MOZA R5 Bundle: a real Direct Drive package? My full review

The MOZA R5 Bundle is aimed at a very specific segment: those who want to switch to Direct Drive without blowing their budget, or getting lost in an overly complex setup. It's a "turnkey" kit: compact Direct Drive base, GT-style steering wheel and entry-level crankset. The idea is clear: to offer the sensations of a Direct Drive steering wheel, in a plug & play PC format.

This bundle is just as appealing because it comes up against the entry/mid-range kits from the historic brands, but with a slightly different philosophy: a 100 % Direct Drive ecosystem from the outset, a modern design and a fairly comprehensive in-house software suite.

For my part, I'm approaching it from a very concrete angle: precision of force feedback, quality of feel, ease of adjustment and relevance of the investment for a simracer who wants to progress. Above all, I'm interested in seeing if this pack holds up against well-established belt-driven bases, and if it can serve as a real foundation for a setup that's about to evolve.

This is a product that promises immersion, control and a step up from classic entry-level wheels. It remains to be seen how far it really goes and where its limits lie.

Design and manufacture of the MOZA R5 Bundle

The R5's base immediately gives an impression of compactness and density. The metal chassis inspires confidence, with a sober, unadorned yet clean finish. In hand, the whole thing feels heavy for its size, which is a good sign in terms of rigidity. There's none of the "hollow box" feel sometimes found on lower-end products.

The steering wheel supplied in the bundle is clearly GT / all-round oriented. The structure is rigid, the grip is correct, and the coating holds well in the hand. It's not premium leather, but the feel is pleasant, and the buttons fall nicely under the fingers. The paddles are crisp, with a clear click, even if we don't feel we're on the same level of refinement as a high-end steering wheel. It's more of a serious compromise than a "luxury" item.

The crankset is the most entry-level part of the package. Correctly constructed, rather light, mostly metal but without any "tank" effect. The brake pedal lacks a little progressiveness by default, feeling more like a spring than a real work on pressure sensation. For a first setup, it does the job, but an already demanding rider will quickly find its limits.

Nevertheless, overall assembly inspires confidence. Once mounted on a rigid stand or cockpit, the whole unit hardly moves at all. Compared to a mid-range belt-driven steering wheel, the R5 often feels more compact and denser, even if the crankset remains below that offered by some of our competitors' bundles that are more focused on this point.

What's immediately surprising is the size: for a Direct Drive base, it remains very contained. Where I'm a little more reserved is on the "premium feel" of the steering wheel and pedals, which remain at a level consistent with the price, but not beyond.

Settings, customization and compatibility

The strength of the MOZA R5 also lies in its software. The MOZA (Pit House) software offers fairly straightforward settings, with presets for different types of play and advanced options for those who like to fine-tune. Navigation is generally intuitive, with key FFB parameters easy to find without getting lost in obscure menus.

The really useful settings for adapting the product revolve around overall force, vibration filtration and surface detail management. It's easy to make the steering wheel softer and more forgiving for a beginner, or on the contrary, rougher and more direct for a user used to the Direct Drive basics. There is a learning curve, but it remains reasonable. You can get a good feeling fairly quickly, then refine it little by little.

In terms of compatibility, the bundle is PC-oriented. There is no native connection to the main consoles, and this is a point to be taken into account before purchase. For a console-only gamer, this is clearly not the right choice. For a PC user, on the other hand, integration with most modern sims is good, and the steering wheel is recognized without major difficulty.

The MOZA ecosystem is beginning to be well-stocked: other steering wheels, more advanced cranksets, shifters, a handbrake... The R5 can therefore be used as an entry point into a range that allows you to progressively upgrade. It's easy to start with the bundle, then upgrade the crankset or steering wheel later, without changing the base.

In terms of upgradeability, I see it as a durable base for a beginner to intermediate simracer. It's not a torque monster designed for the very highest level, with a big steel cockpit and the whole pro ecosystem around it, but it's more than enough for serious, regular use, and to progress for a long time before feeling a real limit.

MOZA R5 Bundle: in-game sensations

This is where the R5 really comes into its own. The switch to Direct Drive is immediately noticeable if you come from a belt-driven or geared steering wheel. Force feedback is more direct, cleaner, with less latency and "fuzziness" between what the car does and what you feel in your hands.

In terms of FFB accuracy, the R5 stands up very well for its torque class. You can clearly feel the variations in load on the front end, the slight easing of steering under braking, the car easing off on a vibrator or when climbing a kerb. You immediately understand what the car is doing. The forces are not monstrous, but the information is legible, which is often more important than raw power.

In the corners, the base gives a good feeling of consistency. The middle of the track is clean, with no marked dead zones, and the transitions between grip and understeer are easy to feel. Where it gets interesting is during phases of light slippage or grip limits: you can feel when the front end starts to float and when the rear moves, without it going off in all directions. You get the sensation of being able to work the steering wheel in fine detail.

Grip reading is one of the great strengths of a product in this segment. Compared to a less powerful and less precise base unit, you gain in nuance. It's not just big racket hits that come up, but also small vibrations that indicate a tire that's tiring, a more aggressive vibrator or a car that's starting to overheat its rear axle.

The vibrators, in fact, go down well. You can feel the difference between a flat vibrator, a "sawed-off" vibrator and an aggressive one. The R5 doesn't turn them into cartoonish tremors, but into texture. It's more like reading a surface than a jackhammer, and that's appreciated over long sessions.

Over extended sessions, the FFB remains stable. The base shows no obvious signs of power loss when hot under normal conditions of use. You can string races together without struggling against a flywheel that becomes sluggish or erratic. Noise levels remain low, which is a real plus when playing in a shared environment.

For quick corrections, the base responds well. The steering wheel refocuses quickly, without excessive inertia, and follows inputs without any perceptible delay. For rallying, drifting or simply catching a slip on the circuit, there's the necessary responsiveness. It's not an ultra-powerful base, so you don't get your arms ripped off, but there's enough peachiness to feel the transfers and work cleanly.

Compared to a more powerful base, we obviously lose in brute force, impact violence and margin for those who like to ride with a very high FFB. But for many riders, this level of torque is already more than sufficient, especially if the cockpit is not ultra-rigid. Compared with entry-level belt- or gear-driven steering wheels, the jump in immersion and confidence is clear.

All in all, the R5 has a serious, credible feel that makes you feel confident. You feel the car come alive under your hands, without having to fight against the hardware. This is where the base really changes the experience: driving feels more natural, more fluid, and you concentrate more on the trajectory than on the limits of the steering wheel.

Who's it for? What we like, what we don't like

The MOZA R5 Bundle is aimed above all at the motivated simracer who wants to take a real step forward from a mainstream steering wheel. Serious PC beginners, intermediate gamers who drive regularly, drivers who want their first Direct Drive without starting out on a torque monster: it's this audience that gets the most value out of it. For console users, on the other hand, the product immediately loses its meaning due to the lack of native compatibility.

Among the strong points, the first is the sensation/compactness ratio. We've got a real Direct Drive, legible and precise, in a small base that's easy to integrate into a home setup or small cockpit. The second positive point is the ecosystem: the R5 can be used as an entry point to other MOZA flywheels, more serious cranksets, etc., without having to buy the whole thing again. Finally, the quality of the FFB for the category is really interesting: clean, informative, usable to progress in piloting. You can feel where the tires are going, and that makes all the difference.

In terms of limitations, the original pedalboard is clearly the weakest link in the bundle. It works, but doesn't exploit the full potential of a Direct Drive in terms of overall feel. A simracer with a taste for the R5 will sooner or later want to replace it with a more progressive model, ideally with a pressure sensor. Another limitation is that the lack of console compatibility closes the door to a certain segment of the public, especially those who share their setup between PC and console. Finally, the base's moderate power may seem a little inadequate for those who dream of a beefy FFB or who ride a big, ultra-rigid steel cockpit with very high-end expectations.

In terms of investment, the R5 Bundle is well positioned. You're paying for a real step up in quality from the entry-level range, with a base that will remain usable for a long time. The price also includes the simplicity of the complete package. It's not the most profitable choice for someone who immediately wants a very high-level pedalboard, but for a first coherent and evolutionary Direct Drive setup, the perceived value is solid.

Verdict: the MOZA R5 Bundle in a sim racing setup

The MOZA R5 Bundle changes one thing above all in a setup: the quality and finesse of the force feedback, compared to a belt or gear flywheel. We're entering the world of Direct Drive with a compact, usable and generally well-thought-out piece of hardware. It's a real pivot from "serious leisure" sim racing to something more precise and immersive.

On the market, I clearly place it in the Direct Drive mid-range. Not at the level of very powerful bases intended for pro setups, but well above classic entry-level solutions. It's not a gadget, it's a serious base, with a coherent bundle to start with.

I'd recommend it without hesitation to a PC user who rides regularly, who wants a clean, compact, upgradeable setup, and who accepts the idea of upgrading the crankset in the medium term. For a rider already equipped with an excellent crankset, or aiming for a very high-end cockpit, you'll need to weigh up the power of the base against your performance objectives.

If you're looking for a convincing, compact, PC-oriented first Direct Drive, capable of making real progress without breaking the bank, this product can clearly make the difference in your setup.