Moza Racing is a newcomer to the global sim-racing scene. In the space of just a few years, this Chinese manufacturer has managed to find the resources to develop and market excellent racing products, which are both high-quality and aggressively priced. It has to be said that the task is not that simple, as Moza is up against a number of sim-racing giants, notably Fanatec and Simagicalthough the latter is not very popular in France.

Be that as it may, Chinese manufacturer Moza is determined to do battle with the other players in the segment, and its objective is quite simple: to wrest market share from brands that have been in the game for some time. Will he succeed? A very good question, and we’re going to try and answer it.

Moza offers several bundles, including the R5 , which consists of a steering wheel, Direct Drive base and pedalboard. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to this bundle, tell you about its strengths and weaknesses, and tell you what I think of it.

Main and technical features of the bundle

• Base Direct Drive with max. torque of 5.5 nm
• Aluminum construction
• 2-pedal crankset, but upgradable with clutch and performance kit for brake pedal
• Flat-bottomed leather steering wheel with a diameter of approx. 28 cm
• Compatible only with PC and Pit House software
• Infinite angle of rotation
• 1000 Hz base refresh rate
• 18 buttons, D-Pad and 2 palettes

Moza R5 design

For the design of the R5 bundle, Moza really didn’t mess around too much, I think. The R5 base bears a striking resemblance to the Fanatec CSL DDwith an overall X-shaped design very typical of Moza’s entry-level and mid-range devices. I’ll tell you right now: Moza bases with up to 12 nm of torque are virtually identical in shape.

As for the steering wheel, it’s theES, with a rather cool, minimalist design. Leather is used all around, with a white band at the top. The steering wheel has a flat bottom, and the controls are spread across the faceplate.

As for the crankset, it’s the all-black SR-P Lite, which I have to admit is very handsome and far superior in design to its direct competitor from Fanatec. All in all, this R5 bundle is stylish, beautiful and goes perfectly with sim-racing rigs.

Customized assembly

By default, the bundle comes with Moza’s Table Clamp, which can be installed on virtually any piece of furniture in your home. The bundle can be mounted on a table or desk.

As for the crankset, it’s fitted with rubber pads for good adhesion to the ground. As the SR-P is not a Load Cell crankset, it can be used on the ground, so there’s no problem.

The R5 base can also be mounted on a chassis or stand, thanks to screw slots on the bottom. As a result, you can attach this base to a rig from below, and most of those available on the market support this base without the slightest problem.

Manufacturing and finishing the R5 bundle

Moza didn’t beat about the bush for its base: the company used aluminum from the aerospace industry for the R5 body, an aluminum alloy for the ES steering wheel structure, and reinforced steel for the SR-P Lite crankset.

As far as the finish is concerned, I really have nothing to say: everything is just about perfect, with the exception of a few points concerning the steering wheel buttons. But that’s really no problem at all.

Manufacturing quality has improved significantly with this new R5 bundle, and is now on a par with the competition in the same segment. And this applies to virtually all the peripherals found with the R5, be it the steering wheel, the base or the pedals. As I said earlier, Moza products are of the highest quality, and you’ll be able to confirm this when you get your hands on this bundle.

Getting started with the bundle

The ES wheel is 28 cm in diameter, with a flat bottom. Grip-wise, it’s very good, largely due to the fact that the wheel is not very large and the buttons are placed on the ends of the faceplate.

There are 18 buttons, 2 palettes and 1 D-Pad, most of them easily accessible. Some buttons are spongy, I must admit, but that’s not the end of the world either. The entire steering wheel is easy to get to grips with, and you can feel the high level of solidity, thanks to the aluminum-alloy structure.

The pedals are a different story. True, the pedals are highly adjustable in terms of spacing or pedal plate, but the feel is identical on both, brake and throttle, forcing you to pay for the performance kit. It’s a real shame, and I’ll come back to this point in more detail shortly.

Sensations during play

It’s time to talk about the feel of this bundle, mainly its base and pedals, as ergonomics are excellent with Moza’s ES steering wheel. Well, let’s start with the base.

On paper, the R5 develops 5.5 nm of maximum torque, which should give it a slight advantage over a Fanatec CSL DD. But in reality, this is not the case. True, the R5 provides plenty of details and information about the track and, above all, the car’s behavior, but it clearly feels like it’s missing something.

Force feedback, when the base is at full throttle, is not as fine as the competition, and there’s a sense of fuzziness when the base is saturated, which is almost certainly due to the product’s still-unpolished software and control algorithm. Subtle sensations such as the near limit of front-end grip loss, or even slight body movements, are not perceptible on the R5.

However, this base is great for beginners to Direct Drive steering, something that can’t really be said of the crankset. To put it simply: the two pedals are identical in terms of feel, and you’ll need the performance kit on the brake pedal to get any feel for it. In stock form, this brake pedal is borderline Thrusmaster T3PA I’d say, and there’s hardly anyone in the feel department. It’s a real shame as far as I’m concerned.

R5 Bundle compatibility

Like virtually the entire Moza range, the R5 bundle is PC-only compatible with sim-racing titles running on this platform. As for compatibility with the rest of the Moza ecosystem, the R5 doesn’t support 2 of the brand’s steering wheels (the CS V1 and GS V1), but otherwise it’s fine.

Value for money

Currently, this bundle retails for €549, and you’ll need to add another €30 to get the performance brake pedal kit, which is essential for a good feel.

Today, its value for money is much better than it was when it was launched (sold at nearly 690). At 550, its value for money is pretty good, I’d say, but no more than that, as the competition is pretty fierce in the same segment.

My verdict on the R5 Bundle from Moza Racing

There’s no denying that the R5’s direct competitor is the CSL DD (bundled or not). At the same price, Fanatec’s bundle is clearly more attractive because it’s not only cheaper, but also more powerful, with more communication emanating from the Direct Drive base and, above all, a better pedalboard. The CSL Pedals aren’t perfect, of course, but they’re better than the stock SR-P Lite.

However, Moza’s QR bundle is borderline perfect, among the best available on the market. If you’re just starting out in sim-racing and Moza appeals to you, the R5 bundle is worth a try with the performance kit for the bottom bracket. But if you’re a racer who knows a thing or two about racing, I’d recommend the Fanatec ecosystem.