VipinLJ

If I lived somewhere where I didn't need heated steering wheels, I'd definitely get the flat bottomed option.

grcarlo

Had the flat bottom steering wheel in my 2012 VW GLI and loved the feeling of it.. Coming from Canada where heated steering wheel would be a nice treat but not at the expense of losing the flat bottom.. Feels much sportier IMO

rocknS4

I could'nt wait to get the flat bottomed wheel in my 2014 S4, thought it was the coolest look ever. When I recently moved to the S6 I was quite disappointed that with the heated wheel I lost my beloved flat bottom wheel. My SA said I would love the heated one in time, but I highly doubted that. Well.... he was very right.... love the heated wheel and don't miss the flat bottomed one at all. I can also now relax my hand position on longer drives by gripping the wheel at the six o-clock position, just one little plus of the heated round wheel.

farmerjones

No denying the flat bottom wheel looks great, and I love it on my TT. But man...if you have never owned a car with a heated steering wheel and live in a cold climate, I think I'd have to choose the heated wheel every time. It's too bad Audi won't offer both styles heated....seems a minor detail, but other brands have similar restrictions.

Vasilios Gekas

Hey guys just ordered an S5 sportback waiting for order confirmation now. I have a question about the flat bottom steering wheel vs the heated. Is the flat bottom steering wheel thicker than the heated? I would love to take the heated wheel if it has a nice thick feel to it. My A6 Sline steering wheel doesn't have the nicest feel.

markcincinnati

The wheels seem identical other than the obvious.

And, I can't think of any reason the flat bottomed wheel can't also be heated.

Yet, the fact that the flat bottom version has no heat, must mean there is a technical reason.

Vasilios Gekas

Weird because my A6 Sline steering wheel looks the same as the pics posted with the heated option but it's rim is thin. My brother has an A4 with the flat bottom and it's much thicker similar to my old 3 series wheel with the M package.

farmerjones

There is no technical reason why the flat-bottom wheel is not heated. It all comes down to money. Audi is using one steering wheel across multiple lines to be heated and installed on all of those models. This saves them money. Other brands have this exact same approach, offer the very small overall volume of heated wheels sold to be consolidated to one style. It's called being lazy and thinking enough people don't complain enough to make any changes. I find this a very, very, very, very frustrating decisions to make.

markcincinnati

You know, heated rear seats used to be $150. Now heated rear seats + heated steering wheel = $500 or $550.

I have had at least 3 Audis and my wife has had 2 BMW's with heated steering wheels. In Cincinnati, the heat is welcome during a couple months of the year.

I rarely have anyone in the back seat of my car.

It just irks me (pisses me off) that car companies seem to bundle things together apparently to be able to ++ the SRP of the options.

I understand, BUT, I would pay some reasonable upcharge if something like a heated wheel or the sport diff, could be selected outside of a package. Let's just say the heated wheel justifies $200 of the cold weather "package" price. How about a 20% premium to be able to get the heated wheel all by itself.

I'd pay it.

Oddly enough, the heated wheel is a no charge option on the S4 -- if you live in Canada.

Post Script: I talked with my sales rep at the Audi Connection. He says that when options were bundled (such as Premium, Premium+ and Prestige or Sport Package), customers picked cars (or configured them) with more equipment than when the options were a la carte.

My wife (and I) saw a 2017 SQ5 with red brake calipers -- a $400 option on the window sticker.

When she went to place the order for a 2018 SQ5, lo a behold -- you have to order a package including the air suspension, torque vectoring rear diff and red calipers.

She didn't order the calipers -- instead the dealer said they will have the rotors painted (before she picks up the new SQ5) -- RED! Not free, but not anywhere near as much as the "package" Audi USA mandates.

Can't make everyone happy.

gk1

While I understand and agree with most of what you are saying...considering heated seats on my old B5 S4 were $500 16 years ago I felt the heated rear seats and steering wheel were a relative bargain. Ha