Best Car Floor Mats
When you buy a new or used car, you probably promise yourself you’ll keep it clean inside and out. Whether you detail your sedan regularly, or you have kids and dogs that spill food and track muddy prints into the SUV, protecting the floor with mats is a smart idea. Keeping the interior floor clean will help maintain the resale value of the car down the line, too.
Car floor mats protect the carpeting against random spills, mud, snow, and whatever else you might track into the vehicle. The mats are easily removed for cleaning or replacement, all while keeping the car’s original floor looking great. These products are available in multiple configurations and price points, so it pays to understand the differences.
At BestReviews, we’re ready to help. We’ve prepared this shopping guide with tips and advice so you can find the best car floor mats for your vehicle.
Best car floor mats available now
Car floor mat features to consider
When purchasing car floor mats, it’s important to understand exactly what you’re getting for your money.
Sets
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Two mats: If you only need two mats because you’re replacing the two in the back that the kids destroyed, this type of set is great. But make sure you don’t inadvertently buy a two-mat set when you really need four mats.
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Four mats: This is the most common floor mat set: two mats for the front and two for the back.
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Five mats: Some sets include a large fifth mat that protects the back of an SUV or the trunk of a car.
Carpet vs. rubber
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Carpet: A carpeted floor mat looks nicer than a rubber floor mat, and it provides a bit of cushioning for your feet. However, if you live in an area where you regularly track snow and mud into your vehicle, carpet is tougher to clean than rubber. Most higher-end carpet floor mats have a rubber base with a plush carpet top. However, some cheaper carpet mats have no rubber backing, which means liquids can soak right through.
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Rubber: Rubber floor mats don’t offer a lot of style, but they’re durable and easy to clean. In addition, universal rubber floor mats can be trimmed to fit a particular space. Rubber mats often have grooves and channels that direct water away from your feet and a raised edge to keep water and dirt on the mat and off the carpet. Avoid using a silicone-based cleaner on rubber mats. It could leave the rubber surface slippery after it dries. Instead, use a water-based cleaner or just rinse the mats with water.
Custom vs. universal
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Custom: Custom car floor mats are made to fit a particular model of vehicle, with the right size to fit the different floor areas of your car. These also fit perfectly around any odd shapes, such as wheel wells. These mats may also have connectors on the bottom that affix to mounting points on the vehicle’s floor. When aligned properly, the mats should fit these mounting points perfectly and remain in place. Mats that slide around or shift out of place can be hazardous.
Some manufacturers refer to custom floor mats as custom liners. Liners usually have raised edges that hold liquids on the surface of the mat. A custom mat without raised edges might allow spills to leak onto the carpet.
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Universal: Universal car floor mats are made to fit several different models of vehicles, meaning these mats aren’t made to perfectly fit your car model alone. These mats probably won’t have connectors to hold them in place. Look for universal mats with grooves or rubber nubs on the back. These features help the mat grip the car floor and keep the mat from slipping around.
These mats should fit your vehicle’s floor area, but they probably won’t fit perfectly. Many universal floor mats are trimmable, so you can improve the fit. When trimming a mat, measure the area precisely for a good fit. An improperly trimmed mat won’t protect your floor, or it could bunch up and create a tripping hazard.
We consider how many sets of floor mats come with each purchase. The most popular choice is a four-mat set: two for the front and two for the back.
We look at mats made of carpet and mats made of rubber, assessing the pros and cons of each in our research.
We note whether a particular set of floor mats is universal or custom-made. Even though universal mats are less likely to offer a “perfect” fit out of the box, they are usually trimmable so you can still achieve a neat fit.
If a car floor mat is made of rubber, we assess its thickness. High-quality mats tend to be thicker than thin mats.
Some cheaper car floor mats have a chemical smell. We note any unusual odors in our research.
We think about how easy it is to insert and remove car mats because this affects how easy they are to install and clean.
We look at whether a car mat has raised edges, which can help prevent liquids from spilling onto the flooring beneath the mat.
We consider the material with which a floor mat is made when estimating how long it will last. A quality mat should last the life of the car.
We place a high value on quality floor mats that are resistant to both stains and water.
Because consumers prefer stationary mats to those that slip and slide around, we assess how well a floor mat stays in place in our research.
Car floor mat prices
If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to protect the floor of your vehicle, universal car floor mats are an affordable option. You can expect to pay from under $20 to $300 on car floor mats, depending on the number in the set, material, and whether they’re universal or custom.
Inexpensive: You can find universal car floor mats for less than $20 for a set of two or four. Most of these are rubber, but some are carpet with no rubber backing. The cheapest mats will rarely be carpet over rubber or have connectors to attach them to the floor. These inexpensive mats don’t have a lot of style, but you can sometimes can find them in colors other than gray or black.
Mid-range: You’ll pay from $20 to $60 for a set of four mid-priced car floor mats. These will usually be universal mats, although you might find a few custom mats in this price range. Mid-priced mats will be thicker and last longer than cheaper mats. Some have a carpet top over a rubber base, but most are rubber only.
Expensive: The most expensive car mats cost at least $60, and some can run as high as $300 for a set of four or five. These mats are custom fitted to your vehicle and connect to the floor. These have a thick rubber base, and they might have a carpet top with stylish designs.
FAQ
Q. What is the difference between a basic and a premium car floor mat?
A. Basic or budget car floor mats are likely similar to the mats that shipped with your car when it was new. Such mats are thin and usually made of rubber. A premium car floor mat has a thick rubber base and a nicely finished edge. Many premium mats have a thick carpet pile on the surface over the rubber. Premium car mats might also have raised edges that prevent liquids from spilling onto the floor.
Q. Do I really need car floor mats?
A. Having car floor mats in your vehicle makes it easier to clean the car. Rather than trying to clean the carpeting, you can remove the mats from the vehicle and wash them easily. This enables you to keep your vehicle looking nice, which will enhance its resale value down the road. Some custom car floor mats even look better than the interior of the car as configured at the factory, so you might increase the resale value with the right mats.
Q. What’s the best way to add some style to my car floor mats?
A. Some people like to choose carpet-topped mats or an interesting color of rubber for a bit of style. Most car floor mats are black or gray, but you can find some in bright colors like pink, too. Some mats even have logos or fun characters for a more personalized style. For the most part, car floor mats are practical and functional, but occasionally you can find some fun and interesting variations.
Q. Do all car floor mats smell weird?
A. Some cheaper mats might have a chemical odor when you first install them. This odor becomes more noticeable if the closed car sits in the sun for several hours. Sometimes, leaving the mats outside to air for a few days can dissipate the smell. Higher-quality car floor mats have less of an odor or no odor because they’re made of a treated rubber blend.
