Steering feel on Vrs

[StevenB]

Hi All,

 

I was in Spain earlier this week for work and had a new Passat as a hire car. Has to be said, it had the worst steering on any car i've driven recently. Zero feel or feedback and certainly wouldn't inspire pushing into a corner or exploring grip levels....

 

Bit worried now as the Skoda Vrs on order could be the same ?

 

Would be interested in owners feedback.

 

Steve

 

 

[pipsyp]

The vRS like the Mk7 GTi has Progressive Steering....makes quite a difference I gather. Is a variable rack that reduces lock at speed to make it more pointy if I understand correctly. Takes getting used to but v good once you do get used to it.

The standard steering rack in the normal Octavia is nothing much to write home about, slow and uncommunicative spring to mind.

Edited 25 July, 2014 by pipsyp

[jlwah]

The vRS like the Mk7 GTi has Progressive Steering....makes quite a difference I gather. Is a variable rack that reduces lock at speed to make it more pointy if I understand correctly. Takes getting used to but v good once you do get used to it.

The standard steering rack in the normal Octavia is nothing much to write home about, slow and uncommunicative spring to mind.

Are you sure the vRS has progressive steering? I can't find any reference to it in the brochure.

 

It's optional on the Leon FR (as part of the dynamic chassis control pack), standard on the Golf GTD/GTI/R and optional on the A3 but standard on the S3.

[pipsyp]

Are you sure the vRS has progressive steering? I can't find any reference to it in the brochure.

It's optional on the Leon FR (as part of the dynamic chassis control pack), standard on the Golf GTD/GTI/R and optional on the A3 but standard on the S3.

Yes it does. Its one of the key features of the vRS along with the PP front brakes.

[alancha]

If it's any reassurance I was very pleasantly surprised how sharp, responsive and precise the steering feels on my new vRS and that was coming straight from a Mk5 GTi, which was of course excellent.

 

My only reservation concerns Lane Assist.  It's clever and could easily save my life one day if my attention should wander on a motorway, but on other roads its frequent, subtle but noticeable attempts to intervene spoil the purity of the steering feel.  If it were easier to turn LA on and off I would do so constantly according to the type of road I was on at the time. 

[Neily03]

  If it were easier to turn LA on and off I would do so constantly according to the type of road I was on at the time. 

 

It's only a couple of clicks on the right thumb wheel on the steering wheel to switch it on or off.

[jlwah]

Yes it does. Its one of the key features of the vRS along with the PP front brakes.

Interesting that Skoda choose not to mention this feature in the brochure, though it does say that the vRS has " 17" brakes " which equates to 432 mm dia. The Golf PP discs are 340/30 mm.

 

Still, where would we all be if Skoda (UK) actually got everything right!

[StevenB]

Thanks for the replies...feel a lot happier now.

 

BTW, what are PP brakes

 

Thanks

 

Steve

[pipsyp]

Same brakes as what come on the performance pack equipped Golf GTi. The Golf also get bigger vented rear discs, the vRS makes do with same as the rest of the range solid rears.

When Skoda refer to the brakes as 17" by the way its not quite accurate....i think they mean by it that you need at least 17" wheels to assure clearance foe the (rather large) calipers.

[alancha]

It's only a couple of clicks on the right thumb wheel on the steering wheel to switch it on or off.

I suppose it depends where you start from.  I still have my display showing average mpg most of the time, so I have to press the back button to get out of that, then up or down with the wheel to get to Assist sys, press it to select this, then use the wheel to show the settings, click the wheel to enable/disable LA, then back button twice (I think) to get back to the top-level menu, then wheel to Driver Data and click to go back to mpg.  

 

I suppose if I left it on the LA setting, I could turn it on or off with just a click, or maybe a wheel and a click - perhaps that's what I should do.  After all, I really shouldn't be obsessing over mpg - I want to enjoy the drive really.

 

I was going to ask if there's a quicker way to do it but I think I've now answered my own question!

[Neily03]

I suppose it depends where you start from.  I still have my display showing average mpg most of the time, so I have to press the back button to get out of that, then up or down with the wheel to get to Assist sys, press it to select this, then use the wheel to show the settings, click the wheel to enable/disable LA, then back button twice (I think) to get back to the top-level menu, then wheel to Driver Data and click to go back to mpg. 

 

That exactly the same as how I do it, takes about 5 seconds.

[Nookiebear]

Can't say I was aware that progressive steering was feature… but it would make sense as I can certainly say that I find mine to be wonderfully sharp and responsive, especially at low speed around tight corners.

 

I do however have H&R lowering springs and 8.5J ET42 wheels fitted, giving a 34-35mm reduced ride height and increased 43.4mm track width, so this may be influencing things somewhat!

[StevenB]

I think with that set up i'd be concerned what happens in the fast corners...

 

Steve

[alancha]

That exactly the same as how I do it, takes about 5 seconds.

Yes - I suppose it doesn't take long but I find my eye is off the road for too much of those seconds so either I spread it over time a bit or wait till I'm stationary at a junction or similar.  I suppose with practice i'll be able to do it without looking then it'll be fine.

[BjornP]

Lane assist or/and front assist are acessible direct by the switch on the end of the left stalk, you ganscroll between them with right thumbwheel and cancel/enable by clicking right thumbwheel. No need to go through the menu in maxidot.

[Neily03]

Lane assist or/and front assist are acessible direct by the switch on the end of the left stalk, you ganscroll between them with right thumbwheel and cancel/enable by clicking right thumbwheel. No need to go through the menu in maxidot.

 

Not if you don't have ACC they're not.

[Spudey]

I think with that set up i'd be concerned what happens in the fast corners...

 

Steve

 

It seems quite consistent in the fast corners, I think I can feel it tightening up while accelerating out of the junction into some bends at the end of my road. I don't know how progressve the setup is (does it remain constant when you go over a certain speed?).

Edited 25 July, 2014 by Spudey

[Orville]

Compared to previous sports cars I have owned, the feedback from my VRS steering wheel is akin to having sex whilst wearing 4 condoms. Electric steering offers little or no feel for what is going on between the rubber and the road, and the best single word I can find to describe it is "numb".

 

However, the steering is very precise, well-weighed and responsive. It is just hard to feel the what is going on you through the wheel itself.