I have already ordered my GLE 350d but still I can make changes in the configuration. Wondering to add or not ventilated front seats. The car will be with full leather, the natural leather, but not nappa, with multicontour seats. On the test drive I tried the ventilation option, there is some effect if you are with moist tight T-shirt and press your bag nicely on the seat, but what I didn't like was the noise of the ventilator and the slight vibrations in the seat. When I test drove the X5 the vibrations were even bigger, just like on the Touareg.
Please give me your feedback about this otherwise expensive option.

I have ventilated seats, a first for me.

Frankly, I feel no difference with the system on or off.

I had cooled seats on my Infinity M35x. I did not use them much, because the cold air blowing actually made you feel the wetness, which became cold wetness. However, the ventilated seats do not cool, they just circulate cabin temp air through the seats. I have ordered ventilated seats on my GLE 550e. They were on the 550e's I test drove. For me, it was not a deal breaker if the car did not have them, but since I was forced to order to get other options I wanted, and I liked it on the 550e's I test drove, I put it on my order. Compared to some other options, it was not that expensive. It's a Mercedes, you are going to pay a lot for everything.

And I could definitely feel it when I was test driving the car in July.

Honestly it's the only thing I can say that sucks about my ride....they are pretty much worthless....I've had much better on some rentals I have had.

I have to agree with everyone above -- the ones on the GLE suck. I could barely feel them.

The ones on my Lexus GX460 were awesome, though!

I forgot to add I hate having blanks on the dash.

I had it on my E 400 and I don't have it on my GLE 43, today was hot in Atlanta, boy did I miss it!

Although, would I say no to the car because of this one feature or lack of it, NEVER !

They are nice but not very strong compared to others manufacturers. I say spend the money and get them and make sure you leave off the side steps.

Another Atlanta individual. Nice ride. I wonder if I've seen you in the area at all.

Me too!!

This was a concern for me as well, although without the ventilated seats there remains only one empty button on the dash, because they put the parktronic switch on the dash, I don't know where it is if there are ventilated seats.
I live in Europe and here the ventilated seats option is about Euro1000, which is about $1300, looks a bit expensive for me.
I also felt it slightly on the test drive I did,but I switched it off after a while, because in order to feel the effect I put it on maximum power and the sound from the fan was kind of annoying for me at least.

Why to skip the running boards, the car, especially when dark and I go for lunar blue, looks much better with it I think.

You will find yourself not using them. They are too skinny to really get a good step on them and by the time you do step up on them you are already almost high enough to be in the car. The only people I've seen use mine are those that have trouble getting in the car or my 4 yr old. Read up on them a little and you will see a lot of people do not like them. Yes the look good, but no they are not practical.

Hence my signature at the bottom. (Read below)

I have the ventilated seats on my 2013 ML with black leather, and would guess they would be the same on the new GLE. In Houston I use them for almost 6 months out of the year. They make a huge difference with the heat and humidity here. Otherwise, I would say it depends on your climate. A little further north and inland, and they probably wouldn't make much difference.

edit: I'm on the GLE thread because I used a 2016 loaner for 4-5 days last week. It didn't have the ventilated seats, and I really missed them. I wouldn't buy a new one without them.