IKEA Morabo sofa review

It seems like only yesterday we were crying over the Karlstad being discontinued and replaced with the Landskrona. And just as we’ve just gotten used to it, here we are six years later saying hello to the Morabo!

Does this mean that the Landskrona is being replaced completely by the Morabo? 

Well, let’s see. IKEA has discontinued the Landskrona in the US and Canada, but not in Spain, France, the UK or the Netherlands.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Overview
2. Aesthetics
3. Comfort
4. Practicality
5. Price
6. Final verdict

Overview 

It seems the Morabo has pulled a Finnala on us! The only difference between the Morabo and its predecessor, the Landskrona, is that it is about 3 cm wider, deeper and taller. 

Yep, that’s about it folks! 

Here is a measurement comparison: 

We think the motivation behind the Morabo was to create a version of the Landskrona that is better catered to the American market. From the measurements, it looks like the Morabo was meant to be a taller sofa (for taller people), and with added width and depth. Does 3cm (a little more than an inch) make such a difference though?

Aesthetics

It isn’t difficult to recognise a timeless classic when you see one. This design is an oldie and a goodie, so there’s no doubt why IKEA decided to keep this similar design throughout the Karlstad, Landskrona – and now finally the Morabo.

If you were thinking of getting a Morabo, your options would be between five leather colours and two fabric colours.

We think that the Morabo was designed for a certain look in the living room; it seems to be leather-centric as most of its neutral colours only come in leather options. 

Perhaps the Morabo was designed to be a more affordable and practical alternative to the classic leather tufted sofa? Think CB2’s Savile leather tufted sofa, or Crate and Barrel’s Rollins leather button tufted sofa – but with removable back and seat cushions. 

While the leather-tufted look is a classic and can work in many living rooms, we do think that the colour and material combinations could be more balanced. 

See how we can change the look of your Morabo in an instant:

Redesign my Morabo

Aesthetics score: 6.50/10

Comfort

Just like the Landskrona, the Morabo isn’t that comfortable – but it isn’t exactly uncomfortable, either. In fact, there are only two notable differences between the Landskrona and the Morabo. 

Firstly, the Morabo is slightly taller: 3cm taller to be exact. Secondly, the back cushions are considerably thicker as they are apparently filled with a high-resilience foam and polyester wadding for added comfort.

In any case, the cushions on the Morabo have maintained their firmness which is always great for back support. 

Two things that stayed the same; the arms and the tufting. The arms still remain way too high to nap against! The tufting also looks like it’s here to stay. We feel like it is pretty much the same sofa but slightly bigger and thicker.

Comfort score: 6/10

Practicality

It’s got exactly the same structure and leg placements (which we think is the best upgrade since the Karlstad). It’s even got the same velcro attached behind the back cushions keeping them propped up against the backrest.

We were even pleased to know that a portion of the leather surface is made from actual leather – which shouldn’t be a surprise since the Landskrona leather options were the same. This definitely prolongs the life of the couch as top-grain leather is far less prone to tearing and cracking compared to PU.

It’s also very easy to clean; a simple wipe with a damp cloth or even spot-cleaning with some dilute soap water should do the trick.

If we had one qualm here, it would be that the Morabo isn’t exactly made to be slipcovered (what with the tufting and all!). If it were slipcoverable, it would still have to be disassembled first in order to get each slipcover component installed. We do believe there is a way to work around this with custom slipcovers, so all is not lost.

The Morabo seems to have inherited its predecessor’s trusty practicality and quality. It seems almost like a rigid sofa – but then again, that’s exactly where this legacy (Karlanda-Karlstad-Landskrona-Morabo) gets its respect from.

Practicality score: 7/10

Price

The Morabo seems to be a tad pricier than the Landskrona was. Going at US$849 for the leather options, the Morabo is around US$70 more than the Landskrona was. The non-leather options are available for much less: US$649

Is it worth the extra few bucks?

Pros: Thicker back cushions, taller seats and overall height (cushions may take longer to compress)

Cons: Colour/material options are rather limited to mostly leather.  

I guess it all boils down to whether you’re looking for a leather couch. If so, then paying a little more for these long-term upgrades may very well be worth it.

Price score: 6/10

Final verdict

Overall, we give the Morabo a 6.5/10. Still a pretty alright sofa, with the same great sturdiness and support. We do wish that the colour and material options were better balanced.

Aesthetics: 6.5/10
Comfort: 6/10
Practicality: 7/10
Price: 6/10
Overall: 6.5/10 

Looking for more variety of the IKEA Morabo sofa covers? More than 70 fabric styles and colours are available on our website: 

Give your Morabo a new look