Glossary of Terms
A Modern Guide to Automotive Seating Styles
| Seating Style | Description |
|---|---|
| Low-Back Seat | A style of seat whose backrest concludes near the occupant's shoulders. These are frequently designed to accommodate detachable headrests. |
| High-Back Seat | A seat featuring a non-adjustable headrest that is built directly into the main seat structure, typically found in commercial vans and high-performance cars. |
| Bucket Seat | An individual car seat designed to hold a single occupant. |
| Captain's Chair | A type of bucket seat, distinguished by having one or two attached armrests, often seen in SUVs and minivans where passenger comfort is a priority. |
| Solid Bench Seat | A single, unbroken seat that extends across the full interior width of a vehicle. This configuration is prevalent in utility trucks. |
| 60/40 Split Bench | A bench seat divided into two sections. The larger part ('60') accommodates two people, while the smaller part ('40') is for one person. A fold-down armrest is a common feature. |
| 40/20/40 Split Bench | A bench seat comprised of three separate sections. The outer '40' sections are individual seats, and the middle '20' section is a smaller center seat. |
| Jump Seat Console | A single, central seat located between the driver and front passenger. It is typically designed to fold down, transforming into a storage console. |
| Center Console | A storage unit, usually made of plastic, situated between the front seats. It can be a standalone floor-mounted unit or a "flow-through" design connected to the dashboard. |
| Flow-Through Console | An integrated console design that extends continuously from the vehicle's dashboard to the armrest, giving the front cabin a cockpit-like appearance. |
| Sport Seats | Seating engineered with enhanced side supports (bolsters) to hold the occupant securely during spirited or high-speed driving maneuvers. |
| Performance Seats | A high-back style seat featuring prominent side bolsters and integrated cutouts (slots) for the installation of a multi-point racing harness. |
| Recaro Seats | A renowned brand specializing in high-performance automotive seating, recognized for its supportive and ergonomic construction, often installed as original equipment in sports cars. |
| Max-Recline Seats | A feature specific to Ford vehicles, these seats are capable of reclining to a fully horizontal, flat position. |
| Perfect Positioning Seats | An advanced seating option found in certain Lincoln vehicles, offering up to thirty different directions of power adjustment for customized comfort. |
Understanding Upholstery Terminology
Stitching, Design, and Materials
| Term / Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Single Stitch | A fundamental sewing method utilizing one row of thread to connect fabric panels, valued for its clean look and reliability. |
| Double Stitch | A reinforced sewing technique employing two parallel lines of stitching, providing superior strength and longevity, especially in high-stress areas. |
| Top Stitch | A row of stitches applied to the visible surface of the upholstery, serving both as a decorative accent and to strengthen the underlying seam. |
| French Stitch | A sophisticated seam construction that conceals raw fabric edges within the stitch, resulting in a refined, high-end appearance typical of luxury cars. |
| Piping | A narrow fabric tube, frequently in a different color, sewn into the seams of upholstery to outline panels, adding both a visual accent and reinforcement. |
| Contrast Stitching | The use of thread in a color that stands out against the upholstery material, intended to emphasize the seat's shape and design lines. |
| Inserts | The central section of the seat's upholstery, covering the primary contact areas for the occupant's back and thighs. |
| Faces | The forward-facing surfaces of the upholstery, like the front of the seat back and cushion, which are the most visible and key to the interior's style. |
| Bolsters | The raised side sections of a seat cushion and backrest that brace the occupant and provide stability while turning. |
| Embroidery | The art of creating ornamental designs or logos on fabric using needle and thread, applied to vehicle upholstery for branding or personalization. |
| Filigree | Highly detailed and ornamental designs, often embossed or stitched into luxury upholstery, resembling fine lacework or etching to create a premium aesthetic. |
| Embossing | A process that impresses a design, pattern, or logo into the surface of a material, creating a permanent three-dimensional effect. |
| Tooled Leather | A specific style of leather embossing that involves pressing intricate patterns, commonly with floral or western motifs, into the leather's surface. |
| Diamond Stitch | A decorative stitching pattern that creates a grid of diamonds on the upholstery surface, also referred to as quilted stitching, adding a luxurious texture. |
| Perforation | A pattern of small, precisely punched holes in the upholstery material, designed to improve airflow and breathability for occupant comfort. |
| Naugahyde | A well-known brand name for a type of artificial leather, specifically a vinyl-coated fabric used as a durable upholstery material. |
| Alcantara | The trademarked name for a synthetic microfiber material that mimics the soft texture and appearance of suede leather, popular in performance vehicles. |
| Katzkin | A leading brand in the automotive aftermarket, widely recognized for its high-quality, custom leather interior kits. |
| Repreve | A brand of performance fiber made from recycled materials, including plastic bottles, used by automakers like Ford for creating sustainable interior fabrics. |
Common Automotive Upholstery Materials
| Material | Overview |
|---|---|
| Vinyl | A man-made polymer material, also called PVC, leatherette, or pleather, used as a cost-effective and durable alternative to genuine leather. |
| Suede | A type of leather with a napped, fuzzy finish, valued for its soft feel but less common in modern cars due to its susceptibility to soiling. |
| Sueded Microfiber | A synthetic fabric engineered to have a very soft, plush surface that closely resembles the texture of natural suede. |
| Aniline Leather | A type of premium leather dyed exclusively with soluble dyes without a protective topcoat, which preserves the natural surface but makes it prone to staining. |
| Semi-Aniline Leather | A type of leather that is slightly more durable than full aniline, as it has a thin protective coating applied, offering better protection against wear and staining. |
| Carbon Fiber | A high-strength, lightweight composite material often used as a decorative or structural element in performance-oriented vehicles to convey a sporty image. |
| Rich Corinthian Leather | A marketing term from the 1970s, famously used for the Chrysler Cordoba, not a specific type of leather. |
Decoding Seat Functions and Features
| Feature | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Seatback Angle Adjustment | Allows for the modification of the seatback's tilt for occupant comfort, commonly known as the recline function. |
| Lower Back Support | A mechanism within the seat designed to support the occupant's lumbar region, typically adjusted via manual or power controls. |
| Air-Adjustable Lumbar | An advanced support system using an inflatable air bladder to provide customizable lower back support. |
| Adjustable Side Bolsters | A feature allowing the side supports of the seatback to be tightened or loosened for a custom fit. |
| Seat Heating | An integrated system that uses electrical heating elements to warm the seat's surfaces for comfort in cold weather. |
| Seat Cooling | A general term for systems that cool the seat, which can include either ventilation or active air conditioning. |
| Seat Ventilation | A system that circulates ambient cabin air through perforations in the seat using internal fans to enhance comfort. |
| Active Cooled Seats | A premium system that uses a thermoelectric device to chill air before circulating it through the seat, providing true air conditioning. |
| Seat Massage Function | A luxury feature that uses a series of computer-controlled air bladders within the seat to create a massaging effect. |
| Position Memory System | An electronic feature that saves and recalls preferred positions for the seat, mirrors, and steering wheel for multiple drivers. |
| Manual Fore/Aft Adjustment | A physical lever, usually under the front of the seat, that releases a lock to allow manual forward and backward movement. |
| Integrated Rear Entertainment | Multimedia systems, often with screens mounted in the front seat headrests, for passengers in the back. |
| Fold-Down Seatbacks | A feature allowing seatbacks to fold forward, either to provide access to the rear or to create a flat load floor for cargo. |
| Fold-Flat Floor Seats | A seating system where seats can be folded completely into a compartment in the floor, creating a level cargo area. Also known as "Stow 'n Go" or "Cargo Floor". |
| Fold-and-Tumble Seats | A mechanism where a seatback folds down and the entire seat assembly then pivots forward to maximize access or cargo space. |
| Power-Adjustable Seats | Seats that use electric motors instead of manual levers for adjustments like position, height, and recline. |
| Power Adjustment Directions | Refers to the total number of adjustment directions a powered seat offers. Each motor provides two directions of movement (e.g., forward/backward is "2-way"). |
| Lap and Shoulder Belt | The standard modern seatbelt combining a lap belt with a shoulder harness, providing three points of connection to the vehicle. |
| Active Head Restraint System | A safety feature that electronically moves the headrest forward and upward during a rear-end collision to mitigate whiplash. |
| Seat-Integrated Restraints (SIR) | A design where the entire seatbelt mechanism is built into the seat structure itself, rather than being attached to the vehicle's pillar. |
| Extendable Thigh Support | An adjustable cushion at the front edge of the seat that can be extended forward to provide better support for the occupant's legs. |
| Child Seat Anchorage System | The international standardized system (LATCH in the US, ISOFIX elsewhere) for securely attaching child safety seats without using the vehicle's seatbelts. |
| Haptic Feedback Seat (GM) | A General Motors safety feature that uses vibrations in the seat cushion to alert the driver to potential hazards from different directions. |
| Inductive Device Charging | A feature, often integrated into the center console, that allows compatible smartphones to charge wirelessly. |
Anatomy of a Car Seat: Parts and Systems
| Component | Function |
|---|---|
| Seat Conversion Bracket | A custom bracket designed to allow the installation of seats from one vehicle model into another that has a different mounting pattern. |
| Seat Memory Module | The electronic control unit responsible for storing and retrieving the settings for a memory position system. |
| Seat Climate Module | A dedicated computer or relay box that manages the functions of the heated and/or cooled seat systems. |
| Seatback Structure | The internal metal framework that provides shape and structural integrity to the seat's backrest. |
| Recliner Assembly | The mechanical or powered gearbox that locks and unlocks the seatback, allowing its angle to be adjusted. |
| Seat Cushion Foundation | The structural base of the seat bottom that supports the cushion foam and suspension springs, and attaches to the seat track. |
| Seat Adjustment Assembly | The complete under-seat mechanism that allows for all positional adjustments, including sliding, height, and tilt. Also known as the Seat Track. |
| Seat Side Shield / Valence | The plastic finishing panels that cover the seat track and mechanisms, often housing the power seat controls. |
| Upholstery Foam Cushion | The molded polyurethane foam that forms the padding for the seat bottom and backrest, providing comfort and shape. |
| Factory Upholstery Cover | The original, fitted fabric or leather covering that is professionally installed over the seat foam. Also known as a skin. |
| Slip-On Seat Protector | A non-permanent cover, often universally sized, designed to be placed over the existing factory upholstery for protection or style. |
| Seat Track Position Sensor | A sensor that communicates the seat's exact fore/aft position to safety systems, such as the airbag control unit. |
| Seat Warming Element | The flexible pad containing electrical resistance wiring or carbon fiber elements that is placed under the upholstery to generate heat. |
| Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) | The vehicle's overall passive safety network, which includes airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and related sensors. |
| Seat-Mounted Side Airbag | An airbag module installed within the side of the seat's backrest, designed to protect the occupant's torso in a side collision. |
| Belt Retractor Pretensioner | A pyrotechnic device in the seatbelt mechanism that rapidly tightens the belt in the initial moments of a crash to remove slack. |
| Passenger Presence System | A sensor system in the front passenger seat that detects the weight and presence of an occupant to determine whether to enable the passenger-side airbag. |
Guide to Truck Cab Configurations
| Cab Style | Definition | Common Names |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Cab | A truck cab configuration with two doors and a single row of seating. | Standard Cab |
| Extended Cab | A truck cab with a second row of smaller seats, accessible via smaller rear doors that are often rear-hinged. | SuperCab, Club Cab, Quad Cab, Double Cab, King Cab |
| Crew Cab | A truck cab with four full-size, front-hinged doors and a spacious second row of seating. | SuperCrew, CrewMax |
| Mega Cab | A specific cab configuration exclusive to RAM trucks, offering even more interior space behind the rear seats than a standard Crew Cab. | (RAM specific) |