My 2004 Passat has stiffer steering then my 2004 Camry. Lets just say that I can steer Camry with one finger and Passat needs both the hands at slower speeds. Is it normal. PS Fluids are genuine and car has been single handed. Only 40K miles. Waht could be the problem. Oh…I just bought it a month ago.
Have it checked out if you’re conecrned, but steering varies widely. My '05 tC needs both hands at very slow speeds. My '05 Corolla was medium-easy. My friend’s 2002 Corolla is one-finger.
“car has been single handed”
The former owner of the Passat only had one hand? That is a shame.
However, apparently he was able to drive this car for 6 years or so with no problem.
Am I correct?
;-))
Anyway…
VWs are known for being “driver’s cars”, i.e.–very well-tuned suspension and steering for those who enjoy an “enthusiastic” driving experience.
Toyotas are known for isolating the driver from road conditions and for handling that is…not the best.
Taking these different handling characterisics into consideration, I strongly suspect that what you perceive is totally normal and is representative of the differences between the corporate philosophies of these two companies.
How about checking the front tire pressures for a start.
One of my major criticisms of the Camry for ages has been its seriously over-boosted power steering. Every last one I have been in has felt numb with next to no road feel because they’ve cranked up the PS system so much… so your description of your Camry’s handling sounds normal for that car.
As for the Passat? Well, I would expect it to need more effort (which I view as a good thing). But is it too much effort? Hard for us to tell. The only way to be sure is to have it checked out and make sure the PS system is functioning properly…