[mayank0782]

My OCD would never let me like a flat bottom steering wheel just like it forces me to stay away from the dashboards tilted towards the driver. It has to be symmetric and properly aligned. I guess I would never get used to it and it would never grow on me. It is a deal breaker for me.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

I don't like the flat bottom ones at all. Add to that the flat bottom one is also available in mahindra jeeto so my association is not with race cars.

What about the number of spokes? I see people moving back to 2 spokes (skoda/Tata Sierra)

Personally I like the old Indica 4 spoke format(plastics were horrible though).

[naveen.raju]

Talk about flat bottom steering wheel, and this is what we did to our Jetta this weekend (BIL always wanted one). Good to hold on a straight line, but didn't like while taking a turn when I had to rotate the entire steering.

[Vasanth]

Flat bottom steering wheels are absolutely useless for cars like Hyundai Tata Kia etc. which cost under 20-30 lakhs.
Uses : Its especially for sports cars, sedans, low profile coupes, super cars and HyperCars.
The main 2 benefits are :
1. To give the driver more leg room.
2. To let know the driver if the wheels are straight or not while going on track.
I seriously hate when cheap cars have flat bottom steering wheel.
I really liked the new Tata Altroz except the steering wheel.

[Wanderlust89]

For me its the conventional round steering always and always hated the flat-bottom.

Round steering: On tight turns and ghat sections, steer it and slightly release it. The return-to-center action kicks in and the feeling when it rolls between the curls of my fingers, lock it at center position, shift the gear and dump the clutch. Voila! Sheer driving pleasure...

Flat-bottom steering: Have always felt its not designed for that kick back roll between the fingers. Not at all my personal favorite as I've always loved the curves, than straight lines.

[SH1N1G4MI]

Personally, I find it aesthetically pleasing. Also, you can grab the flat bottom from below and get in a pretty slick 360° spin on the steering wheel because the radius(?) at the flat spot is less than at the curved portion making it easier to manoeuver.

[Octane99]

Its just a personal obervation, I feel that cars with flat bottom steering wheel have lesser mounting angle (they are kind of more vertical) which results in more involved and focussed driving.
With a non flat bottom steering wheel, decreasing the mounting angle will cause hinderance with legs.

[PrasannaDhana]

Honestly I don't care about the flat bottom at all, the only place where I hold the steering is at the top/ mid sides most of the times. And you seldom hold the bottom part like in the yesteryear non-power steer vehicles where you need multiple steering rotations to do a u turn.

Visually, I feel the flat bottom steering is the internal version of the boot spoiler, specially when very ordinary (read : average, slow) cars get them.

[Kishen.padiyar]

Might seem a bit off topic but flat-bottom steering wheels are definitely something wheel alignment shops will like. Lesser chances of steering centering error which is their worst nightmare.

[NTO]

Originally Posted by Kishen.padiyar

Might seem a bit off topic but flat-bottom steering wheels are definitely something wheel alignment shops will like. Lesser chances of steering centering error which is their worst nightmare.

This is a very good point. Kudos. I gathered two points for this thread and this was one of them.

The second one is that, I like my steering wheel's setting low and in manual transmission cars, the round bottom kind of fouls with the clutch operating leg's thigh. Not a problem in the automatics. Still, none of my cars have a flat bottom wheel. However, one among them have a kind of flat top surface aiding a comfortable speedo view.

[Guru_GPS]

I too like the 'perfectly circular' steerings. The Aria had the first steering wheel that looked very good to my eyes, its slab-ish center portion included. All TATA cars have lovely steering wheels, and my Skoda Rapid's wheel comes close second. Full Circle. I don't find any inconvenience in getting in/out as it has tilt and telescopic adjustment also. My height and driving style demands that I hold the wheel at just either sides of the bottom spoke, forearms resting on my thighs.

[d_himan]

I like the aesthetics. plus I find it really useful while driving fast in circular ramps where I hold the steering at the interface between flat and round surface - love the precision and grip.

[Reinhard]

I don't exactly HATE the flat bottom wheels per say. That is - if it comes to picking a car and the one I like has only flat bottom wheel - I won't cancel the car booking. However - I find it a very poor gimmick and I'm also a bit disappointed that the masses consider it as a premium feature immediately! I mean a nice circular wheel with correct thickness, perfect leather wrap and contours will be a thousand times better than a cheap rip off flat bottom wheel.

Unless someone brings me a point-n-shoot rally car that has a lock-to-lock single turn fast steering, flat bottom wheel has quite a few shortcomings and not a single benefit IMHO. And being one of most of you here who likes "complete" shapes & has a respect for natural designs, a flat bottom steering is simply a hack job. The sight doesn't invoke pleasant thoughts but an imagination that someone ran over this wheel on the assembly line.

The worst in the upcoming ones is spotted in the XUV500 next gen test mules. It really looks out of place.

[SLK]

Just my two cents:

I have a car with flat bottom and one without.

• The flat bottom is easier to hold from the bottom because its flat and it feels like a handle instead and therefore easier to lazily cruise.
• The flat bottom is easier to center because of its apparent deformity, which should be at the bottom, therefore while turning, you know exactly how much you have turned. (I think this subconsciously helps)
• A flat bottom steering gives more sense of space, not just for fat people but also for people with long legs!
• It clearly looks sporty.

[Sasanka_Sanga]

According to me flat bottom steering gives the ease of ingress and also offers a little more legroom than the conventional steering and also if your steering doesn't have spokes, flat bottom steering can make the driver aware if the wheels are straight or not.

Apart from that there is nothing innovative about these.