[SmartCat]

For me, steering feel ranks very high in my list of "must haves" in a car. I enjoy driving mainly because I love the feedback I get from the steering wheel when I'm driving - makes me feel connected to the road. When I drive over a rough patch of road, I like my steering wheel to let me know how's the road surface. When I turn the steering wheel and release it, I want it to self-center with a rifle-bolt action.

Which car has the best and the worst steering feel/feedback among the ones you have driven?

In my case, I haven't driven too many cars. But the best steering feel I get is from my Chevrolet Optra. The title for the worst steering feedback/feel goes to NHC and WagonR.

Note that your opinion should not be based on what you've read somewhere - it should be based on what you have actually driven.

[Gilead]

Best steering feedback: Ford Fiesta, Ford Ikon, Maruti 800, non-PS old Zen, Fiat Linea, Fiat Palio
Worst steering feedback: i10, i20, Wagon R, Indica, Verna.

I have not included cars I have driven abroad.

[SmartCat]

Maruti 800? I have driven it a lot long time back, but don't exactly recall how the steering feedback was.

[JVH]

I think this thread should have a vote.

My family owns nothing but Marutis and Tatas except me. I drive a 2001 Palio 1.6 GTX and needless to say this is the car which I enjoy driving the most including in terms of steering feedback. My Colleague's Linea is excellent in that too. The other cars from Maruti and TATA are not bad but nowhere near the FIAT cars I've driven.

I've heard a lot about Ford's set up but haven't driven one.

My vote goes for FIAT Linea

[Gilead]

Originally Posted by smartcat

Maruti 800? I have driven it a lot long time back, but don't exactly recall how the steering feedback was.

Yes, it does not have a power steering, so the feedback is very good. And the steering is very direct as well.

It looks like the new Ford Fiesta has an EPS and does not have the same steering feedback that the current one with the hydralic PS has. So looks like the days of affordable cars with good steering feedback is fast diminishing. BMWs are supposed to have great steering feedback but they aren't exactly affordable.

[amitoj]

The only cars i have driven to some extent so far are Omni, Santro, old Zen, NHC, OHC and i10.
I don't recall Omni, but in stock form, Zen had the best steering feedback. Rest all were quite crappy.
Of course, a tire upgrade (or even better tires) does wonders for the feedback. Following moves made a lot of improvement:
NHC: Moved to Yokohoma A drives. First time felt confident that the car could do 120+
OHC: Tire upsize.
Zen: Upsized again. Made it even better.

Rest all remained stock and quite bad.

[CARDEEP]

Tata cars have very light steering & also unresponsive to small feedbacks (having driven a Safari & Indica).

Maruti EPS are better over the Santro I own in speeds over 120 kmph, otherwise more or less the same.
Maruti's non-PS cars are good for 2 years only. After which their steering vagueness increases like anything. Fiat ones are better than both.

Ford cars have steering like what a enthusiast will like to have tight & crisp response to drivers inputs.

Ford takes the award for best steering from my side & Tata the worst.

[Palio_2005]

Among the cars I have driven
Best : All Fiats (Linea/Punto/Palio) and Fords (Ikon/Fiesta/Figo)
Worst: Wagon R, I-10, Santro, Getz, Estilio

[designersf]

Best from what I have driven - Fiesta, Palio and Nano!

Decent feel - Swift

Worst - Honda City (2nd gen model in India), Spark and Alto

[pramodkumar]

As per me
Best

Lancer, Innova, Palio, Punto and Linea

Worst

Alto, 800, Zen(with EPS) and safari

Pramod

[SmartCat]

I think this thread should have a vote.

There are too many cars sold in India with poor steering feel - very difficult to create a poll

[JVH]

Originally Posted by smartcat

There are too many cars sold in India with poor steering feel - very difficult to create a poll

LOL! Point taken.

I just noted that I havent mentioned the worst car with a steering feedback. It's Alto.

[karanraheja]

Best : Ford Ikon , Ford Fiesta, Fiat Palio

Worst: i20(wins handsdown), NHC and Wagon- R.

[kailashnj]

For me the Best Steering feel and feedback is from Fiat Punto - I am really liking it

The worst that I have seen is probably the Maruti Omni, though we had it in the family for 12yrs, I never liked the feeling of the steering feedback.

[deetjohn]

Among the cars I have driven till now.

The best: Ford Ikon 1.6 SXi

It is like in a Kart and the steering wheel is also just about the right size.

I have also driven the Fiesta S for about 2000KMs but I prefer the old SXi' steering feel to the S. To be fair, the S had Goodyear GT3 but the Ikon was shod in Pirelli.

That was a friend's Ikon and my forearms used to bulge up after long drives.

I am currently driving a Swift and the steering feel is not consistent and vague at times. I guess all EPS units will take some time to match up with the excellent hydraulic ones.