More Strength for the Money Than Anything Else, But Does 21Nm of torque Actually Make the MOZA R21 Ultra a Better Wheelbase?
Moza’s new R21 Ultra arrives in an increasingly crowded part of the direct-drive market, and interestingly, it replaces a wheelbase that already occupied this exact torque class. So the obvious question is why this product exists, what’s actually been improved, and whether it offers anything meaningfully better than Moza’s previous R21 or the many alternatives at the same price point. That’s what this review will unpack in detail.
MOZA R21 Ultra Ratings
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VALUE: 9/10
Huge Strength for the Money, but Not Automatically the Best Choice
At 21Nm for USD $699, the R21 Ultra offers more raw torque per dollar than anything else in this segment. On paper, it looks unbeatable. But the key question is whether that strength actually benefits you. Most people don’t drive at anywhere near 21Nm of torque, and at lower force-feedback levels this base doesn’t quite feel as responsive as some weaker, similarly priced competitors including Moza’s own R12 wheelbase.
If you genuinely want a high-strength wheelbase and plan to use it near the upper range, the R21 Ultra delivers excellent value. If you typically drive at much lower torque levels, you may get a more refined feel elsewhere for the same money.
FORCE FEEDBACK QUALITY: 7/10
Refined and Consistent, a Solid Step Forward for Moza
The R21 Ultra delivers a more refined force-feedback experience than previous Moza bases. It’s smoother, carries more subtle detail, and no longer needs the heavy filtering that earlier Moza hardware relied on to hide underlying roughness.
The improvement is noticeable, but not game-changing. It’s a solid step forward rather than a generational leap, and the wheelbase only really shows its best qualities when driven at higher torque levels. At more typical mid-strength settings, the R21 Ultra doesn’t feel as responsive or lively as several weaker, similarly priced competitors such as the Asetek La Prima, Simagic Evo Pro, and even Moza’s own R12 wheelbase.
Where the R21 Ultra does perform well is consistency. Across the major sim titles it produces predictable, stable force-feedback characteristics without the odd variations Moza bases have occasionally exhibited in the past. It isn’t class-leading in absolute fidelity, but it is clearly more polished and controlled than the previous R21.
And if you’re looking for ludicrous strength without stepping into high-end pricing, the R21 Ultra stacks up incredibly well against much more expensive products.
SOFTWARE & TUNING: 6/10
Capable and Feature-Rich, but Still Rough Around the Edges
Moza’s Pit House software for the R21 Ultra is functional and offers a wide range of adjustment options, including advanced filtering, an equalisation tool for granular control of effects, telemetry-driven RGB effects, and mobile control through the app. Compatibility across sim titles is solid, and most games configure cleanly without manual setup. The wheelbase also behaves consistently across titles, which hasn’t always been the case with earlier Moza hardware. This results in far less time spent in Pit House compared to previous Moza bases.
But while the feature set is broad, the execution still feels less refined than competing ecosystems. Some settings are confusingly structured, others overlap in function, and several newer features — such as low-frequency effects — aren’t yet widely supported. (LFE is only available in iRacing at the time of writing.) The missing spotter functionality in the LED system is a missed opportunity, and the lack of SimHub LFE support limits how useful the added haptic layer can actually be.
Overall, the software gives you everything you need and a lot more to experiment with, but it doesn’t feel as polished or intuitive as the strongest offerings in the segment.
ECOSYSTEM: 7/10
An extensive Ecosystem, Held Back by the Lack of USB Passthrough
Moza’s ecosystem has expanded rapidly over the past few years, and the R21 Ultra benefits from that growth. If you want everything — wheel, pedals, shifter, handbrake, dash — to run through a single ecosystem with clean integration and unified software, Moza now offers a broad and still-growing range of hardware to build around. For users who prefer a one-brand setup, the ecosystem is in a strong place and continues to improve.
But the lack of USB passthrough on the wheelbase is a clear weakness, especially at this torque level. High-end direct-drive buyers often want to run premium third-party wheels, and without passthrough those wheels must be wired directly to the PC, losing the convenience and simplicity that ecosystems like Simagic, and Asetek now offer. This limitation also pushes users toward Moza’s own wheel selection, which visually looks the part but doesn’t offer the same switchgear quality or construction standards as the true high-end USB wheels on the market.
The result is an ecosystem that’s easy to buy into and keeps improving, but one that doesn’t yet match the flexibility or premium-level expandability expected at this performance tier.
BUILD QUALITY: 7/10
A Clean, Modern Design With a Few Minor Rough Edges
The R21 Ultra is a noticeable step forward in overall presentation compared to Moza’s earlier bases. The more compact chassis looks cleaner and more mature, the machining is tidy, and the overall design feels more refined than the previous R16 and R21 units. One of the most practical improvements is the expanded mounting support: in addition to the standard Fanatec-style bottom pattern, the R21 Ultra now includes side and front mounting options, making it far easier to secure on a wider range of cockpits. This is an especially important upgrade given the torque on offer.
The motor feels smooth even unpowered, and using proper screw terminals for the motor phases is a welcome improvement over soldered connections. The braking resistors are mounted directly to the motor housing for better heat dissipation, and the power supply is not only smaller than previous generations but also comes with a significantly longer cable, making installation cleaner.
There are, however, a few small shortcomings that keep the R21 Ultra from feeling truly high-end. The finish appears to be spray-painted rather than powder-coated, and overspray on internal components suggests QC isn’t quite at the level of premium alternatives. Some internal cabling is on the flimsy side—adequate for its purpose, but not as robust as more expensive competitors.
Overall, the design is solid and clearly improved, with versatile mounting options and no major red flags. It simply sits a tier below the very best bases in terms of finish and refinement.
OVERALL Rating: 7.2/10
A High-Power Wheelbase With Excellent Value… If You Actually Need the Strength
The R21 Ultra is a well-refined wheelbase that delivers huge strength for the money and a driving experience that’s smoother and more consistent than previous Moza releases, and for those who genuinely want to drive at higher torque levels, it stacks up quite well against far more expensive products.
But the headline strength figure can also be misleading. Most people don’t drive anywhere near 21Nm, and at typical mid-torque settings (10–14Nm) the R21 Ultra doesn’t feel as responsive or as lively as several weaker, similarly priced competitors. The lack of USB passthrough also limits wheel options at a performance tier where buyers often want to run premium third-party wheels. And while Pit House continues to improve, the software still isn’t as clean or intuitive as the top ecosystems.
Taken as a whole, the R21 Ultra is a solidly built, very powerful wheelbase that offers excellent value, provided you actually need the strength it delivers. For mid-torque users, there are alternatives that feel more refined at the levels you’ll spend most of your time driving. For those specifically chasing extreme force-feedback without paying extreme prices, the R21 Ultra is one of the strongest options on the market.
Pros
- Exceptional strength for the money — 21Nm at this price is unmatched
- Refined force-feedback — smoother and more consistent than previous Moza bases
- Minimal filtering required
- Growing Moza ecosystem for users who prefer a one-brand setup
- Longer power cable and smaller PSU than previous R21/R16 models
Cons
- Weaker responsiveness at mid-torque settings
- No USB passthrough, limiting compatibility with premium third-party wheels
- Spray-painted finish and minor overspray issues
- Software still unrefined, with overlapping/unclear settings
- Low-frequency effects only supported in iRacing, and no SimHub LFE support
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Please consider using the links on this page to make your purchase.
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