Thrustmaster NASCAR Charger 2

Thrustmaster has listened to the racing fans and have updated their entry-level wheel. The new Thrustmaster NASCAR Charger 2 wheel is worth a second look for the occasional racer. If you are tight on space and cash then this wheel is perfectly serviceable. Although still the lowest rated wheel in this review the NASCAR Charger 2 is a legitimate choice for it's intended audience. Honestly though, better wheels can be found for very little money these days.

The NASCAR Charger 2 still has the smallest diameter steering wheel (9.5" outside diameter) of all the units I tested. The small wheel with it's fairly thin textured plastic grip surface is pretty unremarkable when compared to the rest of the controllers on this list.

Also notable are the extremely compact pedals that are included. A little disconterting at first but they could be a real asset if space is a concern at your desk.

Convenience

This wheel is extremely small and light and takes up the least amount of desktop space. Thrustmaster's standard clamping mechanism is a single 'V' shaped clamp with a quick-release latch that was above average in convenience.

Installation of the included device drivers was quick and painless. Thrustmaster has overcome the "twitchiness" problem that I saw in the earlier model. The Charger 2 calibrates solidly and performs adequately.

The Feel

The smaller diameter all-plastic wheel makes for less precise steering, but lets be honest here. If you are racing online or spending 5 consecutive hours running 500 laps at Dover you probably have moved up to one of the other wheels on this list. For it's price and intended audience the wheel drives well. I did note a stronger than expected return to center spring. This wheel actually works quite well for road racing sims like F1 Challenge.

The pedals are another story. The small pedals are a bit uncomfortable to drive for long periods of time and tended to slide around more than the others tested.