DSport+ understeer

[Chrisp]

What are other peoples thoughts on understeer with the DSport+ handling? Been finding the front end doesn't fill me with confidence to drive quite hard, or even push it a bit harder than normal. Had a couple of moments where it's nearly caught me out unexpected. Tyres are the ones that came with it, all inflated correctly

[Yellow]

We did 70kph through a slalom and 90kph into a corner (braking mid corner) car was rock solid. Instructors took over and added even more speed.

[gar074]

Two questions...

1. What's your point of reference? If it's your Type R Impreza, then it's a no brainer that your DS3 will suffer in comparison in terms of grip, hence the understeer as you approach the limit. Mine's better than most fwd cars I've driven (but not better than my old Leon Cupra, I'd say), but it's nowhere near as grippy and neutral in its handling as my chum's R26R or, I daresay, an Impreza.

2. What tyres are you on? The original-fit Potenzas have very good grip (in the dry, at least) and super-stiff side-walls, which gives great confidence through the bends, but I remember reading somewhere that DSports now come fitted with Michelin Energy Savers on the HDi's. Energy Saving Tyres = Less Grip = More Understeer.

[Bigfeet]

The understeer in the DS3 is there really for a reason. Most manufactures actually dial in understeer into their cars as the majority of us are not racing drivers (even if we like to think we are!) and when a car understeers much earlier than a car that oversteers which tells us that we are pushing things too much.

[DaveB]

Energy Saving Tyres = Less Grip = More Understeer.

My VTi has Energy Savers on 16" wheels; doesn't understeer significantly more than the PoS Alfa 147 it replaced, which was on 16" Primacy HPs, in fact there's much less of the feeling that the outside front wheel is carrying all the weight of the car. At higher speeds I can feel all four wheels working, which suggests that 1990s-Peugeot-style lift-off oversteer may be possible!

[mattds3sport]

oversteer is possible in the THP but the esp cuts out power n stops u in ur tracks. but happy days if u switch it off

[Chrisp]

I'm fully aware that understeer is dialled in rather than oversteer, not comparing to my Impreza as that has oversteer mostly due to my suspension setup and more power to the back.
The comparison is to my old focus and reviews that say how good the ds3 handling is, it has got michelins on it, wasn't aware that they were the economy ones, the older Dsport I test drove was better, guessing its the tyres then as they let go really quite easily when I wasn't pushing that hard which I wasn't expecting

[Bigfeet]

A lot of it could be down to your driving technique, the DS3 is one of those cars that slow in fast out is what it does better.

[Sameer_DS3]

I very much agree, when I first got my Ds3 I didn't have much confidence in the front end and i put it down to tyres at first but after getting used to it and adapting my driving technique it gets me from AtoB rapidly. slow in fast out at FTW. love the handling now. Especially on windy fluid corners you can be really smooth that's where it responds the best IMO

Tho I would rather sacrifice some of that sharper turn in for some softer tyre walls. Id rather those michelins. Im on potenza's