Quote:
Originally Posted by Bam226
I've only driven and owned 1 bmw. Can someone for the love of god explain steering feel / response?
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Generally?
"Steering feel" typically refers to the amount of (and quality of) communication between the steering system/wheel and the car, its tires, and the road it rides on. The term can be representative of the amount of effort/input needed to turn the car at varying speeds. It can also be used to discuss a steering system's weight (i.e., is it pleasantly heavy/firm or is it unpleasantly light/numb?).
Observations that can fall under the wide "steering feel" umbrella:
- Weight/Effort (does the steering feel light and effortless (borderline artificial) or does it feel heavier, more natural, and progressive as you increase/decrease a given steering input?)
- Communication (can I feel what the car and its tires are doing through the steering wheel, do the sensations/vibrations I feel with steering wheel properly correspond with the particular road/track conditions?)
That was quickly written but hopefully that gives you a general idea of what someone means when they talk about steering feel.
For me, I look for the following attributes when evaluating steering feel: 1) Does the wheel accurately and thoroughly transmit to me (i.e., to my hands) what the tires are encountering on the road? 2) Is there a nice, consistent firm weight to the steering that lends itself to predictable, progressive, and easily controllable steering inputs?