Almost all cars come with floor mats. These car mats usually focus on style instead of durability or protection. Most often they are simply rubber mats with carpet matching the carpet of the rest of the car’s floor. These might look nice, but can be a pain to clean from everyday use. If you off-road or use your vehicle in all weather situations, they can be impossible to clean, let alone keep clean.
Stains and damage in a car’s interior can negatively affect the resale value of the vehicle. Additionally, matted and wet carpets can be a breeding ground for mold and other unsavory organisms adding foul odors to your car and may even cause some health issues.
Third party car mats can provide an extra layer of protection for your car’s interior as well as providing an easy to clean solution for spills or muddy boots inside your vehicle. Many third-party car mats have channels or pockets that prevent spills from leaving the mat and make it easy to pull out the mat and pour any liquid outside of the vehicle.
If you are concerned with keeping your car’s interior clean or if you off-road or use your car for all weather driving, third party car mats are the perfect tool for you.
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How We Reviewed
The following products were reviewed based on the following parameters Features, Pros & Cons, Price, Where to Buy, and Warranty.
Overall Price Range
On a whole, car mats come at a cost of anywhere from $15 a set to $160 a set. Generally, trim-able car mats are on the lower end $15-$40 and the custom fit car mats average at about $100 a set.
What We Reviewed
- Lund Catch It Car Mats
- Rugged Ridge All Terrain Car Mats
- OxGord Heavy Duty Mats
- Motor Trend MT-923-BK FlexTough Contour Liners
- Intro-Tech HEXOMAT Car Mats
- Custom Accessories Armor All 78840ZN Rubber Car Mat
- Michelin Rubber Carpeted Car Mats
- MAXLINER All-Weather Car Mats
- BDK ProLiner Heavy Duty Rubber Auto Car Mats Liner
- Motor Trend OF-793-BK FlexTough Advanced Performance Rubber Car Mats
Lund Catch It Car Mats
Features
Engineered with Xynet, a patented resin, the Lund Catch It Car Mats are custom molded for each make and model of car. Available in both vinyl and carpet they offer styles for both on and off-road drivers. Stain and heat resistant, they can be cleaned with a garden hose.
Pros
- Available in both carpet and vinyl in multiple colors
- Deep ridges and wall to contain spills
- Scraping blocks raised off of the car mat for wiping feet.
Cons
- Some customers have complaints about custom fit for their vehicles
- Proper hold requires extra hooks.
- High Price
Price
A set of two Lund Catch It car mats can be purchased at Amazon for an average market price.
Warranty 4/5 stars
Lund car mats are covered by a limited lifetime warranty that includes parts and labor at authorized dealerships.
Rugged Ridge All Terrain Floor Mats
Features
The Rugged Ridge All Terrain Car Mats are designed with the off-roader in mind with their deep chevron-shaped tread and high walls to contain any spills. They live up to their rugged name with their reinforced construction, giving them strength to stand up to the toughest of uses.
Pros
- Deep tread that helps clean the bottom of muddy boots or shoes
- Made from a durable thermoplastic elastomer.
- Custom fit for each make and model
Cons
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- Installation requires grommets
- Some customers complain about the car mats slipping
- Expensive compared to some other Car mats
Price
The Rugged Ridge All Terrain Car Mats can be found on Amazon for an average price for a set of 2.
Warranty 5/5 stars
Rugged Ridge offers a limited lifetime warranty on their All Terrain Car Mats
OxGord Heavy Duty Car Mats
Features
The OxGord Heavy Duty Car Mats are a universal design as opposed to custom fit. They will fit most makes and models of cars and can be customized by removing small sections on the edges of the mats to allow them to fit better in different cars. Made from stain and weather resistant rubber, they are easy to clean and durable.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Designed so that buyers can remove sections of the car mats to better fit them in specific makes and models.
- Offers great protection
Cons
- Strong chemical odor
- Universal design can be a bad fit for some makes and models
- Slips on carpet
Price
This product can be found on Amazon in a cheap price for a set that includes two car mats for the front seats and a long car mat that covers the floor in front of the back seat.
Warranty 3/5 stars
OxGord offers a 1-year limited manufacturing warranty.
Motor Trend MT-923-BK FlexTough Contour Liners
Features
Made from an odorless rubber, the Motor Trend MT-923-BK FlexTough Contour Liners are universal car mats that can be trimmed to custom fit most makes and models and includes an easy-to-use guide for customization. The inverted shell design is engineered to trap water, snow, debris, and mud. They can be rinsed off with a garden hose.
Pros
- Made from odorless rubber
- Customizable by cutting the edges
- Well engineered channels to keep spills contained
Cons
- Issues with slipping
- Some owners unhappy with their trimmed liners.
Price
The Motor Trend MT-923-BK FlexTough Contour Liners can be found on Amazon for an affordable price for a set of three.
Warranty 3/5 stars
Motor Trend offers a 1-year warranty limited to manufacturing defects.
Intro-Tech HEXOMAT Car Mats
Features
With their unique hexagonal pattern, the Intro-Tech HEXOMAT Car Mats have a fascinating look and feel. They are available in 10,000 custom fit patterns for cars, trucks, SUVs and even cargo truck mats in a variety of colors. The hexagonal pockets trap moisture in place until the car mats can be removed and rinsed with a garden hose.
Pros
- Honeycomb design traps spills and other liquids well
- Lifetime warranty
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Strong Plastic Smell
- Difficulty customizing in some makes and models
Price
The Intro-Tech HEXOMAT Car Mats can be found on Amazon for around $60 for a set of three
Warranty 4/5 stars
The Intro-Tech HEXOMAT Car Mats come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
Custom Accessories Armor All 78840ZN Rubber Car Mat
Features
Custom Accessories Armor All 78840ZN Rubber Car Mats are made from a tough and durable rubber that will not crack or harden, even under high or low temperatures. Customizable by trimming they can fit well in most makes and models of cars.
Pros
- Customization by trimming for better fit
- No chemical odor
- Low Price
Cons
- The small size will not offer full protection for many makes and models
- Slides around in some cars.
Price
The Custom Accessories Armor All 78840ZN Rubber Car Mats product can be found on Amazon for an average price for a set of three.
Warranty 1/5 stars
The Custom Accessories Armor All 78840ZN Rubber Car Mats offers a 60-day warranty limited to manufacturing defects.
Michelin Rubber Carpeted Car Mats
Features
Like the other universal car mats on the list, the Michelin Rubber Carpeted Car Mats allow for trimming to customize the fit. Using an innovative cellular design to direct and trap moisture from both clothes and carpet, they are easily cleaned with soap and water. These car mats come with plush carpeting without sacrificing the protection against the environment.
Pros
- Carpeted for both style and durability
- Traps and direct water with an innovative cellular design.
- Universal fit for most makes and models of cars, trucks, and SUVs
Cons
- Made from lower quality materials compared to other car mats on the list
- Flimsy construction
- Small rear car mats
Price
The Michelin Rubber Carpeted Car Mats can be found on Amazon for an average market price for a set of four
Warranty 4/5
The Michelin Rubber Carpeted Car Mats come with a three-year warranty.
MAXLINER Smartliner All-Weather Car Mats
Features
Made from low-density eco-friendly material the MAXLINER Smartliner All-Weather Car Mats are custom fit for the specific make and model of a vehicle. They feature a textured skin resistant surface to give the driver and passenger traction even when their shoes are wet or muddy. Easy to clean with just a garden hose or soap and water, these car mats offer full protection with a high lip to prevent spills or moisture from spreading past the car mats.
Pros
- Offers excellent protection from moisture and stains
- Made from eco-friendly materials
- Uses the car’s safety holding points instead of requiring extra fastening.
Cons
- Some customers had an issue with the fit in their specific make and model of car.
- Expensive
- There have been some durability issues
Price
The MAXLINER Smartliner All-Weather Car Mats can be found on Amazon for quite an expensive price for a set of three including an extra long back seat car mat.
Warranty 5/5 stars
MAXLINER offers a lifetime warranty on their Smartliner All-Weather Car Mats.
BDK ProLiner Heavy Duty Rubber Auto Car Mats Liner
Features
The BDK ProLiner Heavy Duty Rubber Auto Car Mats Liner are universal car mats that can be trimmed to fit most makes and models of cars. They have high ridges and are made of an easy to clean stain proof rubber. They are backed with powerful anti-slip rubber nubs that will keep them in place during the toughest of driving.
Pros
- Comes in three different colors
- Affordable
- Easy to install
Cons
- Flimsy design and construction
- Many customers had issues with cutting the mats to fit their make or model
- Chemical smell
Price
The BDK ProLiner Heavy Duty Rubber Auto Car Mats Liner can be found on Amazon a cheap price.
Warranty 4/5 stars
The BDK ProLiner Heavy Duty Rubber Auto Car Mats Liner comes with a 1-year full warranty.
Motor Trend OF-793-BK FlexTough Advanced Performance Rubber Car Mats
Features
With their trim-able universal design, the Motor Trend OF-793-BK FlexTough Advanced Performance Rubber Car Mats offers the protection of a custom fitted liner without the costs involved. With raised channels to move moisture and debris to keep it from spilling over the edges of the car mats, they work in all weather and stand up to the most extreme of driving situations. To customize for your individual make and model the car mats have easy all-trim patterns.
Pros
- Made from odorless rubber
- Raised channels trap dirt, mud, and water
- Easy to trim for custom sizing
Cons
- Issues with sizing in some makes and models of cars
- Some complaints of foul odors in hot weather
Price
The Motor Trend FlexTough Advanced Performance Rubber Car Mats can be found on Amazon for an affordable price for a three-mat set featuring an extra long back seat car mat.
Warranty 3/5 stars
Motor Trend offers a 1-year warranty limited to manufacturing defects.
FAQs
1. What are Third Party Car Mats?
Third party car mats are sold by companies other than car manufacturers and designed to offer better protection than standard car mats. They generally come in trim-able or custom fit style and can be made of weatherproof materials though the higher end car mats often feature stain-resistant carpeting as well as weatherproof material.
2. What are Trim-able Car Mats?
Trim-able car mats come in a universal size and can be cut to fit the specific make and model of the car they are to be used in. Of the car mats reviewed below, the trim-able mats are less expensive but they often do not offer the same performance as the higher end car mats. It is easier for water or mud to spill over the edge of these car mats and there are also some makes and models of cars that have difficulty fitting a trim-able car mat.
3. What are Custom Fit Car Mats?
Custom fit car mats are designed to fit the floor of a specific make and model of the car. The companies that manufacture these car mats measure the interiors of the cars to exact detail and then use computer-aided design to match that interior with their car mat. These mats offer the most protection for the car’s interior as they are designed to fit snuggly to the edges and have high lips to prevent even the largest of messes from leaving the mat.
4. What Kind of Car Mat is Best for Off-Roading?
For off-roaders or others who use their cars in all weather conditions, often trailing mud, water or snow inside, custom fit car mats are the ideal choice. The high lips of these mats will prevent any moisture from leaving the mat and when it comes time to clean, they can be removed from the car without any of the caught moisture to spill off of the mat. For most of them, a simple garden hose is all that is needed to clean them.
5. What Kind of Car Mat is Best for everyday Driving?
For everyday driving, the lower end trim-able car mats are often all that is needed. These mats will protect the interior from damp feet as well as the occasional muddy boot and spill and do not come at the premium price that the custom fit car mats cost.
4. What Kind of Car Mat is Best for Off-Roading?
For off-roaders or others who use their cars in all weather conditions, often trailing mud, water or snow inside, custom fit car mats are the ideal choice. The high lips of these mats will prevent any moisture from leaving the mat and when it comes time to clean, they can be removed from the car without any of the caught moisture to spill off of the mat. For most of them, a simple garden hose is all that is needed to clean them.
5. What Kind of Car Mat is Best for Everyday Driving?
For everyday driving, the lower end trim-able car mats are often all that is needed. These mats will protect the interior from damp feet as well as the occasional muddy boot and spill and do not come at the premium price that the custom fit car mats cost.
The Verdict
The car mats listed above generally fall into three categories based on their material, coverage and customization options. On the lower end of the spectrum are the trim-able rubber or epoxy mats. These provide the least protection, often smaller than the area of car floor they cover but come at a much lower cost. These would be poor choices for those that off-road or who regularly use their vehicle in adverse weather or with wet muddy boots. For regular everyday use of a car, however, these provide more than enough protection. Of the lower end car mats, the OxGord Heavy Duty Car Matsare the best choice.
On the high end, the mats are made of more durable material and custom designed to fit into the exact area of the car’s floor. These are the mats that the off-roader or muddy boot wearer will want to protect their car. The Lund Catch It Car Mats is quite pricey but are the best choice of the custom fit car mats.
In the middle of the pack are the universal trim-able car mats that are well designed for moderately messy automotive activities. These car mats are less expensive than the custom mats while offering better protection than the low-end mats. The Custom Accessories Armor All 78840ZN Rubber Car Mat is the best overall car mat for all weather use.
