What Is Katzkin Leather?

This premium automotive leather upgrade can transform a car's interior.

Kyle Edward | 

Aug 25, 2023 | 3 min read

Jeep

California-based Katzkin Leather Interiors, founded in 1983, provides aftermarket leather upholstery installations for cars and trucks. Unlike some automotive seat covers, which slip over existing upholstery and often don't fit perfectly, a Katzkin installation involves removing existing upholstery and replacing it with real leather cut and sewn to your car's dimensions.

Jeep

How to Get Katzkin Leather in Your Vehicle

Katzkin leather can be had as aftermarket installations, dealer accessories, or sometimes as a factory-offered option. While the company is best known for leather, it also sells vinyl seats, which some vehicle owners might prefer for open-top vehicles.

The first step to acquiring a Katzkin-sourced interior for your vehicle is to go to the company's online configurator. The tool lets you select your car's make and model and then browse through design possibilities that range from established packages to fully customized original creations.

Katzkin offers a wide variety of options, allowing customers to experiment with different looks and combinations. Both leather and non-leather materials are available and can be had with various textures and stitching, in colors ranging from bright red to subtle gray. The company can also add heating and cooling systems to previously unventilated seats.

After you've made your choices through the online configuration tools, Katzkin employees generally get in touch via phone, email, or text to discuss the final design details, pricing, and installation.

That installation isn't a do-it-yourself project, however, and requires the work of professionals. A Katzkin-authorized installer removes all of the existing upholstery from your car's seats and replaces it with the new interior. The installation also includes fitting the upholstery to door panels and the console.

The company provides a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty for its work.

Jeep

Katzkin Leather Can Be a Dealer Accessory or a Factory Option

Some automakers offer Katzkin leather through their accessories catalog. Ram, for instance, sells leather seat covers for its pickup. The automaker claims the covers have also been tested for safety compliance. The Ram-specific covers are included under the automaker's accessory warranty.

Occasionally, automakers will offer Katzkin leather seats on a factory-built model, too. For instance, the company's products can be found in the 2023 Jeep Wrangler High Tide and Jeep Beach special editions.

Chrysler

Is a Katzkin Leather Interior Right for You?

Having a Katzkin interior installed can be a relatively affordable way to improve a car's look and feel. Prices start around $1,500 and go up depending on the materials, design, and job complexity. In some cases, it could be cheaper to go with aftermarket Katzkin leather than to option a car with factory-installed leather.

To get a leather interior on a 2023 Toyota Camry, for example, you would need to advance several trim levels from the base LE model to the XLE model, which adds more than $4,000 to the price and includes additional options and features you might not necessarily want.

Kyle Edward

Kyle Edward has written about the auto industry since 2018 and got his start through an automotive YouTube channel. Today, Kyle writes for popular online magazines and covers everything from news to reviews and tech. He has a love for everything Porsche and spends his free time filming car reviews and traveling to exciting driving destinations.