An intake air heating system for a vehicle, the system comprising: an electrical switching device configured to selectively connect a battery of the vehicle to a heater coil in contact with intake air of the vehicle; and a control circuit configured to in response to an enable signal from an engine controller, drive the electrical switching device to connect the battery to the heater coil at full current; measure a resistance of the heater coil indicative of a temperature of the heater coil; determine a rate of resistance rise of the heater coil over a period of interest within an initial startup period; and determine an initial resistance offset based on the rate of resistance rise; after the initial startup period has elapsed, determine a connection resistance present between the electrical switching device and the heater coil, wherein the connection resistance is determined by subtracting the initial resistance offset and a predetermined reference resistance of the heater coil from a value of the measured resistance wherein said value is measured within one second of initial actuation of the heater coil, and wherein the predetermined reference resistance of the heater coil corresponds to a predetermined reference temperature, and calculate a desired resistance based on a sum of (i) a target resistance corresponding to a desired temperature value of the heater coil and (ii) the connection resistance; and once the measured resistance is equal to the desired resistance, minimize a difference between the measured resistance and the desired resistance by modulating the electrical switching device to reduce current from the battery of the vehicle to the heater coil. an electrical switching device configured to selectively connect a battery of the vehicle to a heater coil in contact with intake air of the vehicle; and a control circuit configured to in response to an enable signal from an engine controller, drive the electrical switching device to connect the battery to the heater coil at full current; measure a resistance of the heater coil indicative of a temperature of the heater coil; in response to an enable signal from an engine controller, drive the electrical switching device to connect the battery to the heater coil at full current; measure a resistance of the heater coil indicative of a temperature of the heater coil; determine a rate of resistance rise of the heater coil over a period of interest within an initial startup period; and determine an initial resistance offset based on the rate of resistance rise; after the initial startup period has elapsed, determine a connection resistance present between the electrical switching device and the heater coil, wherein the connection resistance is determined by subtracting the initial resistance offset and a predetermined reference resistance of the heater coil from a value of the measured resistance wherein said value is measured within one second of initial actuation of the heater coil, and wherein the predetermined reference resistance of the heater coil corresponds to a predetermined reference temperature, and calculate a desired resistance based on a sum of (i) a target resistance corresponding to a desired temperature value of the heater coil and (ii) the connection resistance; and once the measured resistance is equal to the desired resistance, minimize a difference between the measured resistance and the desired resistance by modulating the electrical switching device to reduce current from the battery of the vehicle to the heater coil.