[judge2020]

With Tesla, the base Model 3 SR+ doesn't have rear heated seats enabled, but they're still in the car and you can purchase them after-the-fact for $300. Whether or not that's acceptable is up to you, but it's not like you paid for them up front, they just made it possible for you to pay for them later. It saves them from having to make another sku variation (which is expensive in manufacturing and logistics) and makes it so that adding it after-the-fact doesn't cost $500 in labor.

[InvertedRhodium]

This is also true of many manufacturers - a lot of the 'extras' that each trim level gets are just configurable settings in the ECU.

Personally I picked up a VCDS adapter for my VW GTI and was able to turn on things like a startup gauge sweep, automatic window closing when it detects rain, configure the puddle lights to turn on when the windows fold and heaps more.

[alphabettsy]

Everything you’ve listed is a preference that has nothing to do with trim level, not really the same as whether or not you have heated seats.

When you don’t pay for heated seats in a VW it doesn’t come with heated seats at all. Maybe the Tesla way is better? But the comparison isn’t one to one.

[tshaddox]

Yep, they wouldn’t include the heated seat hardware unless it was cheaper than having two types of seats.

[fiddlerwoaroof]

Interesting, I have a 2020 LR AWD, and I didn't realize/remember it came with rear heated seats. TIL.