Most cars, trucks and SUVs come with carpeted floors in the cabin. Some may also have carpeted cargo areas. This looks great when the vehicle is new, but the first spill, the first muddy boot or the first wet dog leaves a mess. Stains in the carpet are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to remove.
This is where floor mats come in. Adding an additional layer of protection to all footwells and cargo areas in the vehicle keeps the interior clean and looking good. Some vehicles come with standard floor mats, and others have them available as optional add-ons. This is something you can discuss with the dealer when you purchase the vehicle. If your mats become damaged, or if you buy a used vehicle without mats, there are many aftermarket options for almost any vehicle.
Best Materials for Floor Mats
Floor mats are either carpet or all-weather. Which type is most appropriate for a particular vehicle depends largely on how messy the interior is likely to get. Common mats include.
- Carpet floor mats. These usually match the carpeting that’s on the floor of the vehicle. The mats are heavy carpet with non skid backing, so they’ll stay in place. The drivers’ side mat has grommets or similar devices that fasten to the floor to keep the mat from sliding forward under the accelerator and brake pedals. Carpet mats are custom fit for each particular vehicle, and they often have the name of the make or model embroidered on them.
- All-weather floor mats. These are made of a synthetic, rubber-like material. They have textured surfaces to give traction to wet or muddy feet, and they usually have channels that help trap dirt and spills. Like carpet mats, they’re custom designed for each vehicle, and the make or model is often molded in. All-weather mats are most often available in black or dark gray. They can be pulled out and hosed off whenever they get dirty, and they’ll air dry relatively quickly.
Manufacturer Floor Mats
Manufacturers make both carpet and all-weather floor mats available for many or most of their vehicles. In many cases, mats are dealer-installed options, which means the vehicle doesn’t have mats when it gets to the car lot. The dealer has a stock of mats and puts them in the car. The cost of the mats is then folded into the overall price of the vehicle.
Luxury vehicles are more likely to have mats included as stock equipment while lower-priced vehicles are more likely to have them available at an extra cost, but it depends on the specific make and model. The advantage of manufacturer’s floor mats is that they’re designed for the specific vehicle. Carpet mats will be a color match to the interior, and both carpet and all-weather mats will precisely fit each floor space of the cabin or cargo area. Mats from the manufacturer may also have the added cachet of having the make or model name on the mat. This identifies them as original equipment and gives an extra custom touch to the interior.
Laser Fitted Floor Mats
Laser fitted floor mats, also called floor liners, are an aftermarket option. They’re measured with lasers to exactly fit the footwells of each vehicle, and they go beyond simple mats. Floor liners are more like thin trays that cover the floor and the sides of the space, and they’re molded to every hollow and protrusion. The unique material that liners are made from has a rigid core, but the surfaces have texture. This lets them grip the carpet on the bottom and give an appealing foot-feel on the top.
Like all-weather mats, floor liners are weather resistant and designed to trap spills and debris. They can be removed for cleaning. Because laser fitted floor mats aren’t made by the vehicle’s manufacturer, they may not offer the same color choices. They’ll also have the brand name of the mat on them, not the make or model of the vehicle. Whichever floor mats you choose, they enhance the appearance of your car’s interior. They also help preserve the value of the vehicle by keeping the floor carpeting clean and free from wear and tear.
