Top vehicles with heated steering wheels
Activating the heated steering wheel in an Audi A6. Photos by Benjamin Yong.
While not the most advanced piece of technology in vehicles these days, few things are as appreciated in the wintertime as a heated steering wheel. Once the stuff of uber luxury cars, the function has trickled down and is now offered across most segments. Today we take a look at a variety of hand-warming vehicles for sale now.
2019 Volkswagen Arteon
Introduced last year to replace the outgoing CC, the Arteon is a sexy four-door fastback showcasing the latest in Volkswagen design evolution. Sweetening the deal further is an available R-Line Package (+$2,995) bundling aesthetic as well as comfort and convenience improvements like gunmetal 20-inch alloys, sportier bumpers and a unique flat-bottom heated leather steering wheel, which is turned on by tapping a button to the right of the shifter.
Matching the sleek exterior is a 2.0-litre turbocharged TSI engine, making 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Putting power to the ground is VW’s tested proprietary 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.
2020 Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai’s fresh flagship three-row SUV is the most well-equipped model in the lineup to date, so it’s no surprise that both the steering wheel and front seats have a standard heating function. Activating the latter involves simply pressing the icon found on the centre console.
Other highlights thrown in at no additional cost are seating for up to eight adults, 18-inch wheels, a robust 3.8-litre V6 motor and plenty of safety tech — for example, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot warning and a backup camera.
2020 BMW M850i Gran Coupé
There’s nothing BMW loves more than putting a couple of extra doors on its various coupe models, and the luxury German manufacturer has done just that with the new 8 Series Gran Coupé. This variant tacks on a full 230 millimetres in length, 30.5 mm width and 56 mm height over the normal variant, along with a 200 mm longer wheelbase.
For a cool base MSRP of $121,600 buyers receive a complimentary heated steering wheel, the toggle switch relocated from the column onto the middle spoke. The trim pictured above includes options such as the M Technology Package (+$1,500) and High Gloss Black Kidney Grill (+$500).
