I've just got a new V60 with the standard cloth seats. They are every bit as good as the seats in my old V40 from 10 years ago.

Fully adjustable every which way, including the tilt of the squab as well as the height, which is important to me as I like under-thigh support :)

I have worked for Ford as a subcontractor.

They will not be told by anyone to "get stuffed" - at the last meeting I had with them, a Texan had his boots on the table for some of the time. No "c r a p".

Volvo will do as they are told (or would have done - Indians now).

659.

Ford sold Volvo to Geely of China last year didn't they, so there's not likely to be much Ford influence going on.

Back when I had my 2005 S80 with proper Volvo seats (and zero Ford parts AFAIK), I had a loan of a 2008 new S80 with all the Ford input that goes with it.

My impressions were that the seats were different from the older Volvo, still supportive but less squidgy- more Germanic I suppose. Mrs OB liked them better than the old S80. FWIW overall interior quality was just as good on the whole (and less old fashioned), but there were places were the new car felt cheaper, I was particularly surprised by the very tinny sound when closing the boot of the new S80 compared to the made of granite thud of the old car. Not that that really matters of course...

As to why Volvo could or would still make better seats, IMHO, the higher quality interiors and additional safety equipment were the two #1 obvious brand differences between Ford products on the EUCD platform and Volvo's versions. E.g. Mondeo vs S80. It was the stuff you couldn't see or feel that tended to be lifted from Ford wholesale to save cash, like washer bottles and electrical boards.