MOMO Steering Wheel Review: Best Off-Road Steering Wheel?

When you are preparing an overlanding vehicle, it is easy to focus on the BIG upgrades first.

Roof rack. Lights. Storage. Recovery gear. Extra fuel.

But sometimes, the upgrades you touch every single time you drive make the biggest difference.

That is why we installed the Nero Leather/Suede Steering Wheel 14 Inches MOMO Black 350MM on our Defender.

The original steering wheel worked fine, but it was too large, old, and not enjoyable to use.

Since we are preparing the car for a long overlanding adventure, we wanted the driving position to feel better, especially for long days behind the wheel.

The MOMO steering wheel immediately felt different. But is this the best off-road steering wheel? Let’s have a look!

It is smaller than the original wheel, which makes the steering feel a bit more direct.

The leather and suede combination also makes the grip section feel much smoother and more premium in your hands, especially compared to an older factory steering wheel.

For us, this was not just a cosmetic upgrade. It genuinely made the car nicer to drive.

Quick verdict

 

Quick verdict: Why we chose the MOMO Nero steering wheel
🛞 Smaller steering feel Feels more direct than the original wheel	✋ Better grip The thicker wheel feels smoother and easier to hold
🚙 Great for overlanding Makes long driving days a lot nicer	⚙️ Smooth installation Everything went on without major issues
✅ MOMO authenticity It can be scanned with NFC to verify it	🔥 Interior upgrade Makes the cabin feel much more premium
💎 Premium materials Leather and suede are far better than cheaper aftermarket wheels	🛠️ Solid construction Feels rigid, strong, and properly built in your hands
👌 350MM size A smaller diameter makes steering feel more responsive	💰 Downside: Expensive Feels like a real quality upgrade instead of just cosmetic

Why we upgraded the steering wheel

A steering wheel is one of those parts you touch constantly.

On a short drive, that might not matter much. But when you are building a vehicle for overlanding, long-distance travel, and rougher roads, the small comfort upgrades start to matter a lot more.

The original wheel on our car felt bigger and more basic. It did the job, but it did not make the car feel especially nice to drive.

The MOMO Nero 350MM steering wheel feels smaller in your hands because it is smaller than the original wheel (both have 36 splines). That immediately changed the driving feel.

Turning feels nicer, the grip feels smoother, and the whole car feels more intentional.

This is not the biggest upgrade we have done to the car, but it is one of those changes you notice every single time you sit behind the wheel.

Installing the MOMO Nero steering wheel

The installation went smoothly for us.

Compared to some of the bigger overlanding upgrades we have been doing, this was a much simpler change. No complicated wiring, no major fabrication, and no long troubleshooting session afterward.

You have to make sure to also order the right Momo steering hub with it, since it does not fit directly on the steering wheel column.

We did not connect the cables for the horn button since a Defender horn has a separate switch with a different connector.

Once installed, the wheel immediately felt like it belonged in the car.

The fun NFC authenticity feature of the Momo steering wheel

One of the coolest (yet unnecessary) details was something we did not expect.

You can scan the authenticity of the MOMO steering wheel by holding an NFC reader to the wheel.

We did not even know putting trackens in a steering wheel was a thing. Is it nice to know we have the authentic steering wheel? Of course. Is it a bit overkill? Yup.

How does it feel compared to the original wheel?

The biggest difference is the feel.

The MOMO Nero feels:

• smaller
• smoother
• nicer to grip
• easier to turn
• more premium than the original wheel

The leather and suede combination gives it a much nicer texture in your hands in terms of grip embroidery.

You can also see that the stitching patterns are made by hand, which is just insane if you think about it.

It also makes the cabin feel less old and more prepared for the kind of vehicle we are building.

What could be better

The biggest downside is still the price.

At nearly 600 euros, the MOMO Nero costs significantly more than many generic aftermarket steering wheels online.

However, after installing it, we understood why.

A lot of cheaper steering wheels focus mostly on appearance, but they often feel thinner, lighter, less rigid, or use lower-quality materials that do not feel especially premium once installed.

The MOMO Nero feels noticeably more solid and better built.

The smaller 350MM diameter, combined with the thicker grip, makes the steering feel more direct while also feeling easier and more comfortable to hold during long drives.

That said, if you are simply looking for the cheapest possible steering wheel replacement, this probably is not the upgrade for you.

Suede vs leather steering wheel feel

Before installing the MOMO Nero, we were unsure whether we would actually notice a difference between suede and standard leather during normal driving.

But after using it for a while, the feel is quite different.

The suede sections give the wheel a softer and grippier texture, especially during longer drives or warmer weather when your hands naturally move around the wheel more.

Meanwhile, the leather sections make the wheel feel smoother and easier to clean than a full suede steering wheel.

That combination ended up being one of our favorite parts of the MOMO Nero.

It is more premium than a standard factory wheel without becoming overly sporty or uncomfortable for long-distance overlanding travel.

The thicker grip also helps. Combined with the suede texture, the wheel feels easier to hold securely during rougher roads and off-road driving.

Is the MOMO Nero steering wheel worth it?

For us, yes.

The Nero Leather/Suede Steering Wheel 14 Inches MOMO Black 350MM is a small upgrade, but it changed the feel of the car immediately.

It looks better, feels smoother, turns nicer, and makes the interior feel more finished.

If you are preparing a Defender or another old 4×4 for overlanding and want the driving experience to feel better, this is one of those interior upgrades that makes sense.

It is not the cheapest thing to change, but it is something you will notice every single time you drive.