[Jmnesq]

While I'm aware that most of the USA cares about heated seats, here in Florida I care about air conditioned seats.

I haven't tested the Touring yet - only the EX -- for those of you who have the card, how well do the Touring cooling seats work?

 

[datechbpss101]

It should be equivalent to any seat cooling system found in the newer Hondas and luxury models. Also, I am not sure why manufactures doesn't make cooled seats standard, as we Floridians have an amazing humid and muggy weather.

 

[audio.bill]

From what I've read they're not actually passing air cooled by the A/C but rather simply vented with forced air. So it would seem that the air being passed through the ventilated seats on hot days would take a while to cool down as the interior temperature of the car drops from the A/C.

 

[vh2k]

They are ventilated not cooled seats and, on the highest setting, I found the fan noise to be very loud. Of course, on super hot days, one probably won’t care about the noise.

 

[MyCar2018]

They are loud, I actually thought it was something in the rear running before I realized it was from the seat.

 

[Jmnesq]

Okay. They're loud.

Do they WORK?

 

[TomFromMo]

Do the seat ventilation fans start with the AC when the car is started remotely ? Seems like it would be to your advantage to get the seats cooled down along with the interior before getting in the car.

 

[vh2k]

Okay. They're loud.

Do they WORK?

Well, you can certainly tell the fan is working (because on the higher setting it is really really loud).

 

[Skymogul]

While I'm aware that most of the USA cares about heated seats, here in Florida I care about air conditioned seats.

I haven't tested the Touring yet - only the EX -- for those of you who have the card, how well do the Touring cooling seats work?

As long as the air flow isn't obstructed by your back, they work pretty well! Definitely help keep the sweating down.

The issue I've run into is that if you're wearing a relatively thin shirt (like a dress shirt) and sit with your back flush to the seat, it kind of plugs up the vent holes in the seat and keeps the air from coming out. (If the fan seems extra loud guys, this is why. Tip the seat back and sit up off it a bit.) T-shirts and stuff like that are thick enough though.

 

[SCTrojans]

They work well. No issues.

 

[Slides]

As long as the air flow isn't obstructed by your back, they work pretty well! Definitely help keep the sweating down.

The issue I've run into is that if you're wearing a relatively thin shirt (like a dress shirt) and sit with your back flush to the seat, it kind of plugs up the vent holes in the seat and keeps the air from coming out. (If the fan seems extra loud guys, this is why. Tip the seat back and sit up off it a bit.) T-shirts and stuff like that are thick enough though.

This is the first helpful answer here. Thanks

 

[Jmnesq]

So if I understand right after a plethora of research, the main advantages are the adaptive dampeners (no one, no research online or the saleskid, could actually tell me what this is), the parking sensors, the heads up display, a little extra chrome, bigger wheels, nicer rims, and the seat cooler/ventilation.

Do I have that right?

I test drove it today and felt nothing on the seat cooler. I also drove a LExus ES 350 with the seat ventilation and my butt was chillin' within seconds. If it was the same, I would go for the touring (I live in Florida) in a heartbeat. Is it possible that I had a "bad" car for the ventilated seats?

The heads up display is nice, but not worth $3500. The parking sensors are worthless, as is the chrome. I dont THINK I felt any performance differences between the two in terms of driving, but it may have been in my head as well.

For those of you who chose the Touring -- why did you buy it, and does your seat ventilation blow cold air?

I test drove one today with a dress shirt and jeans on. I didn't feel anything. Test drove a Lexus ES 350 and I was blown away by the difference in the seats.

I think I'm going to drive a different Touring and see if it was the particular car I drove.

 

[TN9thSi]

In addition to what you mentioned, the Touring gets:
- 19" Wheels and 235/40/19 Tires
- Larger Front Brake Discs (12.3 vs 11.5)
- Rain Sensing Wipers
- Full LED Headlights
- Chrome Exhaust Finishers (EX-L is Hidden)
- Courtesy Lights in front doors
- Side Mirrors with Auto-Tilt Down in Reverse
- Door Pull Lighting
- Heated Rear Seats
- Navigation
- HondaLink Subscription (Paid)/Mobile HotSpot (Paid)/NFC/Wireless Phone Charger

You also get 1-2 MPG LESS in the touring due to larger wheels and higher curb weight over the EX-L

 

[Kamdog]

The seats are ventilated, not cooled. I don't know whether the Lexus has cooled seats, but from your description it sounds so.

There is certainly more stuff in the Touring, and if you price them both out, it does seem that the Touring is worth the extra money over the EX-L if you want that extra stuff.

More information will undoubtably come out about what, exactly, the adaptive dampers do, but I doubt if you need them anywhere in FL; none of the roads I have ever been on down there are challenging at all. The Lexus might be the better car for FL if cooled seats are a big concern, and they likely are.

Personally, if the Touring had the EX-L wheels, it would be my choice hands down, especially if they reduced the price accordingly.

 

[jwb998]

The adaptive dampers from my understanding have two modes. Normal and Sport. When sport mode it is selected it firms up the dampers to reduce roll in corners. Most reviews I have seen says all Accords handle very well and they really aren't needed. That being said, I haven't driven any of them yet so this is all third hand information.

 

[Kamdog]

The adaptive dampers from my understanding have two modes. Normal and Sport. When sport mode it is selected it firms up the dampers to reduce roll in corners. Most reviews I have seen says all Accords handle very well and they really aren't needed. That being said, I haven't driven any of them yet so this is all third hand information.

This is an explanation of active dampers from an Acura site. It is also how I have understood them when explained on other cars.

https://www.acura.com/mdx/modals/active-damper-system

the Active Damper System can adjust suspension stiffness changes in a split second, to both smooth the ride and sharpen handling according to driving conditions. This allows the MDX Sport Hybrid to remain soft and comfortable during highway cruising, yet firm when the road requires high-performance handling.

Using sensor data, each damper incorporates a continuously adjustable valve which raises or lowers damper fluid pressure and thus the speed at which the fluid can flow from one end of the damper tube to the other. This varying flow rate allows quick and precisely measured stiffening or softening of the damper motion.

The dampers can adjust from soft to race car-stiff in a matter of milliseconds.

Turning the IDS to Sport+ will bias the system toward more stiffness, though it still varies by road and driving condition.
The Active Damper System is always on whenever the ignition is engaged

 

[deadduck]

Deleted! Moderator ate half the post over one word.

I guess next time it will be manure head!

 

[kosh56]

Personally, if the Touring had the EX-L wheels, it would be my choice hands down, especially if they reduced the price accordingly.

I wanted the Touring, but got the EX-L solely because of the wheels. Too bad they didn't have the option.

 

[dkmatter]

The seats are ventilated, not cooled. I don't know whether the Lexus has cooled seats, but from your description it sounds so.

There is certainly more stuff in the Touring, and if you price them both out, it does seem that the Touring is worth the extra money over the EX-L if you want that extra stuff.

More information will undoubtably come out about what, exactly, the adaptive dampers do, but I doubt if you need them anywhere in FL; none of the roads I have ever been on down there are challenging at all. The Lexus might be the better car for FL if cooled seats are a big concern, and they likely are.

Personally, if the Touring had the EX-L wheels, it would be my choice hands down, especially if they reduced the price accordingly.

Eventually there will be EX-L owners wanting to change wheels, and sell the stockers. Probably be some who want 19's you can sell to. Don't let wheels stop you from getting the car you really want.

 

[George2018]

So if I understand right after a plethora of research, the main advantages are the adaptive dampeners (no one, no research online or the saleskid, could actually tell me what this is), the parking sensors, the heads up display, a little extra chrome, bigger wheels, nicer rims, and the seat cooler/ventilation.

Do I have that right?

I test drove it today and felt nothing on the seat cooler. I also drove a LExus ES 350 with the seat ventilation and my butt was chillin' within seconds. If it was the same, I would go for the touring (I live in Florida) in a heartbeat. Is it possible that I had a "bad" car for the ventilated seats?

The heads up display is nice, but not worth $3500. The parking sensors are worthless, as is the chrome. I dont THINK I felt any performance differences between the two in terms of driving, but it may have been in my head as well.

For those of you who chose the Touring -- why did you buy it, and does your seat ventilation blow cold air?

I test drove one today with a dress shirt and jeans on. I didn't feel anything. Test drove a Lexus ES 350 and I was blown away by the difference in the seats.

I think I'm going to drive a different Touring and see if it was the particular car I drove.

I bought the 2.0 touring to get ventilated seats, 19s, and the adaptive dampers...and not have any regrets about buying what should be another 7 year car (I had an 04, and an '11) I never really liked the 2011. It drove like an '83 Impala - way too much float and lean in the corners. The leather seats in the '11 also made summer annoying as the '11 has worse AC than the '04. The new car has over 1000 miles on it. I paid $33,300 w/o tax and no added costs. The Lexus is not in this price category. I could not be happier. The only quibble is that the auto wipers are inferior to intermittent wipers and it is near impossible to dial in the right amount of swiping with the auto. As for the seats, it takes about 30 seconds to release they are on for me, and then I dial them back pretty soon after that. The ventilation does the job of lowering the seat temp, but only you know if that will work for you. I too drove the ES and found it to "feel" more like my '11 (plodding and slower with meh handling compared to the 2.0 honda). But the cars have different audiences so they are not expected to be all that similar.

One thing to add, I was a bit worried about people's reviews saying the ventilated seats were loud - my hearing is fine and I don't find them that loud at all.