What is the best location for rear AC vents in a car

The most common place to have rear air-conditioner vents is at the end of the centre console but some vehicles have them on the B-pillars and even on the roof.

BHPian Aditya recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

These days, many cars come with rear air-conditioner vents - something very essential in our hot and humid country. They help the rear passengers keep their cool, particularly in the rather unbearable summers. While many cars come with rear air-conditioner vents, the location of the vents varies from model to model.

Let's have a look at some examples.

End of the centre console:

The most common place to have the vents is here. They are within easy reach of all the rear seat passengers of the car. However, they take up the legroom of the middle passenger.

B-Pillars:

Some cars have them on the B-Pillars. This keeps the legroom for the middle passenger untouched. However, they are not within easy reach of all passengers. Besides, the flow of air from these may not reach the middle passenger very easily.

Roof:

Some cars, particularly utility vehicles have their rear air-conditioner vents mounted on the roof. This is a convenient location for all rear seat occupants to operate. It doesn't hinder legroom either. However, unless the vehicle has enough cabin height, headroom could be compromised. Again, with the advent of big panoramic sunroofs, having a roof-mounted air-conditioner is not possible.

Above rear doors:

For cars with panoramic sunroofs, some manufacturers have started placing the rear vents above the rear doors, but that puts them out of reach of some occupants. Also, this means that the air flow comes at the occupants from the sides and not the front.

So, where would you prefer your car's rear air-conditioner vents to be located?

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

I have yet to sit in a car that has powerful (and I mean p-o-w-e-r-f-u-l) rear AC vents in the most common position, which is between the front seats (the tail end of the center console).

However, every MPV / SUV I've sat in with roof-mounted rear air-con vents has been mega.

Here's what BHPian ron178 had to say about the matter:

In our Octavia, when I sit in the middle, others always complain that I’m blocking the airflow. Reason = there is a huge hump for the central tunnel so the air blows right at my knees even at the uppermost, outermost airflow angle.

I like the Innova’s implementation with the vents above the rear doors but think it works only because of the captain seats. In general, I think having it on the roof works best, panoramic sunroof be damned, especially in implementations where the rear vents have a dedicated compressor.

Here's what BHPian IshaanIan had to say about the matter:

I have always envied cars with vents on the B pillar. It is perfectly positioned in my opinion. Roof vents eliminate the possibility of a panoramic sunroof, vents on the central tunnel don’t cool the face effectively and only cool the knees, but vents in the B pillar look good since they are usually vertically shaped and thus don’t break up the interior design while also being effective.

Here's what BHPian GForceEnjoyer had to say about the matter:

In a sedan (especially a large one), I'd prefer a combination of vents at the end of the centre console as well as on the B-pillars, just like the previous generation Superb.

For a big SUV, roof-mounted vents are the best choice, since there will be enough space to accommodate them without eating into the headroom, unlike in most sedans. If there absolutely has to be a panoramic sunroof, then vents mounted above the rear doors would also do the job, albeit leaving out the middle passenger.

Hence I think that vents at the end of the centre console are necessary even with other setups in large cars (the front centre A/C vents in smaller cars will do the job for them, but not in large cars, something I can see in our Superb vs our Fiesta).

Here's what BHPian Kosfactor had to say about the matter:

Center Console mounted would be my preference - no data just experience.

Having rear vents at the back of the center console does have an advantage, they can get space for a big coil and blower, so the entire cabin can be cooled quickly - provided the compress is also of adequate size.

This set up would be ideal if you have a panoramic sunroof that will nicely heat soak the interiors and plenty of air has to be moved around and chilled to bring the cabin to a decent condition.

Disadvantage is that initially, it will be too cold for passenger #5, some can even freeze certain parts.

The vents from the roof are also effective, I do find them to be a bit slower in comparison but they do the job well. B pillar vents are okay, maybe the cars I have experienced did not have a good AC, to begin with, so all these things could vary.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.