Camden, New Jersey – Cloth, leather and water-repellent are the three seat surface options customers will have when looking at the redesigned 2020 Subaru Outback that arrives later this year.
The water-resistant option comes on the midsize crossover as part of an Onyx Edition XT grey, two-tone interior. But there's more to that design package than it appears.
The front and rear seats are finished in a urethane material that is the key new surface ingredient. If an occupant gets into the vehicle soaked from being caught in the rain or has been in the damp outdoors, the seats won't absorb the moisture.
Subaru is calling the durable, lightweight material StarTex. It does not include any animal components in the material manufacturing process, making it vegan-friendly.
Additionally, the material does not contain PVC, phthalate or chlorine. The material's backing contains 25% recycled PET.
The soft-touch seats are also easy to scrub clean, should occupants track mud or other debris into the cabin.
by Jack Walsworth
This story first appeared in Automotive News
