Car Seat Cover Size Calculator
Find the protective cover style your seat needs and the size to look for. Pick the seat type, headrest and features, enter 4 measurements, and check any cover's listed size against your seat.
Car seat cover size calculator
This tool sizes protective covers.Is the upholstery under it worn out?
About This Calculator
The Car Seat Cover Size Calculator tells you which protective cover style fits your seat and the size to look for, so new or freshly cleaned upholstery stays clean. You pick the seat type, the headrest and the seat features, and enter 4 measurements. The tool returns the cover style, the openings it needs, and your measurements in inches and centimeters.
People use it for 3 jobs:
- Protecting new upholstery right after a reupholstery job.
- Checking a universal cover against the seat before ordering.
- Covering a split bench so each section still folds.
How Do We Work Out the Cover?
We work out the cover in 3 steps: style, required openings, and size.
1. Cover style
The seat type and headrest set the style. A removable headrest takes a low-back cover plus separate headrest covers. A built-in headrest takes a high-back cover, one piece over the backrest and headrest. A split bench takes a cover with the same split, 60/40 or 40/20/40, so each section folds on its own.
2. Required openings
Each feature you select adds a requirement: a side airbag needs a cover labeled compatible with seat-mounted side airbags, a built-in seat belt needs a belt opening, and a fold-down armrest needs an armrest opening. Removable headrests need post holes or separate headrest covers.
3. Size
The size to look for is your 4 measurements, shown in inches and centimeters (1 inch = 2.54 cm). If you enter a cover's listed fit range, the tool checks each measurement: inside the range, larger than the maximum (the cover is too small), or smaller than the minimum (the cover will sit loose).
How to Use This Tool
To use the Car Seat Cover Size Calculator, follow 5 steps:
- Pick the seat type. Bucket, captain's chair, or bench (one piece or split).
- Pick the headrest. Removable, built in, or none.
- Select the seat features. Side airbag, built-in seat belt, fold-down armrest.
- Enter 4 measurements. Backrest height and width, cushion depth and width.
- Compare with a cover, if you have one in mind. Copy the fit range from its listing.
How to measure the seat
- Backrest height: from the crease where the backrest meets the cushion to the top of the backrest, without a removable headrest.
- Backrest width: across the widest point, usually the shoulder bolsters.
- Cushion depth: from the crease to the front edge of the cushion.
- Cushion width: across the widest point of the cushion.
Tips for a Good Seat Cover Fit
Follow 5 tips before you order a cover:
- Measure both front seats. Driver and passenger seats can differ, for example with electric seat controls or a side airbag on one seat only.
- Take removable headrests out first. Press the button at the base of the post and lift. The backrest is easier to measure and the cover easier to fit.
- Check the airbag label before you buy. If the seat has an SRS Airbag tag, buy only a cover its maker labels as side-airbag compatible.
- Keep belts and controls clear. Covers need openings for built-in seat belts, armrests and side controls.
- Clean and dry the seat first. A cover fitted over dirt holds that dirt against the upholstery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers about choosing and sizing car seat covers.
What size seat cover do I need?
You need a cover whose listed size fits your seat's 4 measurements: backrest height, backrest width, cushion depth and cushion width. Measure the seat, enter the figures, and compare them with the size range on the cover's listing.
How do I measure a car seat for a seat cover?
Measure 4 distances across the front face of the seat with a flexible tape. Backrest height runs from the crease to the top of the backrest, without a removable headrest. Backrest width is the widest point, usually across the shoulder bolsters. Cushion depth runs from the crease to the front edge, and cushion width is the widest point of the cushion.
What is the difference between low-back and high-back seat covers?
A low-back cover fits a seat with a removable headrest, and a high-back cover fits a seat with the headrest built in. A low-back cover stops at the top of the backrest and the headrest gets its own cover. A high-back cover is one piece over the backrest and headrest.
Can I put a seat cover on a seat with a side airbag?
Only a cover its maker labels as compatible with seat-mounted side airbags. These covers leave the airbag's path open, typically with a seam built to split. Check your owner's manual as well, since some carmakers advise against seat covers on these seats.
How do I know if my seat has a side airbag?
Look for a tag or label reading SRS Airbag or Airbag on the outer side of the backrest. Your owner's manual lists every seat-mounted airbag as well.
Do split bench seats need a special cover?
Yes. A split bench needs a split cover that matches the split, such as 60/40 or 40/20/40, so each section still folds on its own.
Will a universal seat cover fit my car?
A universal cover fits when every one of your seat's measurements falls inside the size range its maker lists. Enter that range in the calculator's comparison step to check each measurement.
Does this calculator recommend a brand?
No. It works out the cover style and the size to look for. It does not rank brands or prices. If the upholstery itself is damaged, the Seat Calculator prices a repair.