10 New Cars with Heated Seats for Under $30,000
How to get that warm feeling on a cold morning without setting fire to your bank account.
Nissan
Article QuickTakes:
The most desirable tech in cars usually starts in expensive vehicles, then trickles down to the more affordable brands and models. That's the story of heated seats, which first came to market as a $75 ($685 adjusted for inflation) option on the 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood, one of the most expensive cars at the time. And unlike a lot of gee-whiz options, it took decades for seat heaters to become commonplace in lower-priced vehicles.
Today, there are 10 vehicles with heated seats, most of which are under $25,000 and a couple a smidge higher—hence our $30,000 price cap. Here’s a look at what it takes to get heated seats on some of today’s least-expensive models.
Nissan Versa SR: $21,000
The Nissan Versa is one of the most basic cars on the market today, which makes it a good example of the democratization of what was once a Cadillac luxury. But to get heated seats, you have to spring for the top-of-the line Versa SR model, which also includes adaptive cruise control and automatic climate control.
Nissan
Nissan Sentra SV: $23,000 (2022 Model)
The Versa's big sibling, the Sentra takes a similar but slightly different approach to getting heated seats. In this case, you have to buy the mid-range Sentra SV and select a $590 all-weather package, which also includes dual-zone automatic climate control, remote engine start, and a heated steering wheel.
Subaru
Subaru Impreza Premium: $24,000
Subaru's entry-level sedan is the lowest-priced car with heated seats as standard equipment. You have to skip the base model and choose the next step up, called Premium. But from that point on in the Impreza lineup, heated seats are standard, which means Sport and Limited models also make the $30,000 cutoff.
Hyundai
Hyundai Venue Limited: $24,000
In base form, the Hyundai Venue is a less-expensive car than the Subaru Impreza Premium. But you have to go all the way to the Venue Limited to get heated seats, which are then standard equipment.
Kia
Kia Soul EX: $26,000
The Kia Soul is another inexpensive car in base form, but you can’t get heated seats until you pony up for the top-of-the-line Soul EX. They’re standard on that model.
Nissan
Nissan Kicks SR: $26,000
Nissan’s smallest crossover offers heated seats only on the top-of-the-line Kicks SR model. You also have to say yes to the about $1,400 SR Premium Package, which also adds an eight-speaker Bose audio system, imitation leather seat trim with orange accents and stitching, a heated steering wheel, a security system, a cargo cover, and Wi-Fi.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen Jetta SE: $25,000
With the recent departure of the Passat, the Jetta is the only sedan remaining in the VW lineup. You can’t get heated seats in the base S or Sport models. However, they are standard on the next rung up, the SE. If you want to spread warmth to your back-seat passengers, four heated seats are standard on the top-of-the-line SEL which just squeezes in under our $30,000 cutoff.
Hyundai
Hyundai Elantra SEL: $23,000
The discontinuation of the Accent for 2023 leaves the Elantra as Hyundai's entry-level sedan. Heated seats can’t be had in the base SE model, but are available on the next-step-up SEL. That requires buying the $1,900 Convenience Package, which also loads the Elantra SEL up with a 10.25-inch navigation system, dynamic voice recognition, 17-inch machine-finish alloy wheels, automatic emergency braking, a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, adaptive cruise control, an electronic parking brake, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, a wireless charging pad, and heated outside mirrors.
Kia
Kia Seltos S AWD: $27,000
If you want front heated seats on the Kia Seltos crossover, you'll need to add all-wheel drive (AWD) to the S trim level. Clearly associating seat heaters with the need for winter-weather traction, Kia bundles the feature with the optional AWD system. Sun Belters can step up to the Seltos EX, which comes with standard tushy warmers regardless of drive wheels. Kia doesn't offer the option as a standalone feature, but bundles it as standard equipment with Seltos S models that have AWD and standard on EX models.
Toyota
Toyota Corolla XSE: $28,000
"Oh what a feeling" is an old (1980s) Toyota advertising slogan. But if you want the feeling to be hot from your seat, you have to climb next to the top rung of the Corolla ladder of nine trims. Once you get to the Hybrid XLE or the XSE, heated front seats are standard. Both slide in under our $30,000 bar.
All vehicle pricing is rounded to the nearest thousand and is based on vehicles currently available for private party purchase in the 90210 zip code as at time of publication.
