On mine is an hair lower than halfway. And yes, the engine warms up almost instantly. I'm already appreciating it here in Eastern Mass..... The V6 on my old '97 Dodge Stratus ES would take forever in winter.
By the way, I just got a '06 S Touring 5-door manual. Heated seats and automatic climate control are standard only on the Grand Touring. Not even the Grand Touring has heated door mirror, though. Too bad, even the Stratus had those.
On the other hand, you get a ton of other stuff on the Grand Touring vs. the Touring for just $1,500 more (sticker).