I can't comment on what the ride quality is like exactly, but I can tell you that the Touring will ride exactly the same as the AT-X. There are no suspension changes between the two, and any variation in tire/wheel size between those two grades will not be noticeable. This I can say something about. Having used both the standard A/C controls and the automatic climate control, I would say that you wouldn't really notice much difference between the two. About the only time you will notice something different is when your passenger decides to set their temperature to something different to yours. Apart from that, the difference is just in the way you control it, which really isn't that much different. I could happily go back to the manual A/C controls without any complaints. I agree on both points... i've never thought climate control in a car was a great option. However as a package, I think for the money, the Touring is much better value compared to the Atx... the other option, is I'm pretty sure some dealers still have the Atx with Wing and Wheels package...