Abstract: An automotive seat assembly including a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally attached to the seat bottom. The seat back includes a rigid seat back frame supporting a contoured foam cushion encapsulated in a trim cover material. A semi-rigid back panel, having a main body portion and a pair of side portions, is mounted to the rear of the seat back to conceal the rear surface of the seat back frame. A pair of guide members are mounted to the seat back frame and a pair of positioners are mounted to the back panel for alignment and engagement with the guide members. The positioners have an opening for sliding around the guide members as the back panel is positioned onto the seat back frame. A fastening member is also secured to the seat back frame. The back panel also includes a receiving portion mounted adjacent the bottom of the back panel for encapsulating the fastening member which closes any gaps formed between the bottom of the back panel and the seat back frame.