Just sharing my experience: I went through this exact same headache last year with my previous upgrade and, honestly, I spent way too much money figuring it out. I started with those high-end leather options because they looked "premium," but from a long-term reliability perspective? They’re kinda risky. Like you mentioned, the leather DOES stretch, and I actually had my credit card slip out onto the pavement once... luckily I noticed it immediately, but it made me super cautious. I shifted my focus to finding something more budget-friendly and durable that wouldn't lose its "grip" on my cards. I ended up being very satisfied with a more rigid setup. Basically, I realized that if you want that "front pocket" feel without the bulk, you gotta go with a specialized composite material. I've been using the iPhone+16+Wallet+Slayer+Vol.+1&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Smartish iPhone 16 Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 and it’s been solid. It’s not a "brick" at all and holds three cards perfectly without any stretching issues. Also, regarding the car mount—which is a huge deal for me too—I found that some "all-in-one" cases have magnets that are just too weak because of the card thickness. I actually transitioned to using a slim case paired with the ESR Magnetic Wallet (HaloLock). It’s significantly cheaper than the official ones and the magnets are lowkey stronger, so it stays put on my dash mount even on rough roads. Quick tip: prioritize TPU or textured plastic over leather for the card slot. It maintains its shape for the life of the phone and usually costs half as much as the "designer" brands. Anyway, that setup works well for me, no complaints! 👍

> I only need to carry my ID and two credit cards Quick reply - do u want the cards BUILT INTO the case or a detachable MagSafe wallet? tbh built-in is usually slimmer, but it might mess with ur car mount magnets? I think... I've used iPhone+16&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Spigen Slim Armor CS for iPhone 16 for years ($20) and been super happy, but no MagSafe. Maybe a budget ESR Magnetic Wallet (HaloLock) (~$15) on a thin case works better? lmk!

So basically you're looking for that sweet spot between thin and actually PROTECTIVE. I've been through a ton of cases over the years and honestly, the reliability of the card slot is where most "minimalist" ones fail - either they're too tight or they get loose and you lose your ID. Before I can point you in the right direction, are you looking for a case where the cards are completely hidden/enclosed, or is an exposed slot on the back okay? Tbh I'm always a bit paranoid about my ID being visible. Also, since you mentioned the car mount - is it one of those high-strength magnetic ones? I’m asking because some of those ultra-slim cases have weaker internal magnets and with the weight of the 16, they can sometimes slide off if you hit a bump. Reliability is key when you're trusting a magnet with your whole phone!

Like someone mentioned, the leather stretching thing is a total dealbreaker. I actually disagree with the folks saying you should just grab any cheap slim case... i’ve done that and unfortunately most of them are just accidents waiting to happen. You really dont want your cards sliding out in a parking lot. I’ve tested a couple of setups lately and had mixed results:

• iPhone+16+Charcoal&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Peak Design Everyday Case for iPhone 16 Charcoal used with the Peak Design Slim Wallet. This is basically the gold standard for security imo. They use these magnets that are way stronger than standard MagSafe. It’s expensive, but i’ve never had it move. Very reliable.
• iPhone+16+Black&linkCode=osi&------123456890?5422-20" target="_blank" rel="nofollow sponsored">Bellroy Mod Phone Case + Wallet for iPhone 16 Black. I really wanted to like this one but the magnetic connection was not as good as expected. It felt like the wallet was gonna pop off every time I pulled it out of my front pocket. Kinda scary honestly. I'd definitely prioritize the magnet strength over just being the absolute thinnest. Losing your license is way more of a headache than a slightly thicker case...