" Man made leather!  Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

Artico is excellent though, have had a few Mercs with it, always looks new and being perforated doesn't get clammy, the feel isn't as 'nice' as leather but many people are hard pushed to tell them apart.

When Rover released the Seventy Five the whole seat was Leather. As soon as the facelift models came out 03 ish the facings were leather and the sides and backs were vinyl but they kept calling them leather seats

I recieved a 2009 brochure today from AVE

On page 33 it shows the seat options and for the HSE it shows
Napoli perforated leather (with additional part perforated front seat panels)
seat facing and bolsters in leather and PVC seat backs

75 such a wonderful motor se con, the metal on that car was like a tank  When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car