Which Car Seat Cover Should You Buy?

From spilled coffee and smashed granola bars to wet gear and shed dog hair, car seats often take a beating. Closing them in with a car seat cover helps prevent damage and maintain the resale value of your vehicle. But which one to choose? We’ve scoured the reviews to find ones that are durable, look good and are easy to clean.

Our testers like these padded covers, which feature a breathable car seat cover that helps regulate temperature and promote air flow, especially during long drives. They also have front pockets for additional storage. They’re also easy to install and have side-airbag compatibility for safety. They earned a four-star rating, meaning they performed well and are a solid option.

Choosing the Best Car Seat Cover: A Complete Guide

In general, seat covers are developed to make cars more comfortable for passengers, mainly by improving comfort with softness, breathability, heat regulation and vibration absorption. They are primarily made of trilaminates consisting of a face fabric, a foam layer and a scrim backing fabric that controls dimensional stability and abrasion resistance (Fig. 16.6). Often, the materials are treated to improve certain properties and can be printed with patterns to achieve desired aesthetics.

In addition to durability and washing ability, the choice of material will depend on a driver’s commitment to upkeep. If you want something that requires little care but still offers some protection, consider a poly blend, which is stain-resistant and easily tossable in the washer. In contrast, a leather cover will need more regular maintenance to keep it looking good.