The leather on my steering wheel has worn out since 2016. It no longer had that matte finish it once did – instead, it was shiny as hell… I’ve been focusing mainly on mechanical improvements lately, until Grzesiek reminded me of its condition.
Photos of the steering wheel before reupholstering
I’ve already described the process of removing the steering wheel in a previous post, which can be found at this address.
Photos of the steering wheel after alcantara reupholstering
The alcantara steering wheel offers excellent grip, and its gentle “fuzzy” texture feels amazing to touch. An additional styling element is the blue strip at the top of the steering wheel (at 12 o’clock position), similar to what you can find in the Golf 7 GTI Clubsport or the factory Polo WRC Street. This characteristic “centerline” adds a sporty character and stands out compared to standard steering wheels.
Rysiek from Cardio Auto Detailing was responsible for the reupholstering – I recommend his services to everyone!
I paid 800 PLN for the alcantara reupholstering (for heated steering wheels, the price will be slightly higher).
The downside of alcantara is that it’s harder to keep clean – dust and small particles tend to stick to it. Additionally, there’s material wear from sweat – this is often visible in track-focused cars where the steering wheel gets quite worn. You can also notice this in cars frequently used as daily drivers. But leather isn’t perfect either, as it becomes shiny with wear, so if something gets used, it’s normal – nothing lasts forever. Using gloves can extend its nice appearance. Besides that, alcantara reupholstering is slightly more expensive, but in my opinion, it’s worth it for the effect alone 🙂
After picking up the steering wheel, it was time to reattach it to my Polo and clear the errors from driving without an airbag – my goddaughter helped me with this:
And a few more photos from driving:
Impressions
The alcantara steering wheel with the blue top center marker is definitely a successful modification – it looks good, provides excellent grip, and adds a touch of sportiness to my Polo. Highly recommended!
