What Is Volvo Nordico Upholstery?

Nordico will help Volvo push leather out of its portfolio.

Ronan Glon | 

Jun 14, 2024 | 2 min read

Volvo

As it shifts toward an electric-only range by 2030, Volvo also plans to stop selling cars with leather upholstery as another step to reduce its environmental impact. The automaker has offered wool and synthetic alternatives to leather for several years and plans to roll out a new upholstery called Nordico across its portfolio. Nordico is slated to appear in the upcoming EX90 and EX30 models.

Volvo

Nordico Is a Synthetic Leather Alternative

Developed internally by Volvo, Nordico is one of several non-animal-based upholsteries available to the carmaker's buyers. It was announced in 2021, and Volvo markets it as an upmarket alternative to the other upholsteries it offers, such as cloth.

As of publication, Volvo is the only car brand that offers Nordico upholstery. Sibling company Polestar makes several non-animal-based upholsteries available, but it hasn't announced plans to use Nordico.

Volvo

Nordico Is Made From Recycled Materials and Biological Matter

While many car manufacturers sell petroleum-based alternatives to leather, Nordico consists of a blend of textiles made with recycled plastic bottles, recycled corks from the wine industry, and what Volvo describes as bio-attributed material that comes from forests in Sweden and Finland.

Volvo claims Nordico is lighter than leather, which helps it save between 7 and 13 pounds per vehicle.

Volvo

The Pros and Cons of Nordico

As a synthetic material, Nordico can offer several advantages over leather. Synthetic upholsteries are generally easier to clean, tend to be more durable, and require less care. That said, Nordico hasn't been available for long enough to tell how it will age as wear and exposure to sunlight take their toll.

The trade-off in getting a synthetic interior fabric is that many such upholsteries — the Veganza upholstery available in several BMW models and Mercedes-Benz's MB-Tex, for example — tend not to feel as soft or look as good as leather.

Volvo

Nordico Will Debut Later This Year

None of the electric cars in the Volvo portfolio are available with leather upholstery, but neither are they available with Nordico as of publication. The three-row 2025 EX90 SUV will offer Nordico upholstery in three colors called Cardamom, Charcoal, and Dawn. The upholstery is compatible with heated seats, but, as of publication, Volvo hasn't announced whether ventilated seats will be available.

The list of cars offered with Nordico is likely to grow in the coming years as Volvo renews its lineup. The company has already said that a mix of Nordico and other upholsteries will be offered in the 2025 EX30.

Volvo won't be entirely animal free, however, until its whole lineup is refreshed. Currently, the brand still offers leather in some of its models.

Ronan Glon

Ronan Glon is an American journalist and automotive historian based in France. He enjoys working on old cars and spending time outdoors seeking out his next project car.