Best Car Seat Covers: Wrap It Up | Hainan Car Seat Cover Co.,Ltd

Routinely ignored until needed and often derided until put into good use, seat covers are the Rodney Dangerfield of car accessories. Poor fitting units bear the brunt of buyer's remorse, while a wanton color choice is obvious to all passersby. After all, seats take up most of your car's interior – their covering is kinda noticeable.

Whether one wants to add seat covers to their ride because the car was previously inhabited by a rabid squirrel or simply to change up the interior vibe, there are no shortage of vendors looking to take your hard-earned cash. After all, some of these things are comfortable while others frustratingly wad up like a discarded McDonald's bag.

While this is a minefield of offerings, we have attempted to wade through it all and highlight eight of them here. Always be sure the set you’re ordering actually fits the machine in which you intend to perform an install.

Regular readers (all three of you) know my propensity for over-the-topiary items. With that in mind, it should be no surprise I’ve selected a product that some would consider garish and bears the name of Luckyman. Seriously: LUCKYMAN! How can you go wrong? These covers are black in color with red piping along the edges and amongst the diamond shape surface pattern. The seller boasts of a material that is thicker than most competitors, alleging extra protection from the poking of keys or other sharp objects.

Customer feedback indicates the covers fit snugly on a wide range of vehicles, everything from a Tacoma to Corolla. Shipping time seems to be reasonable, too. Seat sides are left exposed, meaning these things are compatible with cars featuring front-seat side airbags. Despite the extra material thickness, seat heaters should still be able to provide a toasty seating surface through the covers.

Falling squarely in the function-over-form part of the Venn diagram is this cover. Essentially a big blanket with a quilted-type surface and straps to hold the works of it in place, this protector is a great idea for anyone who regularly brings Fido and Fluffy along with them on family road journeys. Disturbingly, the seller also recommends it for children. Okay, then.

I’ll concede it might be helpful to prevent damage caused by a tightly installed rear-facing carrier. Other than that, don't treat your children like pets. As for the cover, it isn't a form-fitting unit, instead merely hooking straps around the headrests and seat anchors. Makes it easy to remove the cover when it isn't needed, however.

If all you need is a cheap way to hide the tattered remains of the factory-seat fabric in your vehicle, a person will be hard pressed to do better than with this option. Priced cheaper than a bucket of chicken, this cover set includes both front bucket seats, two pieces for the rear bench (seat back and bottom), and a quartet of headrest covers should they be needed.

A variety of colors are available, form muted greys to bold red. You know which one I chose. Concealed velcro openings and adjustable straps helps facilitate installation, removal, and reattachment. Despite their bargain basement price, the seller says they have been engineered to accommodate both traditional and heated seats. At this price, if they wear out in a year, simply buy another set.

You’re headed back in time faster than a DeLorean travelling 88 mph with this set of seat covers. Your author remembers these seat covers adorning vehicles during his halcyon days, namely a late ‘80s GM pickup truck that had absolutely no call being on the road. As then, this set of covers is rendered in "Baja blanket" style and said to be made of breathable material with 3 mm of foam backing. Will they be itchy? You decide.

Designed to fit most seats with built-in headrests but customer provided images show them working on seats with detachable headrests as well if one is content to do a bit of fiddling during installation. In a fit of largesse, the seller includes a steering wheel cover and two seat belt pads of the same design.

Those letters PU in the heading aren't a reference to the smell of your car's interior, which is a good thing. In the upholstery biz (and a few others), it is actually an acronym for the polyurethane used in production; in this case, it denotes artificial or man-made leather. This product is less of an entire seat cover than it is a seating pad, simply resting on the surfaces where passengers sit and not the sides or backs of the seats.

Whether this is a good or bad thing is up to the buyer (and how badly the car's original upholstery is worn). It certainly makes for a quick fix and spruces the place up in jig time but, in the same breath, it can look rather unfinished to most people. At least potential buyers won't think you're trying to hide anything.

If it's wild and vivid Aztec patterns you’re after, this crew has got ‘em for ya. This set is for two front chairs, securing themselves to the seats with elastic straps. There apparently is a non-slip backing on the reverse side of this polyester blending fabric, so the works of it shouldn't bunch up under your butt when you practice handbrake turns in the school parking lot.

Customers report a snug fit on some cars, so measure carefully before ordering especially if you have a larger vehicle like a pickup truck. One person also noted that the cover, erm, covers the seat-lift lever of her Beetle. However, at thirty bucks for the pair, it's hard to go wrong. Well, so long as you like loud print patterns, that is.

Again, not actual leather — nor should you expect the same for the grand sum of $79.99. This kit has 11 pieces in total, including five headrest covers in case your car has three of them for backseat riders. Speaking of, line zippers in that seat's cover allow for a variety of split-folding configurations, including 60/40 and 50/50.

That piping feature surely wouldn't pass muster in Crewe but looks more than acceptable on an eighty-buck set of seat covers. They are compatible with airbag-equipped seats, with the sellers including well-meaning but mangled English phrases such as "keep your safe in case of emergence." Be wary of feedback that shows covers with packaging wrinkles that never seem to go away. Complaints of poor stitching abound as well.

Surely you remember these. Thirty years ago, everyone either had a set or knew someone who did. Like movie reboots and fashion trends, most people love a good dose of nostalgia. These two-tone beaded seat covers have it in spades. The cushion is especially designed with small gaps in between the beads so allow a good circulation of air. This specifically lowers the temperature on your back and legs, especially if you live in an area that regularly sees hot weather.

The cushion is designed to give drivers a gentle back and thigh massage while seated, though I do recall reports of some users simply feeling like they’re sitting on a bunch of marbles. At least this product's return policy is good.

FAQs

Which car seat covers are best?

Generally, seat covers fall into two major categories namely:

Custom Fit

These are tailored specifically for your car. Also, custom-fit seat covers are a perfect match and most compatible with the seats that your car has. In addition, they even give the interior of your vehicle a premium look. However, these covers are hard to remove once installed and are pricier.

Universal Fit

These seat covers are available in a variety of ranges and are comparatively cheaper. However, they might not look premium and may not even fit tight on your vehicle's seats which may give you uncomfortable drives, especially during long journeys.

Nevertheless, if you do some market research and invest a bit of time, you may find a perfect match.

Apart from these two categories, the type of material that is used to make seat covers also play a vital role. Two types of seat covers are available in the market in context with the material namely:

Leather

These are stain-resistant and almost immune to UV damage and rotting. In addition, they give a premium look to the interior of your vehicle, are more durable, and are quite easy to clean.

Fabric

These can be found in a large variety as compared to leather seat covers. Furthermore, they are pretty cheap, and machine washable. However, these covers get dirty easily and at times, they may spread bad odor which might be hard to get rid of.

Considering the above factors, you can choose seat covers for your car according to your preference and budget.

Is it worth getting car seat covers?

In most cases, yes, it is worth getting car seat covers. However, there are situations when you don't want them at all. The points that are listed below explain when and when not you need car seat covers:

You may want to have seat covers when:

You want to protect the original seats from cracking, stains, liquid spills, sun damage, bad odor, pet hair, body sweats, etc.

You know that the passengers would use the seats roughly

You don't want to invest a huge amount of funds in replacing the OEM seats if something goes wrong with them

You want a comfortable driving experience

You plan to sell your car and want a better resale value

You may not want to have seat covers when:

The seats are already damaged, torn, or dirty

The car is old and you don't expect a higher resale value

You seldom use your car and that too only with clean clothes on

Neither you nor any of the passengers carry edible or other such messy products in your car while driving

With that said, before planning for car seat covers, you are suggested to consider the above points and take a decision accordingly.

Are cloth or leather seat covers better?

The fact is, both have their pros and cons, and you may choose one over the other depending on your convenience. For instance:

Leather Car Seat Covers:

Are comfortable and durable

Give a premium look to the interior of your car

Are resistant to stains, rotting, and UV damages

Are easy to clean

However, on the downside, these covers:

Are expensive

Cloth Car Seat Covers:

Are way cheaper as compared to leather seat covers

Remain less affected in varying temperatures

Offer a huge range of varieties when it comes to colors, designs, fabric types, etc.

Are home washable

However, on the downside, cloth seat covers:

May fade over time

Get dirty easily and quickly

Easily catch and spread bad odor that could be pretty stubborn and hard to get rid of

With all the pros and cons of each type of seat cover, it would be easier for you to decide as to which one would be a good purchase for your car.

Are sheepskin seat covers worth it?

Yes, they are. Sheepskin covers are way better than other fabric or leather seat covers because of the following noteworthy reasons:

They are comparatively more comfortable and therefore are considered good if you go for long journeys quite frequently

They work as a good insulator and therefore your body doesn't get electrically charged that quickly, which usually happens when you use fabric seat covers

They can absorb a huge amount of moisture, thus giving you a clean and dry drive during hot weather

They are pretty easy to clean as they are resistant to bacteria and dirt, and also have a natural characteristic of self-cleaning

Therefore, if you are planning for car seat covers, those made of sheepskin are worth considering.

From time to time, TTAC will highlight automotive products we think may be of interest to our community. Plus, posts like this help to keep the lights on around here. Learn more about how this works.

(Editor's note: This post is meant to both help you be an informed shopper for automotive products but also to pay for our ‘90s sedan shopping habits operating expenses. Some of you don't find these posts fun, but they help pay for Junkyard Finds, Rare Rides, Piston Slaps, and whatever else. Thanks for reading.)

[Product images provided by the manufacturer.]

No Katzkin in an article about seat covers?

Probably can't get those on Amazon!