The steering wheel has become one of the most contested pieces of real estate in modern car design. Once a simple circle used to point a car in a different direction, it has been transformed into a rotating control suite, cluttered with buttons, knobs, switches and scrollers. Carmakers have spent years experimenting with shape and layout, adding function after function and straying from the traditional circular rim in the name of usability, only to make the driving experience worse.
The criticism is not aimed at all controls. A volume button, cruise control settings or a shortcut to disable driver assistance systems can be genuinely useful. But when the wheel becomes overloaded, the conflict between form and function intensifies. Touch-sensitive haptic icons on the spokes have drawn particular ire, with one critic suggesting that whoever approved them should never be allowed near a driver's seat again.
The stakes are high because the steering wheel is the main touchpoint of any car. It is as emblematic of a vehicle's character as the exterior silhouette, so it must look and feel right. If the rim is too thick, the shape too square or the spokes too wide, it can obscure and detract from the driving experience. The Alfa Romeo 4C, a lightweight sports car with a carbonfibre tub, is cited as an example of how a chunky wheel with an unorthodox shape, thick spokes and cheap shift paddles can tarnish an otherwise exciting machine. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Xpeng G6's squared-off wheel was designed to enhance its appearance but immediately annoyed the reviewer.
Not every manufacturer has lost its way. McLaren is praised for not affixing a single button to any of its steering wheels, a sign that the wheel has been designed solely for driving. Porsche's wheels are less minimalist, but the controls it does include have been chosen with care and enhance rather than distract from the experience. Porsche also gets rim proportions right, neither too cumbersome nor too thin. Toyota is described as a quiet hero of the helm: its cars are less overtly driver-focused and there are plenty of buttons to learn, but the rims are always well sized and fit nicely in the hands.
BMW M cars are sometimes criticised for chunky steering wheels, but the little red M1 and M2 drive mode triggers are held up as a successful example of functional design. The Alcantara-wrapped wheels in CS derivatives are considered a cut above. Done properly, a steering wheel can be its own work of art. The retro-inspired design of the BMW Z8 and Pagani's billet-aluminium artistry are cited as examples. The very best take inspiration from the past, proving that simplicity is key: round, sparsely furnished and thoughtfully finished.
The Momo Prototipo is singled out as an icon of the genre, ticking all the right boxes. Such wheels tend to appear in expensive cars, but they serve as proof that a simple circle can be a central component of motoring enjoyment, so long as it effectively serves the most important component: the human gripping it at ten and two.