TUX MATS Floor Liners – Full Review and Overview for the 5th Gen 4Runner

TUX MATS Floor Liners – Full Review and Overview for the 5th Gen 4Runner

Car mats are essential when it comes to cleanliness especially in winter where I’m from (Oh! Canada). This industry has been pretty much ruled by Weathertech and Husky liners as far as I can tell, and these are the go-to brands when it comes to car mats.

Doing my research on car mats this time I stumbled upon a new company local to us Canadians which goes by the name Tux mat.

Tux mat believes in providing its customers with the Ultimate Car Mat. They do this through a 3-fold process which is summed up by their promise that Tux Mat provides the Perfect Fit, along with Maximum Coverage & Luxurious Finish.

Find It Online

• Tux mats: Check Price
• Husky Floor Liners: Check Price
• WeatherTech Floor Liners:Check Price
• OEM Toyota Floor Mats:Check Price

STORY AND SCIENCE BEHIND THE PRODUCT

The first step in the making of Tux Mat is their class-a development. They begin by using laser scanning technology to scan the floor space of the vehicle. Then a prototype mat with the data that was collected is created and then test fitted in the 4Runner. After that test-fit, the necessary adjustments are made in order to achieve total accuracy. The newly adjusted version undergoes another final test fit, and only after all these quality control steps are deemed successful, is the final Tux Mat made.

The second step is fulfillment, Tux Mat undergoes additional quality control testing, and final touches are added. This includes installation of the retention hook holes on the driver’s mat, adding the side security clips kit to the package, the installation guide, safety reminder tags, and final checks for defects and cleanliness.

Also, their shipping was super fast for me and they claim to ship the order the very next business day after placing the order which is really nice, I have to admit.

CONSTRUCTION

As per their website, the material makeup of Tux Mat was chosen to optimize the effectiveness of their product’s structural design. They use the multilayered composition for construction which includes a PVC top layer, an EVA middle layer, and an anti-slip bottom layer.

The plasticized PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) top layer is a highly complementary choice for Tux Mat’s main functions. It is a thermoplastic polymer, so the PVC layer will easily mold to the 4Runner floor at a higher temperature, and when cooled, it will retain the shape. It is characteristically water-resistant and extremely durable.

The EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) middle layer is another type of vinyl that is soft and pliable. EVA is often thought of as a “foam-rubber” in appearance and texture. It remains flexible at cooler temperatures which makes these mats comfortable and helps with ergonomic properties.

The bottom layer is a liner of a felt-like fiber. This layer stands between the mat and the floor of the vehicle. Its purpose is to provide grip and friction, acting as yet another precaution against the mat slipping.

THAT SIZE DIFFERENCE

The first thing you’re going to notice between the OEM/Weathertech’s and Tux mat is the sheer size of these and the difference in the material choice.

Weathertechs are great but they always lacked side protection when it comes to their performance during winters. This is where the Tux mats shine! They cover the entire length of the driver and passenger footwell section and you can not see the factory carpet at all. They are secured by small plastic tabs/clips that hold them in place and are very easy to hide underbody trim pieces.

Not only this design feature protects the carpet from dirt and mud (while camping and off-roading) but from snow as well.

What happens in the winter is, snow/slush from the winter boots get accumulated on the floor mats while driving as the car/truck HVAC unit is blowing hot air and you get a little puddle of water in floor mats (at least this is true where I live in Canada) and whenever you brake it gets out of the floor mats and stains the carpet because of the design of the weathertechs. The large side panels and the overall length of tux mats help in getting rid of this issue and as a result, the car’s carpet will thank you after a nasty winter.

EASY TO CLEAN

Another thing I like about these is how easy they are to clean. All you need is a damp cloth and you can just wipe off all the salt and debris with ease. You can also just spray them with water but be mindful about the bottom fiber-like layer.

What I noticed with weather techs was after few winters they lost their shine from all the dirt and salt, no matter how well you clean and scrub they always looked a bit rough after a couple of years.

Tux mats are lighter as well which is also a plus in my opinion and don’t worry, they are not crazy light that they will bounce all around. The plastic tabs/clips do a very good job of holding them at their place.
At first, I was a bit skeptical about the material as opposed to the hard rubber used in the competition about how durable these tux mats will be but they are wearing well so far and I’ll update this review down the road about long term durability and concerns if found any.

Another plus point about tux mats is their price, they are cheaper than the competition offering more protection to the vehicle’s carpet (you can also pick them up at Costco for even cheaper than their own website, they go by Phantom mats in Costco).

INSTALL

Install process is straightforward. Remove the factory mats and place the tux mats in their place. Use the clips provided to secure them in place. There are quite a bit extra so use them at your own convenience.
I used 4 each for the front row and 10 for the second row.

Final Thoughts

Upgrading your factory mats does is not one of the exciting mods that money can buy but it is so worth it when it comes to an overall clean footprint. No one likes a messy carpet.

Tux mat gives your car a luxurious look, provides better side protection, and are cheaper than the competition. Overall, you can’t go wrong with these.