Tuxmat & Costco/Phantom car mats (FULL review) - updated 11/21/19

Months ago there was a discussion about Tuxmat/Phantom car liner mats, tuxmat.ca thread, and whether anyone had any reviews of them. There were none at the time. Couldn't decide whether to get these or the Weathertechs or Findways.

So I finally decided to get the Tuxmat/Phantom for the wife's 2017 Civic after a lot of humming and hawing. Picked them up and installed this week. According to their website, the mats are made of 3 layers:

Top Layer - Synthetic leather that is durable and water proof
Middle Layer - Comfort and Structure
Bottom Layer - Sound Proofing, anti-skid protective cloth

Since the company is fairly new (and imports the product) it's hard to say how durable this product is, so I guess I'm the RFD guinea pig. One downside to the product is that it only comes with a 1yr guarantee, so I will only find out the durability and quality after this coming winter. Crossing my fingers these mats survive many winters!!!! The product finish is actually quite nice. The synthetic leather gives the product a classy rich finish and makes the car look luxurious, even for a Civic. The mat feels soft on the feet, and it fits like a glove. What I like so far about the product is it's coverage. The mat covers almost every inch of carpet and goes all the way up to the plastic paneling (though I can't say if it's the same for all makes/models). This is great because the Findway and Weathertech only seem to have a small lip, leaving much of the carpet exposed to winter salt. I also like the fact that the rear seat also covers the carpet that is up against the seats. I used the provided mat clips however it isn't necessary as the liners are an exact fit and therefore don't shift (the mats can't use the car's clip system as there would be a hole in the mat).

They're expensive at $230 versus the $100 Findway, but cheaper than the $270 Weathertech. Hopefully this was a smart investment.

Here's what the look like installed:


Under pedals



Under the driver side seat with extra coverage



Rear liner against seat back


The other negative I found so far is that when I checked for my Tucson there was no cutout for the fuel door release lever whereas Weathertech and Findway do. Tuxmat says they cover it to complete the full water protection, which is true I suppose. They say I can still access the lever by lifting the mat. I have no idea if that would prove to be a pain in the arse as I haven't decided whether to buy that set or not. As for possible limited coverage, as I mentioned above, the Tucson one looks like it does not cover all the carpet around the gas pedal (because of it's Tucson's gas pedal floor mount). SEE BELOW FOR UPDATE FOR 2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON - 2nd GENERATION MATS


***updated review***
As of April 26, 2018 (1yr later)

1yr plus Post-Winter Review


Hi everyone, I know everyone has been anxiously awaiting the rest of my RFD review of these mats. Well, to quickly summarize: they've held up amazing and I can see these things lasting many many years based upon how they look and feel after one year, especially after winter.



My video should explain everything I hope, but for those who prefer to read:

Clean up was rather simple (though removing them posed a bit of a challenge as to not spill dirt onto the carpet). Any dirt that fell into the car was easily vacuumed up. Upon removing them I used a dry brush to remove excess dirt and stuck on grime. I then sprayed them down with a hose, and then again used a dry brush to remove any remaining dirt/grime. Then I just used a towel to dry up the water and poof, I was done. There was NO water or salt penetration to the car's carpet. Everything was nice and clean, and no moisture or dampness in the car. Tuxmat said I could use mild soap and water if needed but found it wasn't necessary.

Dirty Mats with caked on salt


Non-damaged Carpet underneath


Mats after cleaning

***updated review***
As of July 2019 (2+ yrs later)

2yr Review

Been through two winters now and no issues what's so ever. Again, clean up was easy. This time the wife did it without my assistance. No wear or tear detected.

As a side note, they saved the carpet when the wife accidentally spilled her entire milk bubble tea on it last summer. I can't imagine the stink that would have made if the mat wasn't there.

One member posted a few months ago that they experienced some wear & tear on the left side of the driver's mat where the clutch would be. This is unfortunate as the rubber logo designed for a shoe heel doesn't extend that far over. I suppose it's a minor design flaw for those who drive manual as those with automatic wouldn't have this issue. The member however did post that Tuxmat did replace the mat free-of-charge as a goodwill gesture, which is nice. Maybe they'll take this into consideration.


***updated review***
As of September 2019

There seems to have been a development at Costco no longer carrying Tuxmat products. Costco now seems to be carrying the same exact product as Tuxmat but under the name Phantom. Everything appears to be the same, even having the heel pad with the Tuxmat logo. Anyways, if you have no brand loyalty, then I'd suggest just ordering from Costco.ca if you're a Costco member & if they have your Make & Model since nothing beats the Costco return policy.

Members have updated and stated that the Phantom mats have the same shipping address as Tuxmat, and another member had spoken to Tuxmat who apparently admitted it's the same mat. Very confusing.


My Second Review - 2nd Generation mats (2012 Hyundai Tucson);
November 21, 2019

I'm not as pleased with them as much as when I bought the 1st generation mats for my wife's 2017 Honda Civic (See Original Post #1).

Although I really didn't need to use the clips for the driver's mat because it is snug, I'm still one of those types that gets anal if things are not secured properly, especially the driver's mat. I couldn't use the standard clips as the mat sides were a lot higher than the Tucson's plastic paneling. That's a good thing for splash but bad as the mats can't be secured. I ended up using the Velcro clips (green arrows) that were provided but found that the adhesive backing didn't stick very well to the plastic paneling. It will hold for now but I will likely pick up industrial Velcro tape from Home Depot to make sure it really sticks.


It's a shame that the front of the mat doesn't go around the back of the pedal (pink arrow) but I guess that would pose a safety issue. You can see where the past salt build up looks less than appealing, but I suppose that would happen regardless of the brand of mat used.


I am not a fan of this retention hole (yellow arrow) in the 2nd Generation mats. Why did they put a hole in the middle of the mat? They could have used the original manufacturers retention hooks. Furthermore, the retention hook is nearly impossible to install. You have this little nail that you're supposed to puncture into the carpet of the car. Well, guess what:
(1) I couldn't punch it through because the carpet was too thick
(2) I can't line it up properly with the retention hole in the mat because the nail has to be inserted on an angle (nail is longer than the clip). I did end up using a thumbnail to line up where the hole should be made but sticking it dead center in the retention hole of the mat, but of course, couldn't puncture the carpet (see #1)
So, I didn't end up installing the retention hook, hence the reason why I was relying on the retention clips to work.


Also a shame that these mats don't cover the back side as they did with the Civic (blue arrow). I see for the 2nd Generation mats they made a cut out for the fuel door release lever, and that's probably the reason why.



I placed the passenger mat in without any retention because honestly who cares. It fits like a glove and I'm not worried about shifting.



The rear seat mat is a bit of a disappointment for the Tucson. I'm not sure if this 2nd Generation mat is different than the 1st Generation for this model, but the backing doesn't go all the way up and tuck under the seat like the Civic. It still goes up high but it would have been nice if the had provided the extra material to tuck. I did end up using a few clips to makes sure the mats of this size stayed snug to the vehicle floor and to the back of the seat.


Overall though, still satisfied with the purchase. I just hope they take in consideration of feedback for a 3rd Generation of mats.