Non EV SUV with heated front windscreen or pre conditioning

[xyz123]

Hi, last time I bought a car was 12 yrs ago so really struggling with choices this time,especially with the luxury car tax and tempting price but unknown reliability of Chinese cars. Ideally looking to get a used 2\3 Yr old car with around 25k£

There will probably be few questions as I go alone the journey but for now a simple question. I hat) detaste manual defrost and where we live even mild winter mornings often cause a hard frost. So looking at a car to helping with this and narrow the options.

I know ford has quick clear front screen and apparently omoda 7 offers cabin precondition. Are there any other cars which have commonly found heated front screen or allow cabin precondition without being plugged in? I know EVs have it commonly but we are not ready for an EV yet.

Thanks for reading my message.

[Jazoli]

My Seat Ateca used to have a heated screen, was Excellence trim, not sure if available on the lower trims, was a great car.

Ford definitely does preconditioning, some Volvo's, JLR products, Toyota's and Skoda's do preconditioning according to copilot but I'm not copying and pasting it, apparantly Ford's is the easiest to use.

Edited by Jazoli on Monday 21st September 12:08

[SWoll]

If you're not ready for a full EV then you'll be looking at PHEV's if you want pre-conditioning as most come with it thanks to the EV part of the drivetrain. You will of course need to keep the hybrid battery charged or the car plugged in for it to function but a granny charger more than adequate.

As an example



For pure ICE vehicles it's an incredibly rare option, and a heated windscreen is a poor substitute.

Edited by SWoll on Monday 21st September 12:37

[ConnectionError]

Land Rover all (I think ) have heated windscreens

[OutInTheShed]

I liked the heated screen in my Mondeo years ago.

A mate had an old Landy with an Eberbasto heater he could switch on by SMS.

[xyz123]

Thanks. We are OK with PHEVs and will look at some of the options suggested.

[Rayny]

I have a 2016 BMW X3, and can use the MyBMW App to precondition the car - Because I've had it for only a few months; I've yet to find out if it works on cold mornings.

[SWoll]

Rayny said:

I have a 2016 BMW X3, and can use the MyBMW App to precondition the car - Because I've had it for only a few months; I've yet to find out if it works on cold mornings.

According to Google AI



Not much use for heating a stone cold car first thing in the morning unfortunately.

[andy43]

SWoll said:

If you're not ready for a full EV then you'll be looking at PHEV's if you want pre-conditioning as most come with it thanks to the EV part of the drivetrain. You will of course need to keep the hybrid battery charged or the car plugged in for it to function but a granny charger more than adequate.

This - current BMW PHEV is just as good at pre departure defrosting and toastiness as the EVs we’ve had, or AC chilliness in the summer. App works fairly well, there may even be a timer somewhere if you have a regular departure time. It’s probably the major plus point of traction batteries imho, along with flooring it from cold (without triggering a stone cold engine).
Anything PHEV without preheat would be a daft omission on the part of the manufacturer.

[silentbrown]

Volvo XC60 mild hybrid

Remote start and warm up, heated screens, seats and steering wheel.

[SWoll]

silentbrown said:

Volvo XC60 mild hybrid

Remote start and warm up, heated screens, seats and steering wheel.

Unlike the PHEV it does need to run the engine in order to heat or cool though, which in certain circumstances may not be ideal?

I believe it's also technically illegal to use it other than on private land as well?

[silentbrown]

SWoll said:

Unlike the PHEV it does need to run the engine in order to heat or cool though, which in certain circumstances may not be ideal?

Probably not recommended in a closed garage, true!

[Mr Pointy]

Skoda Kamiq, Karoq or Kodiaq can all have heated screens depending on the trim level.

[ilikejam]

SWoll said:

silentbrown said:

Volvo XC60 mild hybrid

Remote start and warm up, heated screens, seats and steering wheel.

Unlike the PHEV it does need to run the engine in order to heat or cool though, which in certain circumstances may not be ideal?

I believe it's also technically illegal to use it other than on private land as well?

I had a diesel 2019 V90 with the preconditioning and I believe it used an auxiliary motor rather than the engine?

Any Volvo with Winter Pack will have heated windscreen. The function was hidden on the touchscreen under the driver heated seats icon. Can sometimes be seen on photos as a little steering wheel symbol floating by the heated seat icon.

Fords also had heated screens, but the Kuga isn't exactly an enthralling proposition...

Edited by ilikejam on Tuesday 22 September 12:42

[Neil-nvaua]

ilikejam said:

I had a diesel 2019 V90 with the preconditioning and I believe it used an auxiliary motor rather than the engine?

Any Volvo with Winter Pack will have heated windscreen. The function was hidden on the touchscreen under the driver heated seats icon. Can sometimes be seen on photos as a little steering wheel symbol floating by the heated seat icon.

There's a separate physical button for the heated front screen, it sits right next to the button for the rear screen.

My 2022 XC60 (diesel) had the winter pack so had heated windscreen and the car could be pre-heated (or cooled) by the app on your phone. Doing so started the engine, though doors remain locked and the car won't become active for driving without the key present e.g. you couldn't jump in and put it in gear and drive away.

The 2025 XC60 petrol PHEV I have now does the same but doesn't need to wake my neighbours with the clatter of a diesel engine idling as it runs off the battery.

[silentbrown]

ilikejam said:

Any Volvo with Winter Pack will have heated windscreen. The function was hidden on the touchscreen under the driver heated seats icon. Can sometimes be seen on photos as a little steering wheel symbol floating by the heated seat icon.

Steering wheel, shirley?

AFAIK there's no such thing as "winter pack" on recent cars.

[ilikejam]

silentbrown said:

ilikejam said:

Any Volvo with Winter Pack will have heated windscreen. The function was hidden on the touchscreen under the driver heated seats icon. Can sometimes be seen on photos as a little steering wheel symbol floating by the heated seat icon.

Steering wheel, shirley?

AFAIK there's no such thing as "winter pack" on recent cars.

Yes I left a sentence out it seems! You could check if the car has Winter Pack by looking for the "heated wheel" button - if it has heated wheel it should have heated windscreen as well. Been a while since I had my one right enough. I tested a Polestar a few months ago and think it was included on the Plus Pack on them.

[silentbrown]

ilikejam said:

I tested a Polestar a few months ago and think it was included on the Plus Pack on them.

Don't know about Polestars but like others Volvo have drastically cut down the options list, replacing it with "trim levels" : Core, Plus and Ultra etc...

Plus and above should have heated everything.

Core doesnt, but there's an optional "Climate Pack" for Core cars which adds it.

IIRC Electric heated screen was a Ford innovation in the early 2000's and only Ford owned brands had the rights to it. So Ford, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar... Patent long since expired, I think.

[asn163]

I had a 21 plate VW Tiguan R line that had a heated screen.

[Benbay001]

silentbrown said:

Steering wheel, shirley?

AFAIK there's no such thing as "winter pack" on recent cars.

My 2024 V60 had the winter pack. It included heated rear seats and steering wheel iirc