Some car accessories are aesthetic enhancements, like a custom gear shift knob, while others can improve your driving experience. For example, a bottle jack can help you change a flat tire. Others can be life-saving emergency accessories like jumper cables or ropes.
Other car accessories make road trips more comfortable, such as seat cushions that help reduce fatigue and back pain. Others improve performance, such as mass airflow sensors and cold air intakes.
A good set of floor mats is the first thing you should upgrade when you buy a new car. They’re inexpensive, but the difference is huge in terms of how comfortable you’ll be while driving. A good set of mats keeps all the dirt, water, and salt that can build up on your shoes from getting on your carpet.
You can also use them to protect your new car’s original carpet. These rubber-like floor mats are made from a tough plastic composite that resists fading, cracking, and deterioration. They also feature a non-skid nib backing for premium traction.
They’re easy to clean as well, with a simple machine wash in the washing machine. Just make sure the mats are completely dry before you reinstall them in your vehicle. These mats are a good fit for a family that frequently transports kids and pets. However, they’re not ideal if you spend most of your time driving solo.
Unlike the cheap, universal-fit floor mats that are typically included with new vehicles, these high-quality floor liners are custom-fit to your specific car. You’ll need to trim them down to the exact dimensions of your vehicle, but you can do that easily with the included guide lines. This allows you to keep the molded edges in place while cutting the mat down to size.
These mats are constructed from durable TPE, which is odorless and latex-free. They come with a lifetime warranty and are designed to withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at your car. They use digitized computer modeling to ensure they’re a perfect fit inside your vehicle. There are unique left and right front mats, as well as rear two-piece mats. The anti-shift nibs on the back of these mats keep them in place without adhesives or clips.
These floor mats from CAT are stylish, rugged, and affordable. They’re a great option for a pickup truck or off-road vehicle that sees tons of dirt, debris, and slush dragged in. They’re made from an advanced space-age rubber composite and feature a honeycomb vault to contain spills. They’re available in several different colors, including a bright metallic finish that adds some extra style to your interior.
Drive Auto Trunk Organizer
Trunk organizers are an easy and inexpensive way to keep your truck organized. They’re designed to hold all of the things that are typically thrown in the trunk of your car, from groceries to jumper cables, and they help prevent the items from rolling around while you drive. In addition, a trunk organizer can help you avoid losing important items and make the items you need easier to find.
The Amazon best-seller from Drive Auto Products is one of the most durable options on this list, with a collapsible design that makes it easy to adjust to your needs. It also has a mix of interior compartments and flap or mesh exterior pockets that can accommodate a variety of items, including larger grocery bags and luggage. The base of the organizer is reinforced with stiff plates to keep it in place, and it folds down when not in use for a space-saving fit.
Another feature of this product that we like is its waterproof cooler section. This can be a lifesaver for anyone who regularly transports food or other liquids in their trunk, as it can protect those items from spilling or being ruined by water. The insulated section can hold up to 50 quarts of liquid and is also designed to float in the trunk, so it won’t be moved or jostled while driving.
This product from Allextreme is a little more expensive than some of the others on this list, but it’s worth every penny. It’s made of extremely sturdy materials that can take a beating and still look great. It can be used in the trunk of your car or attached to a back seat for more storage space in the cabin. The hooks included with this product can be looped on any existing hooks in your trunk or the vehicle’s cabin, and it’s possible to purchase modified hooks separately if needed.
If you’re on a budget, the MaidMAX trunk organizer is a great option to consider. It has two large interior compartments and three exterior pockets to store a wide range of items, including grocery bags and luggage. It’s also easy to clean, and it has velcro tabs to keep it secure in your trunk while you drive.
Govee Flexible LED Lights
The Govee neon LED strip light is a unique way to add color-changing lighting to your walls and furniture. It resembles par-cooked spaghetti noodles with a light-diffusing cover and produces well-blended colors that are vibrant enough for accent and task lighting. It also integrates with voice assistants without requiring a hub, allowing you to control colors, schedules, and other features by speaking or using physical buttons. It is also more affordable than other smart lights of its kind with comparable features, offering more length and coverage for your money.
It has a durable exterior and can be bent into many shapes. The Govee Home app has 64 dynamic scenes, sorted into categories like natural, festival, and life. Each scene can be modified and adjusted to match your moods, and the app can also group your lights together or put them on a schedule. It also has a number of music-syncing modes that sync up the lights with your favorite songs.
Unlike other LED strip lights, this one uses IC chips to achieve its brighter colors and offers more customization options. The app makes it easy to create and set up custom effects, and you can even use the phone’s camera to point at a wall or surface to turn on a pre-programmed mode. It also integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free control.
You can control this Wi-Fi-enabled rope light with the Govee Home app or with the built-in microphone to access its smart voice controls. The app also includes more than a dozen music-syncing and other ambiance modes. You can also set a timer to keep the lights on or off at specific times and group your lights with other Govee products for more control.
The only real downside to this flexible LED strip is that it can’t be cut to length, but this isn’t a huge deal since you can easily order more if needed. Another potential annoyance is that you can’t buy additional accessories to expand the capabilities of the Govee neon lights, but this is less of an issue when you consider how inexpensive they are overall.
Neoprene Center Console Pad
With a narrow, curved design, this car gap filler is long enough to seal the space between the car seat and center console, leaving no room for your items to slip through. Made from a soft foam and neoprene coating, it conforms to the shape of your car’s gap. It’s also designed to combat wear and tear from frequent jerking and sudden stops. Some models are equipped with a caddy to help you keep your belongings organized.
Give your arm and elbow a comfortable place to rest during a drive with this heavy-duty black neoprene center console cover from Rugged Ridge. It’s crafted from thick neoprene, which is the same material used in wet suits. This Jeep Wrangler JL and Jeep Gladiator accessory is easy to install and matches your interior for a seamless look. It’s also made in the USA and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty against workmanship and material defects.