One of the first additions to any new car modern buyers make is a set of floor mats. They’re an easy way to protect your investment from the rigors of daily life and the dirt and wear and tear you can expect with pets, children, or simply an active lifestyle. But floor mats are no longer purely utilitarian items. Instead, you can now buy premium floor mats that look and feel like a high-class addition to your car, without compromising on their ability to protect it.
But how do you know which premium floor mats are right for your car? How do you sift through all the marketing speak and identify quality floor mats? To gain some insights into this, we sat down with Samuel Cheng, Director of Product Development at TuxMat to find out what to look for.
What’s The Difference Between Regular And Premium Floor Mats?
It’s a simple question, but one we’re sure not many shoppers outright know the answer to. So, what makes a premium floor mat so premium? According to Cheng, much of the difference comes down to coverage.
“Premium provides much more extensive coverage and protection, offering extra protection from accidental kicks against the side walls, to pooling of snow melting in the winter time.”
– Samuel Cheng, Director of Product Development, TuxMat
Floor mats tend to focus only on the floor, cutting costs by reducing the amount of material used for a sidewall. It may prevent carpet wear, but mud, dust, and melting snow simply leak off the edges and inevitably dirty your car’s carpets. But premium floor mats have dedicated side walls to prevent the spread of dirt and moisture.
The second core difference is in material quality. According to Cheng, premium floor mats have “a higher quality material and feel” than cheap rubber or plastic mats.
Key Differences Between Regular And Premium Floor Mats
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Regular Floor Mats |
Premium Floor Mats |
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Limited protection at floor-level only |
Additional protection against dirt and liquids |
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Cheaper materials that may smell |
Larger side walls that protect against pooling liquid and dirty feet |
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Generic fit with limited coverage |
High quality materials without strange smells |
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Low-quality look and feel |
Quality look and feel |
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Model and trim-specific fitment for superior coverage |
What To Look For When Buying A Premium Floor Mat
Now that we know what the difference is, what should you be looking for in a premium floor mat? According to Cheng, shoppers should ask themselves two questions:
- Does the mat provide adequate coverage of all areas (generally carpeted and high traffic areas)?
- Does that mat look and feel like a premium product?
The first question is easy to answer, but the second is a little more difficult. After all, what does premium look like? And are there any compromises made compared to ordinary floor mats? “Premium look and feel can be subjective to users, but we strive to provide mats that both blend in and enhance the cabin aesthetics,” Cheng tells us, but assures us that, at least in the case of TuxMat, the quality and durability is the same as, if not better than non-premium options.
Something else to look out for is whether a floor mat manufacturer is prioritizing gimmicks over quality. It might be cool to have a selection of dozens of colors and patterns, but if they’re prioritizing the gimmick over quality, it’s not a premium product. That’s why TuxMat’s premium floor mats are sold only in one sleek color that looks good in any vehicle. “Some people ask for other colors, but we only offer it in black,” says Cheng.
Finding A Premium Floor Mat That Fits Your Car Perfectly
One of the big advantages of premium floor mats is that they fit better than generic one-size-fits-all options. But that also comes with a caveat – you have to order the right one for the specific year, make, model, and even trim of your vehicle.
Cheng rates this as the biggest mistake customers make when shopping for premium floor mats. “Careful selection of the right vehicle and trim level during the purchasing stages is the area shoppers need to pay closest attention to,” he explains. “As the mats provide complete coverage, often different center consoles or even seating configurations could lead to totally different products to fit with the vehicle.”
This is evident when Cheng explains how TuxMat designs and engineers its premium floor mats for the perfect fit, matching OEM tolerances.
“Vehicle interiors are precision laser scanned and designed with our internal guidelines to maximize coverage for custom fitment, then verified through physical test fits in actual vehicles. We scan each vehicle and document the design along the entire process.”
– Samuel Cheng, Director of Product Development, TuxMat
Each vehicle’s interior scan becomes a detailed CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawing, ensuring that every mat produced by TuxMat is millimeter-accurate for a perfect fit. Using OEM factory retention systems and an anti-slip bottom layer, they also stay in place no matter what, another important aspect of what makes premium floor mats worth the investment.
Are Premium Floor Mats Right For Me?
We’ve looked at the differences between premium floor mats and regular floor mats, found out how they’re made to fit, and what you should be looking out for when buying premium floor mats, but how do you know if you even need them?
A common misconception is that premium floor mats are only suitable for premium vehicles. That’s not true, though. “All owners that take pride in their vehicles and want to protect their investments with high quality products should be looking at premium floor mats,” says Cheng. “From those that look to keep the interior tidy, those that have an active lifestyle with lots of dirt and water, to busy parents who don’t have to stress about Cheerios and spills getting into their carpet areas.”
It’s less about the brand of car and more about how well you want to look after your investment. That’s why TuxMat has over 600 premium floor mat configurations that fit hundreds of makes and models across a variety of model years.
How to know if you should buy premium floor mats?
You should be interested in premium floor mats if any of the following describes your lifestyle and vehicle usage:
- If you take pride in your vehicle
- If you want to protect the investment made in your vehicle
- If you want to keep your car’s interior neat and tidy
- If you lead an active, outdoorsy lifestyle with lots of dirt and water
- If you have children in your car regularly
FAQ
Q: What are the benefits of a premium floor mat?
Premium floor mats provide enhanced coverage and better fitment, ensuring dirt, snow, and other liquids don’t reach your vehicle’s carpets.
Q: Will premium floor mats fit my car?
TuxMat laser scans the interior of hundreds of vehicle makes and models, ensuring its premium floor mats will fit almost any vehicle.
Q: What should I look for in a premium floor mat?
According to Samuel Cheng, Director of Product Development at TuxMat, a quality premium floor mat should provide adequate fit and coverage of all high-traffic areas in your vehicle, and should be manufactured from high-quality materials with a premium look and finish.