Key Takeaways
- Enjoy the comfort of ventilated seats in mainstream cars like the Hyundai Kona, Kia Forte, and Toyota Venza, without breaking the bank.
- Opt for top trims to access this luxury feature – for example, the Kona Limited, Forte GT with GT2 Package, or Venza Limited.
- Stay cool and comfortable in summer with these ventilated seats, enhancing your driving experience without the need for expensive high-end cars.
Previously, cars with cooled/ventilated seats were the preserve of the top price bracket – reserved only for the elite, who can typically afford the most expensive cars available. But today, this amenity is now not limited solely to high-end car brands with expensive price tags. Thanks to rapid advancements in technology, economies of scale, and trickle-down tendencies, several mainstream models on the showroom floors frequented by us normal folk can now be specced with ventilated seats. This benefits buyers looking to purchase a new car significantly, especially in the warmer months or climates – cars with air-conditioned seats are desirable to offer cooling relief for occupants inside.
For this list, we will focus on cars with ventilated seats that are available to buy today. This list includes a variety of cars from different segments – from sedans to crossovers and full-size SUVs – all of which feature as standard or can be optioned with ventilated seats.
Most of the cars featured in this list require a specific option package or trim/grade that must be selected to include ventilated seats, unless stated otherwise. In cases where the MSRPs are quoted, note these prices may exclude additional fees such as the destination fee, applicable taxes, title, and dealer charges.
1 Hyundai Kona – Kona Limited
Hyundai’s compact SUV, the Kona, touts bold styling and a lot of equipment onboard in a highly competitive compact crossover segment. The Kona entered its second generation for the 2024 model year and is given a fully redesigned body, new gas/hybrid powertrains, as well as its fully independent, all-electric model.
The gas-powered Kona comes featured as standard with ventilated front seats if you go for the top-of-the-line trim, 2024 Kona Limited. This adds ventilated front seats on top of other standard features, such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with navigation, and a Bose Premium eight-speaker stereo system with an amplifier. And at $31,800, it’s firmly within the realm of a mainstream, affordable car.
2 Kia Forte – Forte GT-Line (with Sport Premium Package), Forte GT (with GT2 Package)
-
2024 Kia Forte GT-Line IVT
- Engine
- 2.0L Inline-4 Gas
- Horsepower
- 147 hp
- MSRP
- $22,490
- Transmission
- Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT)
- Torque
- 132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
- Cooled Front Seat(s)
- Optional
-
2024 Kia Forte GT DCT
- Engine
- 1.6L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Horsepower
- 201 hp
- MSRP
- $24,690
- Transmission
- 7-Speed Automatic
- Torque
- 195 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
- Cooled Front Seat(s)
- Optional
The Kia Forte may be one of the last remaining compact sedans in America, and from next year will be replaced by the stylish K4, but the third-generation Forte is still around and gives buyers more than one way to get ventilated front seats. Introduced in 2017, the 2021 facelift brought updated exterior styling and interior amenities, along with new trim grades for US models. This included the introduction of the Forte GT-Line and GT, serving as the ‘performance-inspired’ top-end models, introducing styling elements like red contrast leather stitching, 17- and 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED exterior lights.
But we’re looking inside, and ventilated front seats are an optional extra on these derivatives. You have to purchase either a 2024 Kia Forte GT-Line equipped with the Sport Premium Package or a Forte GT with the GT2 package to get them. That means you’re looking at the upper end of the forte’s price spectrum to feel the breeze:
- Kia Forte GT-Line w/ Sport Premium Package: $24,890 excl. Destination
- Kia Forte GT w/ GT2 Package: $26,590 excl. Destination
3 
Honda Passport – Passport Black Edition
Honda Passport – Passport Black Edition 
2024 Honda Passport Black AWD
- MSRP
- $47,970
- Engine
- 3.5L V6 Gas
- Horsepower
- 280 hp
- Torque
- 262 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm
- Transmission
- 9-Speed Automatic
- Cooled Front Seat(s)
- Standard
After a long hiatus, Honda SUV fans were thrilled with the revival of the Passport nameplate in 2017. Introduced as the Japanese brand’s second concurrent midsize SUV, the Passport is a two-row crossover slotting in beneath the Pilot but above the CR-V.
To get a 2024 Honda Passport equipped with heated and ventilated front seats, buyers must budget for a 2024 Passport Black Edition, which has an MSRP of $47,970 and includes this feature as standard equipment, along with red contrast stitching and heated rear outboard seats. Other 2024 Passport models only receive heated front seats with leather upholstery as standard. The 2024 Passport TrailSport model does exclusively include contrasted orange stitching for the leather seats. Largely considered a more premium option than many midsize rivals, the Passport Black Edition gives you a lot of premium for a mainstream price.
4 Toyota Venza – Venza Limited AWD
2024 Toyota Venza Limited AWD
- MSRP
- $43,215
- Engine
- 2.5L Inline-4 Hybrid
- Horsepower
- 219 hp
- Torque
- 163 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
- Transmission
- Continuously Variable Automatic (CVT)
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Cooled Front Seat(s)
- Standard
Introduced for the 2021 model year, the Toyota Venza is essentially a left-hand drive, rebadged version of the XU80-generation Japanese market Toyota Harrier. But its time in the US is about to be cut short, as it will be discontinued at the end of this year. Still, while you can still get one, it’s the perfect blend of premium and mainstream, bagging you cooled front-row seats for just $43,215. That’s the price of the top-spec Limited trim, which requires no extra packages to give you heating and ventilation in the perforated SofTex seats with eight-way power adjustment. This two-row crossover ships standard with a 2.5-liter hybrid four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive but sports impressive gas mileage of 40/37/39 mpg city/highway/combined.
The good news is that even after the Venza is discontinued, its de-facto replacement will also offer ventilated seats, and you won’t have to spring for a top trim. The 2025 Toyota Crown Signia ships standard with ventilated seats across the lineup and is priced from only $43,590. After a recent first drive, CarBuzz road tester Jared Rosenholtz dubbed it a crossover that delivers ‘Lexus nice for Toyota price.’
11:16
Related
2025 Toyota Crown Signia First Drive Review: Toyota Price, Lexus Nice
The Crown Signia is a Toyota-priced SUV for those who want Lexus-like quality.
5 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid – Elantra Hybrid Limited
The hybrid version of the 2024 Hyundai Elantra sedan not only delivers exceptional gas mileage but also carries the standard Elantra’s aerodynamic styling and a generous amount of in-car technology, especially if you ditch the uber-frugal Blue trim and jump into the $29,450 Limited derivative.
This model adds standard ventilated front seats finished in H-tex leatherette material and still attains an average of 50 mpg (combined). In addition, Elantra Hybrid Limited models benefit from powered side door mirrors and front seats with memory settings, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction Turning Detection), and wireless device charging functionality – also equipped as standard.
6 2025 Subaru Forester – Forester Touring
2025 Subaru Forester
- Base MSRP
- $29,695
- Engine
- 2.5L Flat 4 Gas
- Horsepower
- 180 hp
- Torque
- 178 lb-ft
- Transmission
- CVT
- Drivetrain
- AWD
- Fuel Economy
- 26/33/29 mpg
The Subaru Forester is another Japanese family-oriented SUV, touting the brand’s signature symmetrical all-wheel drive system as standard combined with a horizontally opposed 2.5-liter ‘Boxer’ turbocharged flat-four cylinder engine. The latest generation, released for the 2025 model year, touts an all-new exterior, the latest generation of Subaru’s ‘STARLINK’ infotainment-navigation system, as well as the most up-to-date version of EyeSight driver assistance technology. But it’s arguably the most luxurious Forester we’ve driven, too.
If you want a 2025 Subaru Forester that offers cooled seats for driver and front passenger, the Forester Touring model is the only grade that features heated and ventilated front seats as standard equipment. This extra detail adds to an already exemplary experience, with the Forester boasting some of the most comfortable seats we’ve experienced in this segment.
Expert Opinion
“The new seats are more bolstered for the lower back and slimmer at the top, and the recipe is a good one: these are some of the best seats we’ve experienced at this price point. After a couple of hours bumping through trails, we emerged fresh, even though we had started out aching after our day of air travel.”
7 2024 Mazda CX-5 – 2.5 S Premium Plus, 2.5 Carbon Turbo, 2.5 Turbo Premium, 2.5 Turbo Signature
Popular in the crossover SUV segment since its launch in the 2010s, Mazda’s CX-5 continues to be an enticing Japanese crossover that gives similar compact SUV offerings from BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen a real run for their money – especially when it comes to feature richness, performance, and driving feel. Plus, it does so while being titled Mazda’s most reliable SUV.
Related
Every Mazda SUV On Sale In 2024 Ranked By Reliability
Mazda’s lineup of SUVs is overwhelmingly popular, but if you’re shopping for the most reliable option, we’ve got them ranked to help you out.
The CX-5 is also one of the few models on this specific list to offer the added benefit of ventilated front seats across multiple grades, not just a single trim. 2024 CX-5 models featuring ventilated seats as standard include:
- 2.5 S Premium Plus – $36,500
- 2.5 Carbon Turbo – $37,000
- 2.5 Turbo Premium – $37,800
- 2.5 Turbo Signature – $40,600
8 Kia Seltos – Seltos SX (with Sunroof Package)
2024 Kia Seltos
- Base MSRP
- $24,490
- Engine
- 2.0L Inline-4 Gas
- Horsepower
- 146 hp
- Fuel Economy
- 28/34/31 mpg (2.0L/FWD) | 27/31/29 mpg (2.0L/AWD) | 25/27/26 mpg (1.6T/AWD)
An all-new crossover model recently added to Kia’s US lineup from the 2021 model year onwards, the Seltos is Kia’s second smallest crossover and third cheapest model in its US lineup. Classified as a subcompact crossover, you wouldn’t typically expect to find luxurious amenities like seat ventilation in such a car, but by spending $31,290 for the top SX trim with the SX Sunroof Package, you get a lot more luxury than its diminutive size might suggest.
This feature-richness is one of the reasons the Kia Seltos attained a BuzzScore of 9/10 and ranks among our best crossovers of 2024.
9 Chevrolet Equinox (2024) – Equinox Premier AWD
2024 Chevrolet Equinox Premier AWD
- MSRP
- $33,400
- Engine
- 1.5L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Horsepower
- 175 hp
- Torque
- 203 lb-ft @ 2000-4000 rpm
- Transmission
- 6-Speed Automatic
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Cooled Front Seat(s)
- Optional
The Chevrolet Equinox is a crossover SUV that served as one of the first early examples of a crossover model in the early 2000s – aiming to combine the tall driving position and space of an SUV with the engine size and gas mileage of a hatchback. The 2024 model year Equinox continues this formula – with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive now standardized across all model grades.
Equinox buyers need to budget for the higher-spec 2024 Equinox Premier AWD to get ventilated front seats, though, and even then, they don’t come standard. You then need to spec the $1,745 Confidence & Convenience II Package to get power front seat adjustment and ventilation. The total? $35,145 excluding destination charges. There’s an all-new Equinox arriving for 2025, though, and ventilated seats don’t appear to be available, so if the Equinox takes your fancy, you may want to act soon.
10 Toyota bZ4X – bZ4X Limited FWD
Toyota’s first series-production all-electric car, the bZ4X, turns heads with its eye-catching design language, but it hasn’t had the easiest time since it launched in the US, with a few reliability woes early on. But it does prove that even mainstream vehicles can be well-equipped, and on the Limited trim (the top trim of only two available), you get standard heating and ventilation for the two front seats and optional heating in the second row with “radiant foot-and-leg warmers” for the front occupants.
Available in front- and all-wheel drive, you can expect a driving range of between 222 and 236 miles. The cost of entry? For the Limited trim, the FWD single-motor will set you back $47,180, while the dual-motor AWD chimes in at $49,260. That makes this option the most expensive on this list.
Credit: Source link