On current Audi models, ventilated seats are becoming more and more popular. Like its rivals at BMW and Mercedes, adding ventilated seats is becoming as popular as the heated seat option, particularly for owners in warmer climates.
This doesn’t mean ventilated seats are available on every model of Audi. It also means that on many Audi models, you need to pay for the option to add ventilated seats. So which models include this option as standard?
In this article, we’ll go through how much the ventilated seat option costs on certain Audi models and which models come with ventilated seats as standard.
Let’s get started!
How do ventilated seats work?
Ventilated seats operate using several fans built into the seats. These fans are designed to work at various speeds to increase cooling levels (similar to the intensity levels of heated seats).
Ventilated seats are often confused with ‘cooled’ seats – it’s an easy mistake to make. Cooled seats use fluid stored within tubes that are built into the seat. This fluid is cooled and pumped through the seat to cool the occupant.
The result is similar – although cooled seats are usually more effective. As you’d expect, these are far more expensive and less common than the ventilated system and trickier to repair.
How to use ventilated seats on your Audi
Ventilated seats are controlled on your Audi from the same section as heated seats. Depending on your model, you will have either a physical button or an option to turn on the ventilated seats in the menu screen.
Ventilated seats have three levels of intensity. Through the central controls, you can separately increase and turn on the ventilation for the driver and front passenger.
Do all Audi models include ventilated seats?
Not all Audi models include ventilated seats. The majority of current models do include ventilated seats, either as a standard feature or an optional extra, and there are a handful of cars without the option at all.
In the lists below, we’ve broken down which Audi models have:
- Ventilated seats at no extra cost
- How much it costs to add ventilated seats to relevant models
- Audi models that come with no ventilated seats
Audi models with ventilated seats as standard
Some of the highest-spec, and most expensive Audi models, include ventilated seats as standard. There are also a few lower-spec vehicles, such as the Audi A4 and A5, with ventilated seats on their prestige trim.
In the next section, we’ve covered those Audi models where ventilated seats are an optional extra..
The full list of current Audi models where ventilated seats are standard is below:
- E-tron Premium Plus
- E-tron Chronos Edition
- E-tron Sportback Premium Plus
- E-tron Sportback Prestige
- Q5 Prestige
- Q5 Sportback Prestige
- SQ7 Prestige
- Q8 Premium Plus
- Q8 Prestige
- SQ8 Prestige
- RSQ8
- A4 Prestige
- A5 Cabriolet Prestige
- A6 Prestige
- A7 Prestige
- A8
- S8
Audi models with ventilated seats as an optional extra
Most of the mid-level Audi models, along with the highest trim levels on other cars, include the ventilated seat option. The option for ventilated seats is often included in part of a larger package, such as the Warm Weather pack or Executive pack.
Some of the packages, such as the Full Leather pack, are expensive and include several extra features alongside ventilated seats. Unfortunately, like BMW and Mercedes, Audi forces you to buy these packs if you want the ventilated seat options.
A full list of current Audi models with ventilated seats as an optional extra is below:
- E-tron S Premium Plus – $2,200 (part of the Individual Seat Package)
- E-tron S Prestige – $2,200 (part of the Individual Seat Package)
- E-tron S Sportback Premium Plus – $2,000 (part of the Individual Seat Package)
- E-tron S Sportback Prestige – $2,200 (part of the Individual Seat Package)
- E-tron GT Premium Plus – $4,000 (part of the Full Leather Package)
- E-tron GT Prestige – $4,000 (part of the Full Leather Package)
- E-tron GT RS – $5,350 (part of the Full Leather Package)
- Q5 Premium Plus – $1,450 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- SQ5 Premium Plus – $600 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- SQ5 Prestige – $600 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- Q5 Sportback Premium Plus – $1,450 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- SQ5 Sportback Premium Plus – $600 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- SQ5 Sportback Prestige – $600 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- Q7 Premium Plus – $2,000 (part of the Executive Package)
- Q7 Prestige – $6,850 (part of the Luxury Package)
- SQ7 Premium Plus – $2,150 (part of the Executive Package)
- SQ8 Premium Plus – $4,350 (part of the Executive Package)
- A4 Premium Plus – $1,300 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- S4 Premium Plus – $700 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- S4 Prestige – $700 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- A5 Coupe Premium Plus – $800
- A5 Coupe Prestige – $800
- S5 Coupe Premium Plus – $550 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- S5 Coupe Prestige – $550 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- A5 Sportback Premium Plus – $1,350 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- A5 Sportback Prestige – $800
- S5 Sportback Premium Plus – $550 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- S5 Sportback Prestige – $550 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- A5 Cabriolet Premium Plus – $1,400 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- S5 Cabriolet Premium Plus – $1,150 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- S5 Cabriolet Prestige – $1,150 (part of the Warm Weather Package)
- A6 Premium Plus – $2,250 (part of the Executive Package)
- S6 Premium Plus – $1,850 (part of the Luxury Package)
- S6 Prestige – $1,850 (part of the Luxury Package)
- RS6 – $1,500 (part of the Individual Seat Package)
- A7 Premium Plus – $1,750 (part of the Executive Package)
- S7 Premium Plus – $1,850 (part of the Luxury Package)
- S7 Prestige – $1,850 (part of the Luxury Package)
- RS7 – $1,500 (part of the Individual Seat Package)
Audi models without ventilated seats
Most of the lower-spec Audi models have no ventilated seat option. This also includes the premium spec of most Audi models, which is the entry-level trim.
Audi also excludes ventilated seats from some higher-spec models, which is a strange choice. For example, the RS5 and R8 models don’t have the option for ventilated seats.
The full list of current Audi models without the option for ventilated seats is below:
- E-tron Premium
- E-tron Sportback Premium
- Q3 TFSI Premium
- Q3 TFSI Premium Plus
- Q4 e-tron Premium
- Q4 e-tron Premium Plus
- Q4 e-tron Prestige
- Q4 Sportback e-tron Premium
- Q4 Sportback e-tron Premium Plus
- Q4 Sportback e-tron Prestige
- Q5 Premium
- SQ5 Premium
- Q5 Sportback Premium
- SQ5 Sportback Premium
- Q7 Premium
- Q8 Premium
- A3 Premium
- A3 Premium Plus
- S3 Premium
- S3 Premium Plus
- S3 Prestige
- RS3
- A4 Premium
- S4 Premium
- A5 Coupe Premium
- S5 Coupe Premium
- RS5 Coupe
- A5 Sportback Premium
- S5 Sportback Premium
- RS5 Sportback
- A5 Cabriolet Premium
- S5 Cabriolet Premium
- A6 Premium
- S6 Premium
- A7 Premium
- S7 Premium
- TT Coupe
- TTS Coupe
- TT Roadster
- R8 Coupe
- R8 Spyder
Are ventilated seats worth buying?
Ventilated seats are an option that will be vital for some owners and for others; you’ll hardly use them. If you’re in a warmer climate, then ventilated seats are a sensible option to have – particularly for leather seats that can get incredibly warm.
In cooler climates, most owners will rarely use the ventilated seat function. It’s still handy for those warmer days, but you can probably live without ventilated seats if you’re in a colder region.
On most Audi models with the ventilated seat option, the main question is justifying the package cost to get this option. On the A5 models, you’re paying under $1,000, which is pretty reasonable and in line with the likes of BMW and Mercedes. However, adding ventilated seats onto cars like the Q7 and e-tron models will set you back a few thousand, so you need to really decide how much use you’ll get out of them.
To find out more about Audi options and features from rival manufacturers, check out the links below:
Audi Convenience Package Explained
The Best New Audi Models For Under $50,000
