The space between car seats can have different names depending on its location and purpose. Between the front seats, it is usually called the center console when it contains storage or controls, or the seat gap when referring to the narrow space alongside a seat. In the rear, the middle seating position is the center seat. Knowing the right term can make it easier to describe a feature, find an accessory, or understand a vehicle’s layout.
What the Space Between Front Car Seats Is Called
In most modern cars, the structure between the two front seats is called the center console. It may hold a storage compartment, cup holders, a gear selector, buttons, charging ports, or other controls. The console is a built-in part of the vehicle interior, not simply an empty gap between the seats.
Some vehicles have a raised center console that extends from the dashboard toward the rear seats. Others have a shorter console or a low, open area between the front seats. A car with a front bench seat may have no full-length console at all, though it may include a small folding armrest or storage unit.
People also use “the space between the seats” informally to mean the seat gap—the narrow opening beside or between a seat and the center console. This is where small objects such as coins, keys, or a phone can slip out of reach. “Seat gap” is a useful everyday description, but it is not always the name of a specific factory-installed part.
Center Console, Seat Gap, or Center Seat?
These terms refer to different parts of a car. The center console is a built-in component; the seat gap is an opening around a seat; and the center seat is a seating position between other seats. The right term depends on whether someone is describing storage, a crevice, or a place for a passenger.
| Term | What It Means | Typical Location |
|---|---|---|
| Center console | Built-in structure with storage, controls, or cup holders | Between the front seats |
| Seat gap | Narrow opening where objects can fall | Alongside a seat, often beside the console |
| Center seat | A passenger seating position in the middle | Front bench or rear bench |
| Center armrest | A padded support that may fold down | Between seats or built into a seat |
| Third-row aisle | Passage used to reach a rear seating row | Between second-row seats |
These names are not interchangeable. For example, a center armrest may be part of the center seat, while a center console may sit beside that seat or replace the seating position altogether.
Common Parts Found Between the Front Seats
Storage compartment
Many center consoles include a lidded storage bin. Depending on the vehicle, it may contain a power outlet, USB port, removable tray, or small organizer. The compartment’s size and features vary by model and trim, so a vehicle’s owner’s manual is the best source for instructions about its use.
Cup holders and controls
Cup holders are often integrated into the console, although some vehicles place them in the dashboard, doors, or rear armrest. The console may also house the gear selector, electronic parking-brake switch, drive-mode controls, or climate and media controls. Their placement differs across vehicles, particularly in models with column-mounted shifters or touch-screen controls.
Armrest
A padded center armrest can be attached to the console, built into a front seat, or designed to fold down from a rear seat. It provides a place to rest an arm and may cover a storage compartment. In a vehicle with a front bench seat, the armrest may fold up to make room for a third passenger.
What the Gap Beside a Car Seat Is Called
The narrow opening between a seat and the center console is commonly called the seat gap or car seat gap. It is usually not a separate mechanical component; it is the clearance needed for the seat to move and for the interior pieces to fit together. The size and shape of the gap can change as the seat slides forward or backward.
A gap may also appear between a seat and a door or between two seats. People may describe these as a seat-to-door gap or simply a gap between seats. For a repair, replacement part, or accessory search, it helps to specify the vehicle’s make, model, year, seat location, and the part involved. Manufacturers may use different names in parts catalogs.
Accessories marketed as car seat gap fillers or seat gap guards are designed to reduce the opening where objects can fall. Some sit beside the seat; others attach to a seat belt or console. Before using one, the driver should check that it does not interfere with seat movement, seat-belt buckles, airbags, or controls. A product should never obstruct a seat belt or prevent a seat from adjusting and locking as intended.
What the Middle Position in the Back Seat Is Called
The passenger place in the middle of a rear bench is called the rear center seat or middle seat. It is a seating position, not a console or gap. A rear center armrest may fold down from the seatback, and some vehicles include cup holders in that armrest.
Not every rear center position offers the same comfort or safety features as the two outer seats. The seat may be narrower, have a different cushion shape, or provide less legroom because of a floor hump. The center position may also use a different seat-belt arrangement. The owner’s manual explains how to identify and use the correct belt and, where applicable, the correct child-restraint anchors.
Federal vehicle-safety requirements cover seat belts and child-restraint systems, but the equipment and instructions can vary by vehicle and seating position. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s seat-belt guidance recommends wearing a properly fitted seat belt on every trip. A passenger should use the belt provided for that exact seating position rather than borrowing a belt from an adjacent seat.
How Vehicle Layout Changes the Terminology
Cars with a front bucket-seat layout
Many sedans, coupes, and SUVs have separate front bucket seats with a center console between them. In this layout, “center console” is usually the clearest name for the built-in unit. The narrow opening between each seat and the console is the seat gap.
Cars with a front bench seat
Some vehicles have a front bench seat or a split bench. The middle section may serve as a passenger seat, a fold-down armrest, or a storage console. When it is folded up or down, the same component can have different uses. The owner’s manual and vehicle specifications can clarify whether the middle section is approved as a seating position.
Minivans and three-row SUVs
In a vehicle with multiple rows, the space between second-row seats may be an open passage called an aisle or walk-through. It allows passengers to reach the third row. If the second row has a middle seat, that position may be removed, folded, or slid to create access, depending on the design.
Some vehicles use captain’s chairs in the second row. These are separate seats, often with a walkway between them. The opening is not generally called a center console unless it contains a console unit. For practical descriptions, “aisle between the second-row seats” or “walk-through to the third row” is more precise.
Why the Correct Term Matters
Using the right term can save time when looking for an accessory, explaining a problem, or ordering a replacement part. A search for “center console” will usually show storage units and interior components. A search for “seat gap filler” is more likely to show products intended to catch objects near a seat. Searching for “rear center seat belt” points to seating and restraint information instead.
Clear terminology also matters when reporting a safety or fit issue. If a seat will not slide, a console lid is loose, or an accessory is blocking a buckle, the description should identify the exact location and function. A dealer or repair shop can use the vehicle identification number (VIN) to check compatibility and locate the correct part.
How to Find the Right Name for a Specific Vehicle
- Identify the location. Note whether the part is between the front seats, beside a seat, or in the middle of a rear row.
- Describe what it does. Is it a storage unit, an armrest, a seating position, or an open passage?
- Check the owner’s manual. Search its index for “console,” “seat,” “armrest,” or “seat belt.”
- Use vehicle details when shopping. Include the make, model, model year, and trim when checking fitment.
- Confirm safety compatibility. Keep seat belts, buckles, airbags, and seat-adjustment mechanisms unobstructed.
For vehicle-specific terminology, the manufacturer’s parts catalog or service department is more reliable than a general online listing. Even similar models can have different console designs, seat configurations, and restraint systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the space between the front seats always a center console?
No. If it is a built-in structure with storage or controls, “center console” is usually appropriate. If the phrase refers to the narrow opening beside a seat, “seat gap” is clearer. Some vehicles have only an open area or a small armrest between the seats.
What is the thing that catches items beside a seat called?
It is commonly sold as a seat gap filler or seat gap guard. The product may reduce the chance that small objects fall into the gap, but it must not interfere with the seat belt, seat movement, or other safety equipment.
What is the middle seat in the back called?
It is the rear center seat or middle seat. If the middle section folds down and includes padding or cup holders, it may also function as a center armrest.
Is the space between second-row seats a console?
Only if it contains a console unit. In a three-row vehicle, an open route between second-row seats is more accurately called an aisle or walk-through. The layout varies by vehicle.
Reliable Sources for Vehicle-Specific Information
For questions about a particular car’s seats, belts, and controls, the owner’s manual is the most direct source. The NHTSA child car seat and booster seat guidance provides information about choosing and installing child restraints, while the NHTSA seat-belt resource covers belt use. Product compatibility and approved seating positions should always be checked against the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions.