Trapo Classic Mark III vs Classic Mark II: What’s new?

It’s been a couple of months since I last reviewed the Trapo Classic Mark II floor mats for my 2011 Perodua Myvi. And since then, Trapo Malaysia has launched an upgraded version of their Classic mats, so if you bought one on my recommendation, I apologise for your loss. Now you know exactly how every Redmi smartphone user feels shortly after they buy their brand new smartphone.

This, however, is not an apology post. Instead, I’m writing this because Trapo has just sent me the brand new Classic Mark III floor mats, and I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what’s changed, and what hasn’t.

The looks

Judging from the photos, you can probably tell that not much has changed. I mean, the most obvious and clearly visible thing that is different from the front of the mats has to be the fact that the tough pad is now ever so slightly larger than the previous version.

One of the main complaints I had about the Classic Mark II was the fact that the tough pad was a little too low for how I usually put my foot when I drive. So, when I found out that the patch was larger this time around, I was pretty stoked. Then I noticed that even though the surface area was larger, the whole pad is now actually lower on the Classic Mark III.

This means that the gap between where my heel comfortably rests and where the pad actually is is even larger. Since my initial review, I actually managed to adjust both my foot and the position of the floormat to a point where my heel was comfortably resting on the tough pad. But now, it looks like it’ll take yet more adjustment. Though, considering the gap now, that might be a bit of a stretch.

Besides that, the rest of the mat’s top looks identical. You still get the nice uniformed diamond pattern which I have to admit has grown on me over time. It’s also catches dirt very well and you don’t lose the tiny pebbles and stuff in the forest of coils the way you would with a coil mat.

The foam

Being also made from EVA foam, the mat retains a lot of what I liked from the Classic Mark II. It’s still super light, it’s very easy to clean, and Trapo says that it is still coated with the antibacterial technology that allows Trapo to claim the title of “most hygienic car mat in Malaysia”.

There is also no noticeable odour but apparently these new mats have one extra ace up its sleeve. Not only does it not emit any inherent unpleasant smell, the Classic Mark III also absorbs bad smells, with the company claiming that the mats will reduce unpleasant smells in your car by “up to 99%”.

That honestly sounds amazing. I’m not someone who particularly likes having scented air fresheners in my car. I much prefer a neutral odourless smell, or like the new-car smell I got when I was reviewing the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace R-Line. So, having something that will absorb the smell of my tapaued CKT and/or farts sound like a dream come true.

However, I wasn’t really able to put this to the test. I’m not sure what kind of time-frame the mats need to absorb the bad smells, nor what will happen to the mats after they absorb the smell, but my car has so far remained smelling the same.

It’s not a bad thing, of course, since the previous Trapo mats have kept my car smelling odourless with the occasional airing. I also haven’t had these mats for a very long time so it’ll be interesting to see how this develops over time.

On the subject of the foam, however, Trapo claims that the Classic Mark III is now 3x more durable than its predecessor, making it up to 6x more durable than a conventional PVC or rubber mat.

As a reference, I’ve been using the Classic Mark II for about half a year now, and aside from some dirt, the mat looks pristine. None of the foam bridges have shown any sign of wear or degradation, which is a promising sign.

However, I can’t really verify Trapo’s claims right now because a mat’s lifespan is usually measured in years. But, the fact that a couple of months hasn’t made the mats show any wear is definitely a good sign for things to come. That said, I will note that their warranty remains at just one year.

What’s underneath

In my case, the biggest difference between the Classic Mark II and the Classic Mark III is what lives under the mats. When I reviewed the Classic Mark II, Trapo hasn’t debuted their new Trapo Fix technology. Instead, my Mark II mats came with little velcro tabs along the perimeter instead.

For the uninitiated, Trapo Fix is the newest way Trapo uses to secure their mats to the floor of your car. The whole bottom of the mat is lined with these velcro-like fibres, and the idea here is that it should allow the mats to be more secure (because larger surface area) without damaging your car’s carpet (not quite as abrasive as velcro).

One exception to this no-velcro-tabs feature is the tiny padding mat that goes between the two rear floor mats. This piece has both the velcro tabs and Trapo Fix in place. I guess its because that position is too volatile for Trapo Fix to keep it secure. But, the nice thing is that the piece still retains the wire lining in the seam that helps the piece hold its shape when wrapped around the little hump.

At first, I was a little skeptical because putting the Classic Mark III in my Myvi, it didn’t seem to stick as well to the carpet underneath. This let me lift and reposition the mats super easily. However, what I then noticed was: while it was really easy to lift and reposition, the mats don’t actually slide around or move about when they’ve made full contact with the carpet.

And believe me, I tried to slide my feet around the mat the way you would when you clutch-kick your car into a drift down the touge hairpin, but the floor mats didn’t budge at all. So, as far as security, so far it gets the two thumbs up from me.

I can also vouch for the abrasiveness of the Trapo Fix lining versus the velcro tabs. Removing the Classic Mark II with the velcro tabs sounded way more violent than the Classic Mark II. Not only was it more difficult to remove, but it also made that classic velcro tearing sound when you rip it off your carpet.

While I didn’t see any visible marks, I can’t imagine this being better than the Trapo Fix alternative.

I guess it’s time to address the elephant in the room

OK, it’s time for me to come clean: I haven’t been completely transparent with you. I wasn’t sure how many of you would actually notice, but I’m sure the eagle-eyed of you have already spotted that there is one more difference between the two mats that I haven’t addressed.

Look really closely at the Classic Mark III and you can probably notice that it now comes in this new brown colourway. I know, I know, I should have talked about it in the looks section, but it’s OK, we’ll get to it right now.

When Trapo Malaysia initially asked me which colourway I wanted to check out, I was like, sure, send me the new brown one! From the initial photos, I thought it would look fine with the rest of my car’s black interior, and it might even be better because it should hide mud stains better—perfect for the current ongoing rainy season.

Now that I’ve seen it in person though, I’m beginning to regret my decision. This colour is just not it. I think it’s a little too light for it to pair well with the black interior, and it doesn’t actually do a good job at hiding city dirt—the kind of dirt I bring into the car the most.

Dust and stuff usually ranges from grey to black, which actually shows up even more obviously on the brown mats. And it does so in a way that isn’t subtle at all. Plus, if you opt to go for the brown lining as well, it looks even worse.

But I thought, OK, maybe this is more of a personal preference thing. So I ran a poll on my Instagram account, and a whopping 73% of the respondents didn’t like it either. The silver lining here was when my boss Amin said it looked premium, especially if you pair it with some brown Nappa leather.

I…guess that’s the only situation I’d opt for the brown mats on, but in that case, I feel like I’d like it more if the brown Nappa leather seats became the feature colour in a sea of darker blacks. Then again, I’ve been told by everyone around me that I’m not particularly fashionable, so what do I know about colours?

What I do know, however, is the fact that the Trapo Classic Mark III is more expensive than its predecessor. While you could get a full set of the Classic Mark II for my 2011 Perodua Myvi for RM219.90, the Classic Mark III sees prices start from RM249.90 for the same car…and that’s before adding the good stuff like Trapo Fix or the Trapo Boot combo.

Now, I will grant that the Classic Mark III is an upgrade over its predecessor, but I would have rather not be asked to pay RM30 extra for what I would have hoped was a generational upgrade. Nevertheless, if you do want to buy these—or any of Trapo’s new mats—make sure you use offer code SOYACINCAU10 for 10% off your purchase on Trapo Malaysia.