I’m going to make a wild guess . . .
This 2016 Toyota car you were test driving had electric power steering
Your “old car” has hydraulic power steering
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I found myself that transitioning from hydraulic to electric was at first something like “it is no feedback whatsoever”, but in few weeks I found that feedback is still present, but it is on much smaller scale.
Also, from my test-drives it seem that Mazda and Nissan have substantially more feedback in their take on electric assist than Honda and Toyota for example.
Several years ago I looked at Mazda Miatas and noticed they had a PSD (Power Steering Delete) option. With that light a car it might be what you want, if it’s still available. I decided to refurbish my 1989 Porsche -I think that was the last year before they went to power steering.
Anyway, you might try asking for the PSD option if you’re buying a new car.
And reduce the resale and trade in value by a substantial amount . I seriously doubt if that is even possible except for track only vehicles.
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If I were considering buying a plain jane used sedan and it turns out the original purchaser had opted for “power steering delete” . . . I would make an extremely low ball offer
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dn4690: I don’t know which car has what type of power steering. I was test driving the Avalon.
Mustangman: I have to think about that - it’s just automatic where I place my hands. Probably varies between 10/2 and 9/3.
One concern I have is that in an emergency maneuver, because of the “low resistance”, I’ll turn the wheel too much.
Old-mopar_Guy: Perhaps “road feel” is what’s missing though I’ve never quite understood what that term means.
Once you become accustomed to a given car I doubt this would happen.
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My 68 Dodge was manual and pretty much every car since has been power but can’t remember what the Corvair was. At any rate, I have never had an issue with under or over correcting on any of them in an abrupt maneuver. You learn the handling of the car and turn the wheel accordingly. Sometimes I’ve avoided and sometimes I haven’t but never lost control or rolled the car.
According to the Sheriff, while we are talking about it, he claims that you should not wrap your thumbs around the steering wheel anymore because of the air bags. He has seen lots of broken thumbs when the air bags go off. Hard to change though.
@bing. I don’t think any Corvair had power string. The Corvair didn’t need power steering. I owned a 1961 Corvair and I liked its steering feel and handling.
Yeah, it has electric power steering. As you increase speed the resistance will increase (which will be hard to notice because resistance from the wheels will decrease as with any car). It doesn’t provide nearly as much assistance when you’re moving as it does when you’re stopped or slow-rolling through a parking lot.
I can suggest a technique to prevent you from turning the wheel too much in an emergency manuver…
Look where you want the car to go. Look past the obstruction you wish to miss. Do not look at the obstacle… you will hit it if you do. Turn the wheel based on what you see. Don’t even think about how far you turn the wheel. Use your eyes.
This is the technique race drivers, test drivers and performance drivers use to control their cars. It is proven, it works. It does take some practice. Snow covered parking lots can be a place to practice at slow speeds.
But also understand that all modern cars (2011 and newer, I beleive) are equipped with electronic devices that can stop a skid by applying one or 2 brakes to turn the car even with your foot away from the brake. Forget about your concernd and trust the cars safety system will save even the least skilled driver.
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That is why I said you might want to take a defensive drivers course by AAA or AARP . Plus it mightl get you a slight rate decrease.
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Unless I missed something, you still haven’t told us what your “old car” is
That’s important, so that we have a reference
He has a 2000 Camry .
Thanks
It was actually a little tedious reading through all the comments
No offense to anybody who added their opinions
the hydraulic power steering on a 2000 Camry will NOT feel the same as the electric power steering on the typical new(er) vehicle
Different, sure, but dangerously different?
Not necessarily. The 2010 Corolla that I rented had EPS. My last car I bought in China had hydraulic PS. They both felt equally numb regardless of speed. My mom’s 07 Honda Fit and our new minivan both use EPS and they both have decent feedback.
It is a matter of how the manufacturer tune the steering system and how they tune it is based on buyers’ feedback. A Toyota Avalon buyer looking for a living room on wheels will have different priority than the one checking out the body hugging GT86 in the same showroom.
BTW, here’s a Q&A with an expert at ZF
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Interesting article . . .
I wonder what the guy would have to say today . . . I couldn’t help noticing it was from 2012
VOLVO_V70:
I take the AAA defensive drivers’ class every three years - but that is “book Learning”. It reduces the premium (slightly) but that doesn’t help me to feel I’m controlling the car with that electric PS.
When test driving the Avalon on the parkway and get to 55-60mph I feel that I’m not controlling what the car is doing - that it’s “on its own”.
Perhaps the difference between the Camry’s 4 cyl and the Avalon’s 6 cyl at that speed contributes to that feeling of lack of control.
Perhaps as some have said here that I’ll “get used to it” but test driving it now is…unsettling. And honestly a bit frightening.
I hold the wheel on the Camry securely but I’m not squeezing the daylights out of it. On the Avalon, when I got up to parkway speed, my hands were holding the wheel tightly like a vise. Which is neither a good nor safe way to drive.
But if all of the “modern” cars have that kind of electric PS then there’s no point in my going on an open-ended search for something else - that most likely does not exist. The 2016 Avalon’s ride (steering wheel aside) comfort and space do have a lot going for it. Especially at a reasonable price.
Nope , that has nothing to do with your phobia.