Although officially spring arrived last week, the mornings can still be chilly and cars pretty cold when you prepare to drive off first thing in the morning.

So what's new?

What's new is that car maker Kia has introduced a new option to their accessory range, the Comfort Heater.

Providing what could be described as central heating for cars, the Comfort Heater warms up your car at either a pre-set time, by remote control or wait for it by telephone!

This sort of luxurious option, which might well be associated with more prestigious top-of-the-range vehicles, starts at just £995 on any of the Kia models.

It is a luxurious but practical enhancement which is ideal for fitting in the people-carrying Sedona, winner of Top Gear's Best Value Car 2002 award. Given the vehicle's large exterior, having its glass clear would normally require a fair bit of elbow grease.

Not so with the Comfort Heater.

Having activated it, the car is gently warmed ready to drive off without any of the usual defrosting or demisting hassles.

The Comfort Heater system works via an auxiliary glow plug burner, which uses the vehicle's fuel to heat the coolant. The heated coolant is then circulated around the engine and after 10 minutes the heater fan is switched on thereby warming the car's interior.

In addition, during the summer months the system can be used to circulate the hot air inside the car, helping to reduce the interior temperature.

The system is activated by an interior timer, remote control, telephone, or a combination of all three.

Telephone activation is very useful if returning from a night out or to a long-term car park at an airport, for example.

Simply dial a number 30 minutes before you need to use the car.

In addition to the obvious comfort and safety benefits of the Comfort Heater, the system also reduces engine wear and harmful emissions against a car being started and used directly from cold.

Prices for the Comfort Heater start at £995 for the cabin timer model.

At £1,345, the highest specification unit includes cabin timer, remote control and telephone pager control facilities.

All prices include VAT and fitting.