[PrideRed]

Flat bottom steering seem to be the current trend. Many manufacturers are now offering even in cars costing 5-6lacs. They look nice/sporty and some find these more comfortable over conventional one's. At same time I have also heard from few folks who find the conventional to be better. Personally other than better looks, I did not find any significant benefits . Are there any other benefits? If provided an option, would you replace this with conventional one?

[rajshenoy]

Well for starters i can think of flat bottom steering as a space saver for low slung sedans. Bottom part of the steering does intrude while getting in and out of the car and flat bottom steering wheel can help a bit there.

Actual reasons could be to just make the car appear more sporty. It almost cost nothing when compared to say really tuning the car for sports/rally !!

[NFS2024]

The Flat bottom steering wheel looks good and might aid in easy ingress or if you happen to be heavily built or have a tummy.

Other than this I don't like it, it's not easy to twirl, if you make a full turn it's not easy like a round steering. Yea that's what I think it is.

[GTO]

Advantage = They look "cool", and only because we associate them with race cars. In race cars, their main advantage is more legroom & easier ingress / egress. Take a look at an F1 car and how tight things are.

Notice that rally steerings have a white strip on top. A flat-bottom might also tell the driver which way is up.

Personally, I like my steering wheels in a full & proper circle only.

[RajaTaurus]

Originally Posted by GTO

Advantage = They look "cool", and only because we associate them with race cars. In race cars, their main advantage is more legroom & easier ingress / egress. Take a look at an F1 car and how tight things are.

Notice that rally steerings have a white strip on top. A flat-bottom might also tell the driver which way is up.

Personally, I like my steering wheels in a full & proper circle only.

+1 to that. To me it is more of a disadvantage while driving in cities and on ghat sections. I use the auto return quite extensively letting the wheel return to center in a controlled way. This flat bottom suddenly makes a break in that rotation and I have to grab it again. Full circle steering wheel - my choice too.👍
Secondly, race cars don't need to do full rotation of steering, so flat portion never comes up. But our steering wheels do at least 1 1/2 rotation and sometimes the flat portion come in grab on the side, which is cumbersome.

[hemanth.anand]

Looks sporty as other's have mentioned mostly because it comes in race cars.
I have a flat bottom steering wheel in my GTTSI. I have the steering wheel in the lowest position (to be able to view the instrument cluster completely for my height) and the seat will be at the top most position. In thins setup the flat bottom wheel helps in easy ingress or egress.
Another advantage is you know if the wheels are straight. It may sound funny, but it helps especially when a car is driven by many in the same family. especially when you get in and start the car, it helps in knowing if the wheels are straight.
Because of the flat bottom, while I'm cruising on the highways, I've now got a new habit of resting the hands on that section...it is comfortable to rest on a horizontal beam.
Otherwise, the round wheel is much better to drive...especially on ghat sections (or navigating the smaller aisles) which involves too many turns. a smaller diameter full circle wheel makes it even better. This small diameter circular steering wheel was one of the things I loved in the first gen Swift as we were coming from the big wheels of M800 and the likes.

[arindambasu13]

Cannot think of any specific benefits in road going cars, other than that they look good and aesthetically relate to sportier cars. Personally, I just love chunky, well moulded steerings with flat bottoms, a la the VW range, or the one on the Seltos.

A steering wheel is a primary point of haptic contact for a driver, and to me, the shape and contours of the steering holds special importance. One of the first things I look for whenever I see a new car's interior design.

[abhi7013]

Flat bottom ones would act as a hindrance especially while taking quick 3-point turns in narrow city roads.
The only useful thing is you get a convenient grip while driving on highways but even a round steering with proper designs and contours can take care of that.

[IshaanIan]

I prefer a regular circular steering wheel in spacious cars but when the car has cramped interiors like the Polo, the flat bottomed wheel helps with rev-matching or trail braking or anything that involves manipulating the pedals more than normal.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Because of the flat bottom, while I'm cruising on the highways, I've now got a new habit of resting the hands on that section...it is comfortable to rest on a horizontal beam

Hate to say it, but that is a very bad driving habit. You exhibit that habit during your driving test in most of Europe and you will fail! For sure!

I agree with what most members have said already. It helps getting in/out of the car. I am not so sure about how it helps indicate the position of the wheels, because the bottom could be horizontal and the wheels might still be pointing right or left and especially after a full 360o turn quite a bit as well.

I don’t think it looks cool though, I think it looks odd if not pretty ridiculous. I have had a few cars with this flat bit, but it has left me underwhelmed.

If it is all about getting in and out of the car, there are other solutions too. Many more upmarket cars (where you tend to find these steering wheels) have electrically adjustable wheels. So when switching off and opening the driver door, the wheel automatically retracts and tilts upwards. My twenty year old Jaguar does that! With a perfectly round steering wheel.

You could always do worse of course and have four flat bits on your steering wheel. Such as the Austin Allegro; They called it a Quartic steering wheel. And by and large the Allegro was not considered a cool car at all. Admittedly, it was not only the steering wheel that was not cool.

[naveen.raju]

Although it looks nice, I would prefer the default shape. I love when I roll my fingers across the steering wheel whenever I take an U turn and wait for the steering wheel to roll back to the straight position. That will be missed with the flat bottom wheel.

I have always felt that with flat bottom wheels, you get more space and drivers tend to lower the wheel so low that they will be able to rest their hands on their thighs (no offence to anyone ). Any emergency and it would be difficult to react suddenly when in that relaxed position.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Hate to say it, but that is a very bad driving habit. You exhibit that habit during your driving test in most of Europe and you will fail! For sure!

agreed, I'm aware of this. Not saying it's a good habit at all but I just find it comfortable. It's a habit I've gotten into after I got a flat bottom wheel. you may actually call it as the downside of the flat bottom wheel and not an advantage. This is only when cruising on open highways. Probably around 5-10% of the times. All other times, I hold the wheel in the 9-3 or 10-2 position

I am not so sure about how it helps indicate the position of the wheels, because the bottom could be horizontal and the wheels might still be pointing right or left and especially after a full 360° turn quite a bit as well.

That case is surely there. Even in a circular wheel, The central spokes/logo will anyway let the owner know if the wheels aren't straight. this is very evident that's all.

If it is all about getting in and out of the car, there are other solutions too. Many more upmarket cars (where you tend to find these steering wheels) have electrically adjustable wheels. So when switching off and opening the driver door, the wheel automatically retracts and tilts upwards. My twenty year old Jaguar does that! With a perfectly round steering wheel.

This mechanism costs and no wonder it is only in upmarket cars. flat bottom can help achieving that in less or no additional cost.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

That case is surely there. Even in a circular wheel, The central spokes/logo will anyway let the owner know if the wheels aren't straight. this is very evident that's all.

Neither the flat bit, the spokes or the badge/logo are an indication into which direction the wheels are pointing. Only on a steering rack that allows the steering wheel to turn less than 180o left and less than 180o right is the position of the steering wheel, be it flat bit, spoke, logo an indication into which direction the wheels are pointing. Think your typical cart type of steering.

You can have your steering wheel flat bit, spokes, logo upside down and your wheels could be pointing left or right! Only less than 180o rotation will do for wheel direction indication.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

This mechanism costs and no wonder it is only in upmarket cars. flat bottom can help achieving that in less or no additional cost.

True, but then again, it is mostly high end cars where you tend to see these flat bottom steering wheels. I think, not sure how many family saloons, SUV have these flat bottom steering wheels. Somehow it is associated with fast, sporty cars and they tend to be expensive and come with lots of electrical bits standard.

Which makes for a careful conclusion that more expansive cars are more difficult to get in and out? I can certainly get in and out of my wife’s Ford Fiesta a lot easier than in and out of my Jaguar. Despite its fancy swiveling/retracting steering wheel. Actually, I do find that pretty neat and cool!

Jeroen

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

True, but then again, it is mostly high end cars where you tend to see these flat bottom steering wheels. I think, not sure how many family saloons, SUV have these flat bottom steering wheels.

Not really true. Starting from Swift onward we are now seeing flat bottom steering wheel trend in all new cars these days. Swift, Ertiga, Altroz, Seltos, VW group cars, it's seen in all these days.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Not really true. Starting from Swift onward we are now seeing flat bottom steering wheel trend in all new cars these days. Swift, Ertiga, Altroz, Seltos, VW group cars, it's seen in all these days.

Thanks, I had not realised that. But do these sort cars really need a flat bottom steering wheel to accomodate easier acess? My sister has a Swift and like the Fiesta, for me (1.93m tall) very easy to get in and out as it is.

It sounds to me like more of a gimmick than anything else. Looks sporty, some might think it looks cool, but does it have any functional use? A bit like adding a spoiler to Citroen 2CV. Or adding Gulf Livery to a standard Fiat 126




Jeroen