TAPTES Model 3 Seat Covers Review: Actually Better Than OEM Seats?

By Zac Ludicrous •  Updated: 10/20/21 •  8 min read

This is an unbiased TAPTES seat covers review for Model 3 owners.

I left no stone unturned, read the entire Tesla forum discussions word for word, and watched YouTube videos to bring you the most detailed review of TAPTES seat covers for the Model 3.

Overall, Model 3 owners end up satisfied with this product. It fits nicely, feels premium, cleans easily, and comes in various materials & color combinations to fit your preferences.

A great deal if you want to avoid OEM seats wear and tear or give your interior a makeover.

That’s why TAPTES made it to our article on the top Model 3 seat covers owners recommend.

Let’s have a thorough discussion on what it offers so you can make a decision yourself.

Here’s what we’ll be discussing about TAPTES seat covers in this article:

Let’s dive right into it.

TAPTES Seat Covers Overview

Taptes Model 3 seat covers review (in white)

TAPTES offers sleek and comfortable seat covers for the Model 3 as well as other models.

Whether you want to save the OEM seats from wear and tear to keep the resale value of your car intact or you’re just interested in changing the color of your seats,

TAPTES offers a perfect product that can survive all the slobs you throw at it.

Apart from the price tag, I struggled to find any major downside expressed by the Tesla community about this product. Customers seemed very happy with their purchase.

Here’s a great review from a happy Tesla owner:

The TAPTES seat covers work and look great–clean up quick and easy when needed, and were simple install (by me) in under an hour. Plus unlike cloth covers do not retain any smell.

TAPTES (the company) was great to work with–very accommodating, and asked lots of questions to be sure to get it right.

VERY HAPPY!

EBossHoss

Is this amazing experience the rule or the exception, though?

Read on to find out. We’ll discuss each major feature of this product below.

TAPTES Seat Covers Looks and Styles

Received the covers a week back. Could not be more glad how they look, feel, and the professional quality of them.

daverosen5

I found scores of such reviews by Tesla owners about TAPTES seat covers.

In the looks and style department, they actually beat the hell out of competitors.

Once installed properly, it becomes very hard to differentiate if these are OEM covers or aftermarket ones.

TAPTES offers these seat covers in 15 different colors, including beige, mocha brown, red wine, and many more.

My personal preference would be the white ones due to their original look. 

In fact, many Tesla owners with OEM black seats bought these white seat covers to change the interior look.

At $1,000 extra for the original white seats option, it’s no suprise Tesla owners are compelled by TAPTES competitive offer.

Is the Leather Comfortable Enough?

TAPTES seat covers are manufactured using high-quality PU leather. 

There is extra cushion padding available that significantly increases comfort. 

Perforations are also provided to increase breathability and aid the Tesla seat heating function to work properly. 

According to many owners, TAPTES seat covers enhance the overall driving experience in a positive way. 

So is comfort an issue? Absolutely not.

TAPTES Offers a Different PU Leather Material—What’s the Difference?

TAPTES showcasing the visual differences between their leather offers.

These seat covers come in two synthetic leather materials:

  1. Premium Nappa Leather
  2. Standard Litchi Grain Leather

The standard leather feels ruggy — as its name suggests, its texture and feel is grainy both visually and to the touch.

On the other hand, Nappa leather is more expensive, but it resembles the OEM seat leather much more. 

It’s softer to the touch, feels more premium, and tends to have a longer service life.

You can’t go wrong with either.

If you’d rather see and touch these materials yourself, however, TAPTES allows you to order a sample material (with the color and leather type of preference).

Fitting & Installation: A Fun DIY Project (Cost-Saving Too!)

Unlike competitors, installing TAPTES seat covers is quite easy.

Though you can ask any professional to do it for you, I recommend you implement this upgrade yourself.

You only need a detailed YouTube tutorial and a couple of hours on the weekend to get this done. It could be a fun project, too!

Here’s a comprehensive installation guide from TAPTES itself so you can see what this process entails:

Bonus points: It’ll be a good workout session too…

Safety Considerations

A company’s credibility can be determined by how much importance it gives to safety. 

With TAPTES in question, it’s comforting to know that they value the safety of their customers over anything.

Both the seat belts and airbags remain functional after the installation of the seat covers (tested and verified).

What Customers Have to Say (Good & Bad)

The overall response of Model 3 owners about TAPTES seat covers has been overwhelmingly positive.

I struggled to find any major complaints about this product even after going through dozens of Tesla forum pages.

Sure, there are complaints.

The China-based company offers subpar customer service — and shipping times can extend several weeks.

Some pieces don’t fit 100% perfect, but they’re good enough for Tesla owners to be happy — and recommend the product.

And this goes beyond the Model 3.

Model S, Model, and Model X have had amazing experiences with the seat covers as well.

Here’s an owner’s review that perfectly sums up the whole community experience (both good and bad):

I purchased the Taptes NAPPA leather for our 12/2016 P100DL ultra-white 6-seater (perforated seats).

They fit like a glove and are hands down the best seat covers on the market. 

The install time is a bit if you’re looking for the best install fit.

The 1st and 2nd-row buckets are a perfect fit. The 3rd row is not as perfect due to the fold-down capability. The fit is good and tight but the cup holders aren’t perfect and the seat covers hide the USB port in front of the cup holders. 

The headrests and center console covers are very good. The only exception is the 1st-row headrests due to the headrest functionality but it is still very good and is a limitation due to the headrest movement rather than the product design.

bdannenfalser

Third-Party TAPTES Seat Cover Reviews

Many YouTubers reviewed TAPTES seat covers favorably. These are the ones I found to be the most honest and straightforward:

1:09: Taptes overview | 5:00: Installation process | 28:27: Final Results
3:11: Installation Process | 25:30: Final Results

Price Ranges & Where to Buy

As of this writing, TAPTES seat covers for Model 3 can only be bought through their official website at the following prices (rounded up for clarity):

Leather MaterialStandard Litchi VeganPremium NAPPA Vegan
Full Set$400$600
Front Row Only$220$320
Rear Row Only$220$320

The company offers worldwide free shipping, though keep in mind that, given the price tag, you may have to incur in import duties depending on your location.

TAPTES Product Warranty

TAPTES offers a 30-day warranty on all its products, including these seat covers.

Certain terms and conditions apply–most of them totally fair (e.g. not grating warranties on abused, altered, or damaged products).

If you have to return the product for any reason, shipping cost isn’t covered under warranty, though.

If you want to know all the details, review their warranty info here.

Alternative Products to Consider:

A Cheaper Option: Xipoo Seat Covers »

If TAPTES is a bit expensive for you, Xipoo is a brand available on Amazon that offers quality Model 3 seat covers for cheaper.

Equally beautiful and comfortable, the only complaint about these covers is that they’re difficult to install.

Seat Covers With More Color Variety: INCH EMPIRE »

This is another brand selling on Amazon that has good overall ratings and offers interesting color combinations, including wine red, brown, and even pink.

Worth a look if you want a very unique color combination.

Final Thoughts: TAPTES Model 3 Seat Covers Review

If you want affordable Model 3 seat covers that just work, TAPTES is your safest bet.

The vast majority of Tesla owners who bought this product expressed their satisfaction — and recommended the product to fellow owners.

TAPTES seat covers are priced competitively with other brands (let alone the $1,000 OEM seats upgrade).

At the same time, the product is easy to clean and the materials quality and longevity are top-notch — which settles the case for many Tesla owners on the fence.

If you have the budget, this is definitely an upgrade you won’t regret.

If not, the alternatives above are also worth considering.

Zac Ludicrous

Mechanical engineer by profession. TSLA shareholder before the hype. EV enthusiast all day long. Zac enjoys learning about the future of battery technology, autonomy, and EVs. He considers Tesla Model 3 the most important vehicle of the 21st century -- and is in a quest to improve the ownership experience of every Model 3 owner he possibly can.

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