[thebikemaster]

The most important thing for me is the feedback which i get in my hand. Being a hard core biker, the steering/handle plays a vital role for me in selecting any car.
I always judge that during a car buying period. OfCourse engine performance and other things are vital, but if we can't feel the road and the car doesn't give the input back to us then what use in being a car/bike nerd?

[vjbox]

The steering response and feedback on my Volvo V40 and Skoda Kodiaq are quite contrasting. The Volvo has that heft even in low speeds and makes you feel the weight of the car at every turn.

The Skoda on the other hand with its progressive steering is super light and makes you forget that you are manoeuvring a big bear on the streets. U turns are never any easier and surprisingly the Kodiaq's turning radius is smaller than the Volvo, which never makes a U turn in one go.

The Kodiaq's steering weighs up nice and tight in higher speeds and in the sports mode you can feel that heft which adds to the confidence. Volvo on the other hand allows you to change the steering force to low, medium or high. Low makes it a bit loose with no real feedback. Medium is ideal while Heavy is really 'Heavy'! V40's steering feels like a heavy truck when coming from the Kodiaq!

[motorpsycho]

2014 Ford Fiesta Classic - The steering is sharp, however it is heavy. The car is a pleasure to drive on the highway, but the same heavy steering makes driving the car in Bangalore traffic and narrow lanes cumbersome. Recently drove my friends i20, loved the steering, how light it was steer around in the city.

[sunikkat]

Of all the cars I have driven and owned, it is Fiesta 1.6s which is the best. Hydraulic steering but very quick, direct and tons of feedback. They don’t make cars like that anymore. I find 1.6s steering to be much better than Fiats (Linea, Punto etc.), new age BMWs or even the sportier versions like VRS, N Line etc. Fiesta was so good, it gives feedback of everything on the road.
I also like Octavia’s steering, light at low speeds and pick up weight nicely once speed increases and gives rock solid feel. But it doesn’t have feedback.

[blueather]

I love my Hyundai sterile steering.
Have driven a car with good steering feel (Ford). I think I would absolutely hate it if my steering started transferring vibrations to my palm.

[Cresterk]

My Hyundai i20 was the first car I drove with electric power steering. This was back when EPS was still a new tech and reviewers and journalists were lamenting the steering feel and the lack of feedback.

Personally, I loved it : It was just so direct and effortless. You could steer it with a single finger at crawling speeds and it weighs up enough to prevent you from accidentally jerking it at higher speeds. The lack of feedback was a bit unnerving at first but the car handled fast turns really well without any loss of grip so I stopped worrying and got used to it. It always went where I wanted it to without any drama. This also meant that any road imperfections wouldn't jerk the steering wheel around, leading to a lot less effort and concentration being required to drive fast.

The return to center is a bit too strong when the steering is only turned slightly. There is an programmed assist to it that makes the EPS motor try to center itself when the car's computer thinks you are done turning. This can be somewhat annoying if you are making minor corrections during a turn. For most people though, it is probably useful since you can let go of the steering after any turn, big or small, and it would almost spring right back to dead center. This also means that the EPS center position needs to be calibrated after a wheel alignment or you will end up with the car driving slightly sideways.


Currently we also have a Toyota Innova Hycross which also comes with electric power steering, a marked departure from the heavy hydraulic steering that the previous gen Innovas used.

This iteration of the EPS seems to have solved all the problems that plagued the early EPS of my i20. It's even lighter but you still have good feedback from the road: it's less than a hydraulic unit and you need to focus a bit to feel it but its definitely there. Once you get used to it, a hydraulic unit will feel too heavy and cumbersome to you. Your steering doesn't jerk around when you go over potholes or road imperfections. You still can drive fast on untarred or gravel roads without your hands getting tired.

On the Innova crysta or the Fortuner or any of the older toyotas really, the hydraulic steering just jerks around everywhere on less than perfect roads and you need to fight it to keep it straight. Some people will enjoy this but most will not, especially when driving long distances.

Return to center is decent but without the strong artificial assist of the Hyundai. I much prefer this improved version of the EPS and it has made long trips and parking a total breeze.

[saikishor]

I absolutely love the steering feel that my 2010 Beat provides. It has a HPS setup and it weighs up brilliantly. The steering literally communicates with you at every corner and every turn. No car that I have driven till date gives me this kind of feel.

Our other car, a 2023 Honda Amaze has an EPS and I must say it is slightly heavier than your regular EPS. Feel and feedback is moderate at best but it doesn't feel disconnected at any point of time.

[Wageabond]

Hyundai i20 N Line has nice steering feel.

Very light at stationary and parking speeds, and picks up weight as the speed builds up. Steering is very precise, and the car is quick to change directions in a sure-footed manner with small inputs. The steering also comes back to center nicely after u-turns (it is a rather nice feeling when the car does that). However, there is no feedback whatsoever - very insulated.

[car_aficianado]

Very interesting thread. I definitely like my steering to be light at low or crawling speed and weigh up as the speed picks up to ensure drive stability.
I remember my Getz (version 1) had a light steering at highway speed and it was frightening to say the least.

[styx71]

What does it mean when we say that a Steering is "Direct" - I see this being mentioned in some of of the Official Team Bhp reviews. Is it the same as the Steering being "Sharp"?

Thanks

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by styx71

What does it mean when we say that a Steering is "Direct" - I see this being mentioned in some of of the Official Team Bhp reviews. Is it the same as the Steering being "Sharp"?

Steering is:

- direct
- sharp
- precise
- slack free
- quick

all mean more or less the same.

This used to be a significant problem in old-school hydraulic units (Eg: 1st gen Santro or Tata Indica Vista/Safari or 1st gen Scorpio), but less so in EPS units.

[Lifeographer84]

Isuzu: Hydraulic: Rock solid at high speeds, it is as direct as direct can be. And best of luck, when you're parking her or taking slow U turns...you need to work hard!! It's a bit slow during minor corrections on the highway, given the heft of the truck as a whole, but once you get used to it you know how much input you require to keep in her in a straight line.

N Line: EPS: Very sensitive to minor corrections and not as solid as the Isuzu but weighs up well at high speeds. You need firm hands to keep it in control. Also it really comes alive when you're cornering at not so subtle speeds, kind of reads your mind of how much you want her to turn and does that for you!

[vinya_jag]

One harm that I can think of with a very light steering wheel at parking speeds is Tyre wear. I have seen it with most folks that they don't care about steering when the car is stationary. I am sure, there could be strain on the tyre when we do this.
I had recently tried the new Slavia, and it just swings in either direction even at crawl speeds.
For someone who has driven the non power steered Zen, I find it very hard to digest how much wear I could be causing to the tyres.
So, voted for "Weighty/ weightier".

I loved our old Figo, by the way. Nothing comes close in my mind when it comes to steering, not even the Non Power steering Zen.

[KkVaidya]

Originally Posted by subie_socal

Mahindra Thar gen 1: Since it's a niche car, I'm not gonna pick very minute details, but this is definitely not suitable for everyday drive. I wonder how people manage with the even bigger gen 2.

Most of the first generation Thar CRDe I see are out of their stock alignment set-up. ASCs tend to crank up the torsion bars to lift the front end which changes Caster/Camber values & thereby spoiling the whole steering geometry.

It takes a whole lot of effort & intent to set the caster/camber as it requires shims in the upper arm. Once set by the book, the steering becomes "maska".
Believe me, this one vehicle is such a delight to steer with a crispy and smooth feedback.

[ellip5i5]

I find the Honda steerings to be the best among those I’ve driven. It’s just so precise and the right amount of feedback trickles back.

Maruti, Hyundai steerings are quite lifeless and while easy to drive in the city, lack any connection or feel.