Moza FSR

Our rating: 9.6/10

Sim-racing is a motorsport discipline that has gained considerable momentum in recent years, thanks to some major players in the industry. It’s clear that virtually all gamers, whether on console or PC, are familiar with brands such as Logitech or Thrustmaster. These two names alone more or less dominate the entry-level sim-racing segment, thanks to good-quality and often inexpensive products.

But as with virtually every product on the market, there are players in different segments: entry-level, mid-range and high-end. It’s always been that way, for the simple reason that some people can afford to buy expensive products, and others can’t.

Among the brands operating in the premium segment of simu products, we have Moza Racingwho is a young player but intends to compete with the big names in the industry. In the space of about three years, this brand has developed and marketed a whole range of sim-racing peripherals, including bases Direct Drivesteering wheels, pedals and other accessories. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to the manufacturer’s top-of-the-range steering wheel, the FSR. I’m going to tell you about this steering wheel’s strong points, its few weak points and give you my opinion on it.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

• Formula-style steering wheel with 28 cm diameter
• 4.3-inch LCD display on faceplate with 800 x 480 resolution
• Perforated leather handles
• Carbon fiber faceplate
• 4 forged carbon fiber blades
• Aluminum alloy structure
• 10 backlit mechanical buttons
• 5 switches
• RevLED on top of front panel

Design

Let’s start with the look of this steering wheel: it’s simply sublime, nothing to say about that. From the huge screen at the top, to the perforated leather grips, to the carbon fiber faceplate, the FSR is a beautiful steering wheel to behold and to have in your hands.

The dominant color on this wheel is black, with only backlit buttons in different colors, plus stickers encircling the switches. It’s a bit flashy, but it’s beautiful. Even if you’re more of a sober flyer, as I am, the FSR is sublime and will certainly please you.

Customized assembly

This is Moza Racing’s top-of-the-range steering wheel, and the most expensive too. For his montage, we’re treated to Moza’s QR, which is reputed to be one of the best, alongside Simagic’s, which bears a striking resemblance to it (spoiler: it’s more or less the same).

The FSR can be used on virtually all the bases offered by Moza, from the R5 to the R21, strangely avoiding the R12. As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t make sense to offer this steering wheel with an R5 and not do it with an R12… Anyway…

To fit, simply pull the QR ring, align the steering wheel in place, install and release the ring. Simple, fast and very user-friendly. Communication between the base station and the steering wheel is wireless, so there’s no need to worry about connection pins, as is the case with the bases from Fanatec.

Manufacturing and finishing

For this steering wheel, Moza used three materials: carbon fiber for the 5mm-thick faceplate, aluminum alloy for the structure and perforated leather for the handles. Well, I have to admit that I would have liked a carbon fiber structure, given the price of the thing (I’ll come back to that below), but the aluminum alloy is well-made, so it’s okay.

The build quality is superb, apart from a few minor flaws here and there, such as glued switches that can sometimes come loose. Well, it’s not bad and the risk of it happening is low, but it can happen.

As for the rest (structure, carbon fiber and leather), I really have nothing to say about the FSR. This steering wheel is exemplary in terms of build quality and finish.

Handling the steering wheel

The grip on the FSR is superb. This wheel is very ergonomic, which is to be expected given that it’s inspired by those used in Formula racing. All buttons, apart from the switches in the center of the faceplate, are within easy reach of your fingers, even when running.

At the rear, there are 4 forged carbon-fiber paddles, 2 of which can be used for Launch Control, clutch and all the rest. These, along with the gearshift buttons, click very well and are easy to reach.

What’s more, the LCD screen offers tons of information about the track and the car, greatly enhancing the ergonomics of the FSR. Also, there’s a RevLED on the top of the faceplate, but it’s a bit old-fashioned (first generation) if you compare it to the ones on Moza’s latest steering wheels.

Sensations during play

Once installed on its Moza Racing base, or any other base for that matter, as this steering wheel can be used with peripherals other than those from the Chinese manufacturer, thanks to a USB cable, it’s time to take a spin on simu.

To begin with, the driving position is very good, honestly standard for steering wheels in this category. Given the Moza FSR’s excellent ergonomics, using it will be a real pleasure for budding racers who enjoy GT or Formula racing. Everything is superbly well thought out so that buttons, switches and paddles are easy to reach.

Moza’s QR provides a bolt-on connection between the impact wrench and the driveshaft, greatly improving feel in play. However, not everything is perfect with this steering wheel, and two points prove it. Firstly, the FSR is a little heavy, due to its aluminum alloy structure. Secondly, this steering wheel is not yet compatible with SimHub, which limits screen customization.

It’s true that you can display a lot of data on the latter, but many other options are under SimHub, which doesn’t allow for much customization on the FSR. I can only hope that Moza will put things right in the very near future.

Compatibility

The FSR is a PC-only wheel, with or without Moza bases via a USB connection. In terms of peripherals (bases), the FSR will work with the R5, R9, R16 and R21. If you ask me, skip the R5s and R9s, as this steering wheel is a bit heavy for these bases, and you’re bound to get clipping if you push them to their maximum.

As for the sim-racing titles, the list is long on the Moza site, and you won’t have many problems with them, except perhaps for Forza Horizon 4 and 5, but hey, we already know that.

Value for money

At Moza’s authorized distributor in France, the FSR sells for €699 incl. VAT, and I managed to find it for something like €580 excl. tax on the net, but in another country on the old continent. As far as I’m concerned, the FSR’s value for money is very good, even if concessions had to be made to sell it at €700 or less.

Admittedly, it’s not as premium as some of our competitors’ wheels, but it’s important to remember that the FSR is aggressively priced, yet of very high quality.

My verdict

I really enjoyed sim-racing sessions with this wheel. Its design is to die for, especially with the screen in the middle. It’s just gorgeous, as are the features, which are present in abundance. What’s more, this steering wheel is not only compatible with Moza bases, but also with those of other brands.

But the picture isn’t perfect, and the FSR still has a few bugs to pick, not least its rather heavy weight and lack of compatibility with SimHub. In my opinion, if Moza made this steering wheel SimHub-compatible, it would be considered by many more racers.

As far as I’m concerned, I’d recommend it to those who aren’t into screen customization and all that. If you’re just looking for a beautiful steering wheel that will work very well with Moza bases in Formula or GT, the FSR is for you.