7 Of The Cheapest Cars With Heated Steering Wheels

A lot has changed since steering wheels were invented by French engineer Alfred Vacheron in 1894. Notably, Chrysler made power assists commercially available in 1951 to help make steering easier, and as steering wheel technology advanced over the years, drivers became used to airbags, electronic controls and buttons, paddle shifters, as well as heating and cooling elements.

For those who don't like the winter cold, heated steering wheels can prove useful in combating the initial chill. And while it was once the exclusive preserve of expensive, higher-end cars, the feature is becoming increasingly more common, and has begun to trickle down to become available on cheaper cars, including those under $30,000. If a heated steering wheel is essential for your next car, we've compiled seven of the cheapest cars with heated steering wheels to help give you an idea of where to look. The entries in this list are ordered by their starting price, with more expensive cars listed first. 

The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta has a starting MSRP of $21,995, which makes it one of the cheapest cars on this list. However, you don't get to access a heated steering wheel unless you upgrade to the higher-end Jetta SEL trim that costs at least $29,000. While that's on the expensive side of the Jetta scale, you'd definitely get your money's worth in terms of luxury, considering the list of included amenities includes the heated steering wheel, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, power driver's seat, memory settings for the driver's seat, heated rear seats, ambient interior lighting, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a panoramic sunroof.

On the tech front, there's an 8-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless device charging, navigation, two front USB-C 45W ports, a nine-speaker audio system, voice control, HD radio, and many more. And, if the prospect of a Jetta doesn't appeal, you can consider a 2025 Ford Escape Active with Cold Weather package. Although when you add the $995 package to the Escape's $28,400 starting price, it ends up costing slightly more than the Jetta SEL at $29,395.

In the face of competition from Japanese, Korean, and even European automakers in the subcompact SUV segment, GM's VSS-F front-wheel drive platform has allowed the American behemoth to remain competitive by building affordable small SUVs of its own, with models such as the Buick Encore GX, Buick Envista, Chevrolet Trax, and Chevrolet Blazer being built off it. In the case of the 2025 Buick Encore GX, pricing begins at $27,295 for the base, front-drive Preferred trim, but you'll need to add the $995 Comfort package to get a heated steering wheel. As well as a heated steering wheel, the package equips heated front seats, a power driver's seat, and a rear-center armrest.

Even without the heated steering wheel present in the Comfort package, the Buick Encore GX Preferred should have no problems impressing on its own merits, as there are plenty of driver-assistive features to look forward to, including, among others, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and lane departure warning. An 11-inch touchscreen, an 8-inch digital instrument display, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot also come standard.

Thoroughly updated to kick-start its second generation, the 2025 Nissan Kicks does many things right when it comes to giving value-seeking consumers what they want. It starts at a very reasonable $21,830, and is comfortable, efficient, and good-looking. Plus, every trim gets the Nissan Safety Shield 360, alongside an appreciable level of equipment even in the base model, including a standard 7-inch touchscreen, a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, voice recognition, keyless entry, and push-button start.

However, getting a heated steering wheel requires upgrading to the top-level, $26,180 Nissan SR grade, which then gives you access to a $1,950 SR FWD Premium package that contains not just a heated steering wheel, but also heated front seats, a 10-speaker Bose audio system, remote start, a panoramic moonroof, and heated outside mirrors. In addition to the $1,950 SR FWD Premium package contents, the Nissan Kicks SR has a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital gauge display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charger, synthetic leather and cloth upholstery, LED fog lights, a surround-view camera system, ProPilot Assist, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Buick Envista is another enticing proposition for those shopping around for the cheapest cars with heated steering wheels. It's an entry-level SUV that was introduced for 2024 as a replacement for the Buick Encore, and hence offers a generous equipment list aimed at attracting modern car buyers, like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a large 11-inch infotainment screen, an 8-inch instrument display, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a six-speaker sound system, automatic climate control, and push-button start.

The base Envista Preferred also offers a flat-bottom heated steering wheel if you add the $995 Convenience I package, which bundles other favorites such as heated front seats as well as a power driver's seat with lumbar controls. On the outside, the Envista has a sporty, attractive style that looks more expensive and higher-end than you'd expect for a vehicle that begins at a lowly $24,795. Not to mention, there are standard features like LED daytime running lamps, heated and power-adjustable outside mirrors, and 17-inch silver-painted aluminum wheels to go with the rich, high-end look.

Despite a relatively affordable starting MSRP of $24,995, the refreshed 2025 Volkswagen Taos doesn't look cheap, nor does it compromise too much on the interior amenities you'd expect at this price point. The entry-level Taos S comes as standard with a heated steering wheel, along with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system matched with an 8-inch digital instrument display, voice controls, smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, USB-C 45W ports, and a four-speaker audio system. Outside, you get foldable, power-adjustable side mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-season tires, black roof rails, LED headlights, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

As for what's under the hood, it's a turbocharged 1.5-liter TSI four-cylinder that now boasts a power output of 174 horses (and 184 pound-feet of torque), up from 158 hp in the previous model. That makes its way to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Under EPA testing, Taos models with this setup returned 28 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 31 mpg combined.

It's far from perfect, but there's a lot to admire about the 2025 Chevrolet Trax. The subcompact SUV offers eye-catching looks, a good amount of standard features, exceptionally generous rear-seat space, and plenty of cargo room, with owners getting 25.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 54.1 cubes with those seats folded down. That's even before you consider the fact that the Chevrolet Trax is one of the cheapest cars with heated steering wheels.

However, to get it, you'll have to skip the entry-level LS and instead start with the 1RS, which also offers heated front seats as standard equipment. That's in addition to niceties such as an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, remote keyless entry, remote start, heated power outside mirrors, LED headlamps, and 18-inch black-painted machined aluminum wheels, all for a starting MSRP of $23,395.

Sadly, the Chevy Trax is only available in front-wheel drive, with a modest turbocharged 1.2-liter inline three-cylinder ECOTEC engine tasked with sending 137 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque to those wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Efficiency-wise, the 2025 Chevy Trax 1RS returns an estimated 28 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg of combined city-highway fuel economy, per Chevrolet data.

With only 149 hp on tap from its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the Nissan Sentra will take a while longer than some of its rivals to get up to speed. But most owners won't complain about it, thanks to the compact car's superbly supportive and comfortable front seats. In standard guise, the Sentra SV trim offers other desirable amenities such as an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice recognition, a six-speaker audio system, keyless entry, push-button start, and 16-inch alloy wheels.

In addition, there are numerous driver-assistance features like forward collision warning, forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, driver-attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control to help protect occupants, vulnerable road users, and improve the driving experience. Specifying the All-Weather package adds $670 to the Sentra SV's $22,290 price tag, but that gets you a lot more goodies, like a heated, leather-covered steering wheel, heated front seats, remote start, and dual-zone automatic climate control.