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Best Car Seat Covers

Updated November 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Lusso Gear Dog Car Seat Cover for Back Seat
Lusso Gear
Dog Car Seat Cover for Back Seat
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Strong & Durable
Bottom Line

This is a strong back seat cover that will keep your vehicle dry and free of odors and messes.

Pros

Protects a back seat with four layers of durable, waterproof fabric. Doesn't have the tendency to trap dog odors. Easy to install and machine-washable. Stays in place. Available in a choice of three colors.

Cons

Fasteners are flimsy and prone to breaking with typical use. May not completely cover very large seats.

Best Bang for the Buck
4Knines Dog Seat Cover
4Knines
Dog Seat Cover
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Ideal for Pet Owners
Bottom Line

This heavy-duty seat cover acts as a shield from pet damage in cars, trucks, and SUVs.

Pros

A unique hammock-style padded cover protects your seat, isolates dirt, and keeps your dog comfortable. Easy to fold and tuck away when pets aren’t on board. Attaches with simple loops over the headrest and comes in two sizes to fit most vehicles. All materials are BPA-free.

Cons

Hammock seams may not stand up to abuse from rambunctious pets, and waterproof coating can fail.

Black Panther Universal Seat Cover with Backrest
Black Panther
Universal Seat Cover with Backrest
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Comfortable & Luxurious
Bottom Line

Add a luxurious look and feel to your vehicle with these faux leather, diamond-pattern seat covers.

Pros

These covers look great and instantly add a premium feel to your car or truck. Breathable and comfortable materials. Covers feature built-in storage pockets. Suitable for all types of vehicles. Available in seven different colors. Comes as a pair.

Cons

Some users weren't happy with the quality of the straps and clips used for installation.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Models
Considered
60
Consumers
Consulted
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Researched
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best car seat covers

Protecting the seats in your car is one of the best ways to retain the vehicle’s worth. Scratched, torn, stained, or ripped seats can decrease the resale price of your car by as much as 50%. Modern car seat covers have come a long way from those sold in years past, and many of them even look better than the original seats.

Car seat covers come in all fabrics, designs, and colors. Their main purpose, of course, is to protect the seats from the destructive effects of UV rays, water, stains, pet hair, mud, dirt, and sweat. With so many to choose from, how do you decide? Much depends on the material they’re made of and the wear and tear they need to withstand.

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When you’re getting in and out of the car, try not to slide across the seat covers because that will tend to pull them out of place.

Key considerations

Car model

Most seat covers are universal; that is, they’re designed to fit the widest possible range of car and truck seats. However, that means the covers need to have straps that are adjustable or elastic so you can tighten or loosen them to fit your particular car seats.

Some seat covers fit seats in only a certain range of car sizes or models. Double-check the fine print to verify the car makes and models the covers are designed for. A few manufacturers provide a sizing chart for that purpose.

Why use seat covers?

Wear and tear: Daily wear and tear is the most common reason people buy car seat covers. Every time you slide across the seats, you’re wearing away at the surface. Denim, in particular, is an especially abrasive fabric. Blue jeans can also stain some seats, such as light-colored leather. Protect your seats with covers, and replace the covers as needed.

UV: Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can fade and weaken almost any material, leaving leather or plastic dry and cracked and draining the color from fabric. Neoprene is one of the few materials that can stand up to UV rays, but many other materials can be chemically treated to be more resistant to UV damage. Car seat covers offer a simple way to protect seats from UV damage.

Pets: Our pets are members of the family, but their claws and teeth can wreak havoc on car seats. Dogs track mud and water into the car, as well as shed. Machine-washable car seat covers or protectors will help keep your seats from being stained, damaged, or destroyed by car-riding pets.

Water: A little water won’t harm fabric or even leather seats, but a lot of water could cause stains, mold, or mildew. If you like to surf, swim, fish, or enjoy other water-based activities, you’ll want to invest in some waterproof or water-resistant seat covers.

Temperature: Depending on the climate in your area, you might want some seat covers that can cool the seats or warm them up. One great thing about seat covers is that you can change them with the seasons.

Features

The material in your seat covers will determine how long they last, how comfortable they are, and how expensive they are.

Fabric

Cotton: Cotton is light and breathable, which makes it ideal for warm or high-humidity climates. These seat covers are machine washable, which makes it easier to keep them in good condition.

Polyester: These seat covers are machine washable and usually inexpensive, but they may not last very long.

Microsuede: This is a soft polyester fabric that feels like suede, but it lacks the drawbacks of real suede. It is a cost-effective alternative to leather. The tight weave of the fabric naturally repels liquids, and it is relatively easy to clean.

Animal hide

Leather: Real leather is expensive, durable, beautiful, and relatively easy to maintain. However, it can get very hot in the summer months.

PU leather: This is split leather coated with polyurethane, also known as faux leather. It’s cheaper than genuine leather and can resemble real leather, but It doesn’t last as long.

Sheepskin: Natural sheepskin is warm, soft, comfortable, and very durable. It’s expensive, however.

Other materials

Neoprene: This synthetic rubber is used to make wetsuits, among many other products. It is waterproof, stable in a wide range of temperatures, and durable. This is a good choice if you live in a rainy climate or enjoy water-related activities like surfing, swimming, or fishing.

Elastic: This stretchy material is often used around the edges of seat covers or on the straps that hold them in place.

Rubber: Rubber is often used as backing in seat covers to keep the seat cover from moving and slipping.

Sponge/foam: This is often used to provide extra padding in seat covers with multiple layers.

Colors

Some people buy car seat covers that match their car’s seats. Black and beige are popular neutral colors that fit well with most car interiors, but there’s nothing wrong with picking a contrasting color that will stand out in your car. There are many colors and designs available, everything from distinctive piping to patterns to embroidery. Go bold with a fluorescent color or choose a color that blends in so well you won’t even know you’ve got seat covers.

Straps

The straps on seat covers are important for fitting the covers to the seats and for making sure the covers don’t slip out of place. You don’t want to see the straps, but you want them to work without fail. Elastic straps are the weakest and least durable, but they’ll fit the greatest range of different car seats. There are also adjustable canvas straps and straps with buckles. The placement of the straps is also important. Take a close look at the associated pictures so you can see where the straps will be when the covers are on.

Accessories

Seat belt covers: Mosebears Car Seat Belt Cover Pads
If you’re going to get comfortable seat covers, why not get some matching seat belt covers, too? These cotton covers from Mosebears have a soft velvety feel that will protect your clothes and won’t scratch your neck.

Sweat towel: Leader Accessories Waterproof Sweat Towel
If you’re going to the gym, put one of these waterproof sweat towels over your new seat cover to protect it from sweat and body odor. Toss it in the washer to clean. This towel is available in five colors.

Headrest covers: Yupbizauto Universal Headrest Covers
These black headrest covers from Yupbizauto will protect your car headrest from sweat and spills. They’re made of stretchable polyester with foam backing for maximum comfort.

Car seat cover prices

Inexpensive: You can find car seat covers for less than $20. These are simple fabric covers with elastic straps. They may not fit very well or last more than a couple of years.

Mid-range: Covers that cost $20 to $80 include faux leather with padding and stronger straps to hold the covers securely in place. Many of these are puncture and wear resistant.

Expensive: Spend from $80 to $260 and more and you can find form-fitting leather covers for front seats as well as back seats, buckled straps, separate covers for detachable headrests, front pockets, and extra padding. These covers may look better than the factory-installed seat covers that came with the vehicle.

Tips

  • Install seat covers correctly. Start at the back of the seat where it meets the bottom of the backrest, then gradually work your way toward the front of the seat and the top of the backrest.
  • Wash fabric car seat covers in cold water. If you wash them in hot water the elastic or fabric could shrink. For the same reason, never put car seat covers in the dryer. Always hang them up to air-dry.
  • Adjust the cover. Every time you get out of the car, take a moment to adjust the seat cover back to its correct position. This will help prevent stretching the straps and fabric out of shape. It also helps to smooth out wrinkles in the fabric.
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If your dog likes to ride in the car, the seat covers can get covered with dog hair. Use a lint roller to remove pet hair before washing the covers.

FAQ

Q. How long should seat covers last?
A.
That depends on what they’re made of and how well you care for them. Leather should last the longest, several years or more. Cotton and polyester will wear out more quickly.
 

Q. If the straps come off the seat covers, can they be replaced?
A.
Manufacturers won’t replace them; they’ll try to sell you new seat covers instead. If you want to reattach straps, you’ll have to sew them back on yourself or pay someone to do it for you.
 

Q. How often should seat covers be cleaned?
A.
There’s no standard answer, but grime, food crumbs, spills, and lint can build up pretty quickly. As a general rule, clean your seat covers every time you wash your car.