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What’s the difference between ventilated seats and cooled seats? A lot of people have used the words – ventilated seats and cooled seats – interchangeably, but these seats are not the same. Apparently, ventilated seats work in a different way than cooled seats.
Ventilated seats have perforated meshes that allow air to blow out onto the person sitting on the seat. Cooled seats have built-in cooling elements – usually small fans – that circulate “cool” air across the seats’ surfaces.
This ventilated seats vs cooled seat comparison clearly tell you all you should know about these seats.
Ventilated Seats
Ventilated seats are designed to provide optimal comfort to anyone sitting on them. This type of car seat has perforations or holes all over the seat surface – from which air is blown onto the person sitting on the seat.
Also, ventilated seats often have small fans with varying speeds installed inside; you can choose the most-suitable fan speed level for your comfort.
Though the settings may differ in different cars, ventilated seats usually start the cooling process automatically when the outside temperature gets very hot; you can change these settings in some cars.
Apparently, ventilated seats are available as aftermarket tuneups; so, if your car doesn’t offer ventilated seats as an optional extra, you can install aftermarket options.
Cooled Seats
Cooled seats do exactly what you expect them to do – keeping you “cool.” This type of car seat produces refrigerated air that is saturated throughout the seat elements to keep the occupant cool at any time.
Usually, cooled seats work with the car’s air-conditioning system, or contain a built-in cooling element that blows refrigerated air across the seat. Well, cooled seats are becoming common in modern vehicles – unlike ventilated seats.
Some people may refer to cooled seats as air-conditioned seats, and if your car doesn’t come standard with such seats, you can install the aftermarket options; there are affordable options to buy.
Ventilated Seats Vs Cooled Seats
1. Comfort
The main reason why cooled seats and ventilated seats are produced is to improve drivers-passengers comfortability. However, ventilated seats offer more comfort compared to cooled seats.
How?
If you live in areas where there’s freezing winter and the temperature (after the winter season) is usually low (cold), cooled seats won’t give you optimal comfort. This is because cooled seats release refrigerated air, which is quite chilly.
In contrast, ventilated seats blow out normal air (not too warm, not too cold). However, in some vehicles, you can adjust the ventilation mechanism to blow warmer air or colder air. Now, this gives you the exact comfort you need at different times.
2. Control
Well, how you control either of these seats – ventilated or cooled seats – differs from car to car. In some cars, you can control the seats remotely, while in other cars, you may need to use the adjustment controls installed around the seat corners.
But, definitely, ventilated or cooled seats come with handy controls.
Well, the significant difference between ventilated seats and cooled seats is the type of air they produce.
Related Questions
Cooled Seats vs Ventilated Seats, Which is Better?
Ventilated seats can be said to be the best among the two because they can produce both warm and cold air. Cooled seats can only produce cold/refrigerated air, which might make you more uncomfortable during cold temperature seasons.
Can You Use Seat Covers With Cooled/Ventilated Seats?
Well, you can use seat covers for any car seat, but for special seats like the ventilated and cooled seat options, it is best to leave them uncovered. Covering such seats can reduce their effectiveness since the seat cover(s) would block the pore/holes where the cold/warm air is designed to pass through.
Are There Aftermarket Ventilated Seats and Cooled Seats?
For sure, there are aftermarket ventilated and cooled seats. If your car doesn’t have the option to install special car seats (or you bought it used), many aftermarket automotive parts manufacturers offer a variety of these special seats.
Do Ventilated or Cooled Seats Use Gas?
Everything in a car uses gas in one way or the other; although ventilated seats do not use, or rely on the car’s air-conditioning system, cooled seats may increase the AC’s gas usage by a menial percentage.
See Also: Top 12 Cars With Ventilated Seats
Summary
Conclusively, comparing ventilated seats vs cooled seats simply means comparing how the two types of seats work. The former can produce warm and cold air, while the latter only produces refrigerated air, which is cold/chilly.
Both seats are usually not installed in cars as a standard option, except in expensive trims; you usually get these seats as an optional extra or included in a certain “premium” package available for the vehicle you’re about to buy.