These Are Your Favorite Factory Steering Wheel Designs

Mazda — nice 3-spoke, right size, right thickness. I had the R3, which I sold stupidly and regret to this day. Also 2018 Mazda3. But new models all seem similar.

Suggested by: DLBedford

Honestly yeah, all new Mazdas have fantastic steering wheels.

The steering wheel on my MY24 GR Corolla is the correct diameter i.e. smaller than average and all the buttons (I didn’t like them and still prefer to use physical controls on the console) are on the correct side given it is a manual transmission car.

Suggested by: Deepak V.

A great, simple modern wheel.

Growing up, we had a rusty 1963 Corvair Convertible that needed to be restored. I attempted a restoration and didn’t do a good job. With that being said, the steering wheel was so cool on it (although deadly by today’s standards).

Since the car had manual steering, the wheel had to be big, which it was, but not too much. It had these finger notches that fit my hand well. But the coolest thing was the horn ring. It had style and was easy to operate no matter how you placed your hands on the wheel. I found this one on E-bay and still love the style.

I’m sure a lot of other cars from the ear had cool wheels as well. One of those cool details is that these wheels were actually a bit oval. Just enough to balance out the steering effort as you cranked hard over on them by being a bit larger diameter when you needed it to be.

Suggested by: hoser68

Horn rings rule.

Spyker’s propeller steering wheel. Apparently only first 50 cars came out with them? Then they had to put the crappy one with an airbag.

Suggested by: whale

Ugh yeah, the airbag wheels are so disappointing. The propellor is definitely one of the best of all time.

The square C8 wheel is great as it allows easy visual access to the gauges.

I absolutely love the steering wheel on my C8. Now my C6 (aka Cobalt parts bin special) , not so much

Suggested by: Guest1, HokieZs

Despite mostly hating the car I’m a big fan of the C8’s interior, especially the steering wheel.

I like mine. 2022 Crosstrek. The buttons are extremely intuitive, everything falls to your thumb easily, buttons on the back of the wheel are well within reach of your fingers without having to let go of the wheel, and the wheel is a good size in comparison to the rest of the dash.

Suggested by: JohnnyWasASchoolBoy

I can’t get behind this one, sorry. Subaru’s current steering wheels are not good.

I love the pre-airbag Ferrari steering wheels. Very simple, lightweight, no frills except for the Ferrari badging. Combine that with the third degree burns to your palm metal gated shifter and that’s the classic Ferrari interior that I’m sure a bunch of here remember (and miss.)

Suggested by: Xavier96

Ferrari did know how to design an excellent steering wheel once upon a time.

B5 RS4

Simple, no buttons, perforated leather, matches the rest of the interior. Youll also notice that the wheel isnt so thick that you cant see anything past it (thanks BMW). Also top 5 gauge clusters ever.

Suggested by: Mike Poster

Audi’s best era of design, I think.

M3 E46 CSL / Competion Package has a pretty clean intuitive design wrapped in Alcantara with M tri color stitching before it was cool. Perfectly circular with thumb rests. An M badge discreetly adorns the bottom.

One button only, M Track mode. It enduces threshold oversteer to maximize grip allowing the driver to easily floor it out of corners. That’s the secret weapon.

It pairs well with the faster steering rack not found in the regular m3 e46.

Equipped with SMG the paddle shifters are small and rotate with the wheel, the right setup because the driver can still use floor mounted shifter on corners.

I converted mine to stick shift, but honestly the SMG is much faster when time matters. If you turn off stability control SMG’s S6 setting will shift nearly as quick as a dual clutch.

2nd choice 2016 Prius steering wheel. Yes. It may look cluttered, but it does not get in the way of spirited driving , but it’s the optimal size, smaller, but very similar to the m3 steering wheel. It has a faster steering rack than the M3, paired with the shorter wheel base, and the secret settings that induce trail braking, the Prius will smoke the M3 on the tightest switchback corners and is king of one handed driving into tight parking spots. That’s why every Prius can easily cut you off. 

Suggested by: Cdfp3

I’m not much of an E46 guy, but it is a damn good wheel.

It would have to be the weird two-spoke wheel from the Subaru XT. Quirkiest part of an interior full of quirks, and having driven one briefly back in the 90s, surprisingly functional.

Suggested by: LarriveeC05

This is easily one of my all-time favorites, both because of the shape and design and also the control pods that move along with the wheel.

1965 VW Beetle steering wheel. Simple, light(ish), lovely emblem in the center, comfortable to hold. Horn button in a place where you could rest your palm on the bottom of the steering and press it or you could have both hands at 9 and 3 and be able to press the horn without any trouble. Easy to see the guage (singular, no cluster), easy to see your feet positioning.

Excellent response/feedback from the road also a plus.

Suggested by: Salman

Just about as simple as it gets, and that’s why it’s so good. 

I know tastes have changed greatly since then, but I remember my dad bringing home a 1989 Pontiac Grand Prix and the wheel had BUTTONS ALL OVER IT! Combined with a gauge cluster that was like nothing I’d ever seen, it was like something out of Star Trek.

Suggested by: TRath

I love this wheel so much. I want to see a modern version, though I’m sure it would probably be tough given airbags and such things.

I’ve bought 3 Auroras. The wheel is a good size, the audio and climate buttons are clear and simple, of course I’m going to submit this. 

Suggested by: Drg84

Okay grandpa let’s get you to bed.