Not at all am1w... glad the post can be of help to some folk... even if it has evolved
The look of mats is very important in affecting the inside look of the car.
I find the mats in my car rather nice. They are very thick and very plush in feel and look. Have I got something better than standard?
I don't like the mats with any red on them and that includes the GTi logo in red. I find it a bit too garish. I have a red car and that is red enough! Additionally, the red bits will show the dirt more and could look a dirty red or even brown when ingrained with dirt. I might feel different in a few months, but this is my personal taste for now.
