Newer peel-and-stick tile is surely better than what we had years back but I'm still biased against peel and stick. I have seen glue at the seams hold dirt, seams that didn't stick well and accumulated dirt underneath, and seams that weren't fully closed accumulate dirt. Dirt just stays in the glue anywhere it accumulates. Again, that is based on my long-term observations and maybe newer tile has eliminated/reduced some of those problems.

I also saw a lot of "linoleum" fail over the years....BUT...now it's made from better materials and is called "sheet vinyl" and I like it. There are lots of new patterns that don't remind me of the old linoleum I grew to dislike and there are lots of retro patterns if you like that look. It is still susceptible to scuff and gouge damage but to a much lesser degree than the old linoleum we used to have. I like this option in a mud room since you don't have the seams for water and grime to creep under.

Why not? Just make sure the subfloor is clean, and it's a good idea to apply a sealer or primer first, for better adhesion.

Chris Loves Julia blog is very popular - and they have partnered with several retailers to sell products with their name (for example, Semihandmade door/drawer replacements for IKEA products). I know that they've collaborated with a peel and stick tile manufacturer (maybe Floor Pops? not sure) to make tiles that look like your last two photos (maybe that's where you found those photos?)

They used them in their workout room (I think it's located in the basement - so, over cement floor)+ I think a bathroom. I know someone who used them to cover old tiles in a laundry room until they could do a full rip out and install new tile. It's been 1-2 years - and she likes them so much that she has postponed the removal of the old tile.

There is also a "grout" (made for these types of tiles) that you can use to make it look more like tile - you may not care about that and decide to butt them up against each other. I don't know if there is any size discrepancies between individual tiles - if there is, adding a small grout line would help disguise that.

How big is the area? I covered an entrance floor i wanted to change with an oul floor cloth that looks like tile. I love these https://hudsonandvine.com/collections/vinyl-mats

Checkerboard sheet vinyl flooring. Pic from an Etsy user. I'd check it out. [Link]

Thank you all for your comments. Yes I’ve seen CLJ’s checked floor tiles and definitely considering them. I’m also looking at vinyl sheets as well since I am concerned about durability. The area is about 7x15 feet so quite large. It will be our family’s primary entry point into the home from our garage. We live in MD so we get all weather types. I might bite the bullet and install tile but was hoping peel/stick tiles had improved a bit.

Porcelain tile is the only real choice for what you want and a high traffic situation.