Getting into a cold vehicle in the middle of the winter certainly chills a person to the bone. Adding amenities like heated seats and steering wheels can make a body warm up much faster. Should you consider a Toyota 4Runner and wonder if it has a heated steering wheel, we can help you. We researched the 4Runner from multiple professional sources to have a definitive answer.
The 2022 Toyota 4Runner does not come with a heated steering wheel. It does, however, come equipped with a good number of other amenities onboard.
Now that we know that the Toyota 4Runner does not come equipped with a heated steering wheel, we'll take a look at the options this model does have included. You might also be wondering if the Toyota 4Runner has heated seats or if leather seats are an option or a standard feature. For the answers to these questions and more, read ahead in this post to see what our research has uncovered.
The Toyota 4Runner's on-board features
While without a factory-installed heated steering wheel, Toyota 4Runner owners still have a significant number of amenities onboard that make their time riding in their vehicle more pleasurable. Let's look at some of the most popular ones that this model vehicle has to offer.
All trim levels of the 4Runner have a smart key system with a push-button start. You'll also find a backup camera with a projected path onboard this model. The steering wheel is a leather-trimmed and a tilted/telescopic steering wheel. The seats are SofTex leather, leather, or fabric, depending upon the trim level you select.
Infotainment systems are also a feature that makes your ride more enjoyable. All trim levels of the 2022 4Runner have them onboard. You'll also enjoy using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, allowing you to connect most of the features of your smartphone to the infotainment system.
Do 4Runners have heated seats?
If you have ever sat in an ungaraged vehicle during January, you'll know firsthand just how cold the seats are before you turn on the ignition. It takes the body and the heater a bit to warm those seats and a bit longer for the average person to get comfortable. Somewhere along the way, automakers began producing vehicles with heated seats, which warm the body pretty quickly.
Thankfully, certain trim levels of the 2022 Toyota 4Runner come equipped with heated seats. While the base model SR5, the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and the Trail Special Edition are without this amenity, you can find it in other premium trim levels. The TRD-PRO, TRD Off-Road Premium, and the SR5 Premium all come standard with heated seats. The driver's seats in these models are all 8-way powered with lumbar support, while the passenger seat is 4-way powered.
The top-tier trim level for the 2022 Toyota 4Runner is the Limited. This line has not only heated seats but ventilated ones as well. We'll be discussing these ahead in this post.
Can Toyota add heated seats?
If you purchased a vehicle without the amenities you wanted, you can sometimes get them added via an aftermarket addition. While some electronic features would be excluded, there are still many creature comforts that you can either add yourself or have your dealership tack on after the fact. Thankfully, heated seats are one of them.
Multiple Toyota owner's forums claim that this can be done yourself by purchasing the kit. This can be had for between $50 and $100. While this can be installed without intense labor, you should probably only attempt this if you have some electrical knowledge. If not, it's safer for your dealership or a mechanic to perform this part.
Depending on where you go, having a professional install, the heated seat kit can run upwards of $300 for the parts and labor per seat. But for those who live in an area where the climate is chilly for a good portion of the year, many will find that this expense is well worth it in the winter.
Does the 4Runner have cooled seats?
Cooled seats work perfectly with an onboard climate control system to bring a hot body back down to temperature on the hottest days. Often confused with ventilated seats, cooled seats operate via cooled air blown across a chiller. A refrigerant, just like the ones from an air conditioner, is needed to make this work.
Select trim levels of the 4Runner have ventilated seats. This is where circulated air is blown through tiny perforations in the upholstery. This ventilated air is not chilled, but its circulation being blown on your body will help cool it down.
For the model year 2022, the only Toyota 4Runner trim level that has ventilated seats is the Limited. These seats are both heated and ventilated, are 8-way power adjusted, and have lumbar support. With optimal comfort, this trim level goes above and beyond many in its same class to make its riders at ease while cruising the highways.
Does the 4Runner have real leather seats?
Having leather seats gives your vehicle a luxurious appearance and a nice, soft feel to the upholstery. This amenity is offered in all model vehicles, and even those that do have them typically only have them available as an upgrade or in a premium trim level. At least with the Toyota 4Runner, you'll have a trim level that has leather seats as a standard feature.
The Limited trim level comes equipped with genuine leather seats. As we pointed out earlier in this post, these plush seats are also fully heated and ventilated [front seats only], with the driver's seat having lumbar support and 8-way power control. While taking a bit more to clean and maintain, these leather seats offer a very comfortable experience.
The base trim level SR5 comes with fabric-covered seats. While comfortable, they do not compare to the leather of the Limited. As for the remaining trim levels between the SR5 and the Limited, Toyota has a different material altogether that is quite comfortable.
Toyota SofTex seats
Using synthetic and artificial materials, SofTex is an imitation leather perfect for car seats. This material has the look and [mostly] the feel of real leather but doesn't require the care or maintenance of real leather. They won't crack or fade like organic material and are easier to clean.
Like real leather seats, SofTex is perforated with tiny holes for airflow. This allows for heated and ventilated technology to be added to the seats.
All trim levels of the 2022 Toyota 4Runner have SofTex seats, except for the SR5 and the Limited.
In conclusion
Even though the Toyota 4Runner does not come with a heated steering wheel, heated steering wheel covers are available for a very reasonable price in the aftermarket. The heated seats that certain trim levels of the 4Runner have are also perfect ways to get quickly warmed on chilly days, and the ventilated seats that the Limited trim level offers will help cool you down during the hottest months.
If your particular 4Runner does not have either of these features, they can be added aftermarket by you or a trusted licensed professional. Drive safe!
If you found this post on the Toyota 4Runner to be informative, we believe you'll find the following posts about this popular automaker to be helpful:
How Much Cargo Space In A Toyota 4Runner?
Toyota Tacoma Limited Vs. TRD Pro—What Are The Differences?
Does The Hyundai Palisade Have Heated Seats And A Heated Steering Wheel?