[toyarmy]

I keep seeing "soft touch" panels mentioned in various places. What the heck is it? Is there something I could compare it to maybe? Without going to a car lot and checking it out in a vehicle that has it?

What are the pros/cons? How does it compare to the current 9th gen interior?

 

[mno86]

Soft touch materials are exactly what they sound like. They aren't hard, brittle plastics with grains that could cut glass.

The last generation Civic had a lot of soft touch materials on the dash and upper door sills. It was much more cohesive. The interior of the 9th gen has an excessive amount of plastics and they are all very hard, and very hollow sounding. They're also of several different textures and materials - and it doesn't work as well (in my opinion).

While it's a personal opinion, I liked the higher quality feel of the last gen models (even though they were MUCH more wear-prone). While our interiors are definitely substandard in the segment, they are passable and everyone has different opinions on whether it is better or worse than before.

Frankly, as long as they don't crack, fade, bubble, break, or rattle, that's all I care about.

 

[Blueribbon]

"Soft touch" is a description for the way the material feels. Instead of the hard plastic that we are used to, the materials will oddly enough, feel soft to the touch. Lol It is done either with a coating on the plastic, or a material like leather or some synthetic.