The Complete Seat Covers Buying Guide for 2021

By Garrett Davis - February 26, 2021

Caption: Car seats take a lot of abuse, but seat covers can help protect them.

One of the great on-the-road ironies is that while you’re sitting comfortably in your car seat, the seat itself is having to stand up to a tremendous amount of abuse. Dirty clothes, wet swimsuits, spilled drinks, kids snacking in the backseat, slobbering pets, seat friction, and harsh sunlight all have the potential to ruin and wear out your great-looking seats. And if something terrible has befallen your interior, a complete reupholster will cost you dearly.

Why Should I Buy A Set Of Seat Covers?

The days of worrying about permanently staining your car seats or being embarrassed by ripped, tattered, and unkempt upholstery are close to being over. With the right set of car seat covers, you’ll be able to:

• Proactively protect your upholstery from a dizzying array of hazards
• Cover over existing damage rather than having to reupholster your seats
• Make over your interior to suit your tastes and lifestyle

There are certain “high-traffic” areas in your vehicle that seem predestined to receive a lot of punishing use. Your carpets are constantly being trampled by dirty shoes, your steering wheel is being throttled non-stop by oily hands, and your seats are always besieged by a steady onslaught of abuses. While the only surefire way to safeguard your seats is to stop driving your vehicle, that solution just isn’t practical. Dressing your seats with a pair of form-fitting, protective seat covers is just as good, and this solution won’t force you into riding public transportation either.

Your car seats face a number of perils, including:

Spills and Grime

No one plans on fumbling a 40-ounce beverage right into their lap while barreling down the freeway, but it happens. As drinks keep getting larger and larger, the potential damage keeps growing and growing. Luckily, a snug set of seat covers will bear the brunt of any spillage and grime you can toss at it.

Moisture

Whether you’re driving home from an outing at the local pool, a kayaking trip, or an endless summer’s day of surfing, the moisture in your clothing can lead to serious problems for your upholstery. Moisture is especially problematic for residents of wet zones. Leather’s worst enemy is water, and cloth seating is also prone to damage from moisture. However, the right set of seat covers will shield your seats from these issues.

Kids and Pets

Kids and pets are messy, whether they're snacking in the back seat or leaving behind stains and pet hair. The right set of seat covers will shield your seats from the messes that children and pets inevitably create.

Friction

Getting in and out of your vehicle puts stress on your seats. The texture of your clothing grates against the upholstery, leading to wear and tear over time. A quality set of seat covers can prevent this damage.

UV Damage

Sun exposure can be harmful to your upholstery. Leather is especially susceptible to sun damage because UV radiation dries out the natural oils in the leather. Cloth upholstery is also in danger. You can give yourself year-round protection with a set of seat covers.

A Guide to Covering Your Damaged Seats

Sometimes bad things happen to good upholstery. If the interior of your vehicle has suffered some cruel twist of fate, you have the ability to rejuvenate your vehicle’s seats without having to go through the hassle of a complete reupholster job. Instead of calling up your dealer and shelling out an arm and a leg for new seats, you can simply slide a new set of seat covers directly over the old ones. No muss, no fuss, just great looking seat covers that fit like a glove.

AT offers three different fitting seat covers: custom fit, semi–custom fit, and universal fit.

Custom Fit Seat Covers

Custom fit seat covers are meticulously designed for a precise fit over your seats. Everything is taken into consideration, and these made-to-measure seat covers will fit like they were factory-installed. Moreover, custom seat covers will not obstruct your seat’s side-impact airbags.

Semi-Custom Fit Seat Covers

Semi-custom fit seat covers are the economical alternative to the tailored suit. They are stitched together following patterns that will work with your vehicle’s seats as well as with similarly sized seats in other cars, trucks, and SUVs. They deliver fantastic protection against the whole gamut of seating hazards.

Universal Seat Covers

Universal seat covers fit any high-back and low-back bucket seat, regardless of your year, make, or model. They are a perfect companion in your vehicle for when life gets a little messy.

Tips On Making Over Your Interior

Your vehicle is more than just a means of transportation; it is an extension of your identity, your personality, and your uniqueness. You want your vehicle to mirror yourself, and the right set of seat covers is an excellent way to personalize your interior. Here are the basics:

Colors and Designs

Auto manufacturers tend to design their interiors to please as many shoppers as they possibly can. They usually use neutral colors and rarely add patterns. However, you can break free from the mold by dressing your seats in your favorite color or eye-catching designs.

Materials

Seat covers come in a wide range of materials, including neoprene, poly-cotton, velour, and cotton canvas. The choice of material depends on your preferences and needs.