[SubieNubie]

I'd assume they were to protect the edge from people's shoes getting in and out of the back. I maybe wrong but that's how I see it. I had similar ones from the factory on my Civic Si sedan they were in a similar location on the sill of the rear doors. After only 36k miles they seemed more like dirt collectors than mark protectors (it was a white car). To the OP, it's your choice whether to remove or not. For what its worth, mine are going to stay put.