Floor mats vs floor liners vs cargo liners: what you need
Updated · 4 min read
Short answer: a floor mat is a flat piece that lies on top of the car carpet in the footwell. A floor liner is a moulded tray with raised edges that follows the shape of the footwell and holds sand and spills inside. A cargo liner is a mat or tray for the boot floor. If you carry sand, camping gear, groceries or wet things in the boot, a cargo liner is worth having.
The three side by side
| Floor mat | Floor liner | Cargo liner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Footwells | Footwells | Boot floor |
| Shape | Flat | Moulded tray with raised edges | Flat or tray, cut to the boot |
| Usual materials | Carpet, TPE, rubber | TPE, rubber | TPE, rubber, carpet |
| Holds spills and sand in | A little | Yes | Yes, if it has edges |
| Look | Low and neat | Sporty, practical | Practical |
| Often called | Floor mats | 3D mats, all-weather liners, deep-dish | Boot liner, trunk mat |
"3D" is often used for floor liners because they are shaped in three dimensions. Our guide on 3D, 5D and 7D car mats explains what those labels mean and what they do not.
Floor mats
A floor mat is the simplest option. It covers the area your feet touch and protects the car carpet underneath. A good one is cut to your car, locks to the factory clips and lies flat.
Carpet floor mats look and feel like the factory floor. Flat TPE mats are waterproof and rinse clean but do not have walls to hold water in.
Choose floor mats if you mostly drive in the city, like a clean factory look, and are happy to shake the mats out now and then.
Floor liners
A floor liner is moulded to follow the footwell. Its raised edges catch sand, mud and spilled drinks and keep them on the liner. You lift it out, tip it and rinse it.
Choose floor liners if you drive on sand, camp, go to the beach often, carry kids, or work on sites. The trade-off is a more practical look and a firmer feel underfoot.
Cargo liners
A cargo liner protects the boot floor from sand, wet gear, leaking shopping and pets. Some come with a flap that covers the back of the rear seats. Others cover the boot floor only, so the rear seats fold as normal.
Do you need a cargo liner? If the boot only ever sees a gym bag, probably not. If it carries camping kit, beach gear, coolers, dates boxes, tools or a pet, it saves the boot carpet from stains and sand.
Can you use a mat and a liner together?
Not on the driver side. Stacking a mat on a liner, or two mats on top of each other, raises the floor and can let the top layer slide toward the pedals. Use one mat or one liner per footwell, locked to the clips.
What we have for each type
Jetour T2 (5 seats): all three types.
| Product | Type | Fits |
|---|---|---|
| T2 carpet floor mats | Carpet floor mats, 3 pieces | 2023–2026 |
| T2 TPE floor mats | Flat TPE floor mats, 3 pieces | 2024–2026 |
| T2 3D TPE floor liners | Floor liners with raised edges, 3 pieces | 2023–2026 |
| T2 TPE cargo liner | Boot floor only, seats fold as normal | 2024–2026 |
Other models: carpet floor mat sets cut to the floor for the Patrol, Land Cruiser, LX570, FJ Cruiser, ROX 01, Range Rover L405 and Defender 110. We do not currently list floor liners or cargo liners for these cars. Message us on WhatsApp with your model and year and we will tell you what we have.
Any car: a budget universal carpet set with two front mats and one rear mat.
Questions
What is the difference between floor mats and floor liners? Floor mats are flat and lie on the carpet. Floor liners are moulded trays with raised edges that hold sand and spills in.
What is a cargo liner? A mat or tray that covers the boot floor and protects it from sand, spills and wet gear.
Do I need a cargo liner? If you carry camping or beach gear, shopping, tools or pets, it is worth it. For a mostly empty boot it is optional.
Are 3D mats the same as floor liners? Usually, yes. "3D" mats are most often moulded liners with raised edges.
Does the Jetour T2 cargo liner block the seats from folding? No. It covers the boot floor only, with no seat-back flap, so the seats fold as normal.
Can I put floor mats on top of floor liners? Not on the driver side. Stacked mats can slide toward the pedals. Use one per footwell.