TuxMat Floor Mats: Protect Your Car from Family Wear and Tear While Enhancing Its Interior Style

      This post is sponsored by TuxMat.

      My sister-in-law’s Toyota RAV4 has endured quite a lot. It was stolen, recovered, repaired, and returned to service. Since then, it has been making a daily 100-mile commute, often carrying energetic dogs and, occasionally, kids or other cargo. I felt it needed some protection, so I installed a set of TuxMat floor mats to safeguard and improve the vehicle's interior. This was a major upgrade, even compared to the already heavy-duty mats it had.

      I don’t have children of my own; I became part of a family through marriage. When I married my wife, I gained three siblings-in-law, which grew to six as they married, along with two fathers-in-law, several mothers-in-law, and, more recently, a niece and nephew. And that’s just the human members. My father-in-law’s female Australian shepherd and male golden retriever have had a whole clan of active pups together. Everyone I’ve mentioned lives within a close-knit social and geographical sphere, resulting in family reunions nearly every weekend, turning many cars in our collective fleet into “family cars” at least occasionally.

      It’s reminiscent of the show Modern Family, except half the cast in our lives is canine.

      Recently, I needed to transport my dog Bramble and her dad Cal, who resides at my father-in-law’s farm next door, since they can’t drive themselves. Taking care of these two lively dogs provided the perfect chance for me to borrow my sister's RAV4 and test the endurance of those new TuxMat floor mats.

      **TuxMat Materials and Design**

      Having tried various floor mats, from inexpensive universal options to bespoke coconut fiber selections, I find TuxMat to be unique in balancing durability and elegance. The sturdy construction, pronounced embossing, and deep channels give these mats a nearly industrial strength, while the subtle texture and clean lines suggest a level of luxury comparable to high-end cars.

      TuxMat’s design is well thought-out—coverage is extensive, and features like seat sliders and under-seat vents are taken into account.

      They are flexible for easy installation and removal, yet maintain their shape to secure themselves into the car’s flooring and almost fully cover the footwell's carpeted sections. The additional coverage that wraps around the seat sliders and extends deep into the footwell offers more protection than I've encountered with any other aftermarket mats.

      **Ease of Installation**

      TuxMat boxes include Velcro and plastic clips to help secure the mats if desired, but in my experience, they are not absolutely necessary. There are no printed instructions in the packaging, but they are probably unnecessary—installing floor mats is straightforward, even for someone who generally avoids tools.

      If you’d like some assistance with fitting, simply scan the QR code on the bright green pouch in the box to access TuxMat’s website, where you'll find guides on selecting and installing your mats, as well as tips on turning the shipping box into a toy—more on that later.

      **Compared to Other Floor Mats**

      When I took my wife’s sister’s RAV4 to test the TuxMat, it had WeatherTech mats up front and a single-piece OEM all-season rubber mat in the back. You may be wondering how they stack up against each other. However, it’s a bit odd to have a product comparison funded by a competitor, so we'll refrain from calling this a direct comparison. Regardless, comparing the images, it’s evident that TuxMat provides significantly more overall coverage than the previously installed mats.

      The existing mats had some wear and mileage, but the TuxMat material visibly appears thicker. Also, the TuxMat branding is less pronounced. I personally prefer the understated silver emblem compared to larger aftermarket logos.

      **Driver’s Footwell**

      We replaced a WeatherTech mat with the TuxMat in the front. Notice the difference in coverage up to the dead pedal left of the brake and how the TuxMat wraps around the seat rail.

      **Passenger Side**

      The height of the TuxMat’s coverage on the passenger side is clearly greater compared to the other unit.

      **Rear Seats**

      You can see the coverage distinction between the OEM mat (left) and the TuxMat (right).

      **Spill Resistance**

      Aesthetic appeal is a solid reason to upgrade your floor mats because quality options like TuxMat do elevate an automobile's interior. But the primary reason you likely shop for something like this is to protect the interior, right?

      TuxMat floor mats effectively contain spills at three levels. The tall walls that rise along the footwell and around the seats prevent large spills from reaching the carpet. The deep channels in the mat keep messes contained in smaller sections. Finally, the fine texture aids in preventing spills from sliding off the mat.

      I conducted some practical tests to see how well the TuxMats in our RAV4 would hold up to the two