The Heusinkveld One is the first steering wheel from a brand that has been a long-standing and highly respected name in sim racing hardware, particularly for its pedals. Rather than following the well-trodden path of replica designs or chasing premium materials, Heusinkveld has taken a very deliberate and unapologetic approach with the One: focus on fundamentals, ergonomics, and functionality, even if that results in a product that looks and feels very different to anything else on the market. The result is a steering wheel that is immediately polarising, both visually and philosophically.
In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at how the Heusinkveld One stacks up in terms of design, build quality, features, software, and—most importantly—what it’s actually like to drive with. By the end, you should have a clear idea of who this wheel is designed for, where it excels, and the key compromises you’ll need to consider before deciding whether it belongs on your rig.
Heusinkveld ONE Ratings
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VALUE:
A fundamentally different approach for a fair price
The Heusinkveld One is priced at €499, which is lower than many people expected for Heusinkveld’s first steering wheel. It’s not a cheap wheel by any means, but it also sits well below the ultra-high-end segment that focuses on premium materials and integrated displays. As always, local reseller pricing, shipping, and import costs are worth checking before buying.
If you’re using a 70 mm quick release, you’ll also need Heusinkveld’s adapter, which adds €34 to the total. Taken as a whole, the value proposition comes down to priorities. Heusinkveld has clearly focused on low weight, rigidity, and functionality rather than visual luxury, and if those fundamentals matter more to you than carbon fibre or aluminium construction, the pricing makes sense for what the wheel is trying to achieve.
Features:
Packed With Smart, Usable Functionality
The Heusinkveld One offers an impressive amount of control without feeling cluttered. On the front of the wheel you get 14 push buttons, four rotary encoders, and two seven-way funky switches, all positioned so they can be reached with minimal or no hand movement while driving. The encoders also feature push-button functionality, further expanding what’s available at your fingertips.
A major strength of the One is its multi-layer input system. Any button or encoder can be assigned short-press, long-press, and secondary “function layer” actions, effectively giving you up to four functions per button. This makes it possible to manage complex car controls without needing a screen or excessive physical inputs on the wheel itself.
The centre section is, in fact, not a screen, despite very much looking like one at first glance. Instead, it houses a seven-segment RGB LED rev strip across the top, two flag LEDs at the bottom, along with battery and connection indicators and a large illuminated Heusinkveld logo in the middle. While the lighting itself is fully configurable through SimHub and works reliably, the overall design does feel like untapped potential, with a large central area that looks as though it’s begging for more visual communication or feedback.
Alongside this, the wheel features magnetic push–pull shifters and dual analog paddles that can be configured for clutch bite point or other analog functions. Combined with the extensive button and encoder logic available in software, the Heusinkveld One delivers a very deep and flexible feature set that is clearly focused on driving control rather than visual flair.
DRIVING EXPERIENCE:
Sharp and Responsive, But Ergonomically Divisive
On track, the Heusinkveld One immediately highlights both its biggest strengths and its most significant drawback. The low weight and compact diameter give the wheel a very sharp, responsive feel, particularly on lower-powered wheelbases where reduced rotational mass genuinely helps force feedback feel more direct and detailed. Button placement is also excellent in use, with nearly every input accessible without shifting your grip or taking your focus off driving.
The issue arises with the angle of the hand grips. When mounted in a typical driving position, the grips subtly tilt back toward the driver rather than sitting square at 90 degrees. In practice, this meant the wrists were forced into a bent position during normal steering, especially noticeable around the 90-degree steering angle. Over extended driving sessions, this resulted in noticeable wrist discomfort—something not experienced with other steering wheels.
While it’s possible to compensate by adjusting wheelbase height or rotation, that becomes impractical if you regularly swap between wheels or already have a dialled-in cockpit setup. Drivers who sit close to the wheel, particularly in formula-style positions, may find the issue more pronounced. That grip angle is a deliberate design choice, but it’s one that will suit some drivers far better than others, making the driving experience highly dependent on individual ergonomics rather than purely performance.
Build Quality:
Don’t Be Fooled by the plastic Construction
Despite being constructed almost entirely from a fibre-reinforced composite, the Heusinkveld One feels exceptionally solid. Rigidity is a standout here, with no noticeable flex anywhere on the wheel, including areas that often show weakness on open-style designs. In terms of stiffness, it’s right up there with the most rigid steering wheels tested, which is particularly impressive given how light it is (1024g).
The quality of the moulding and finishing is also extremely high. The rubberised grip material blends seamlessly into the main body, with seams that are very difficult to spot unless you look closely. Paddles, and shifters all share the same composite construction, and while that means there are no metal or carbon fibre touch points, everything feels precise and well assembled.
It may not have the visual luxury or cold-to-the-touch feel of aluminium or carbon fibre wheels, and that alone will be a deal breaker for some. However, from a purely structural and manufacturing perspective, the execution here is excellent, and the build quality easily matches far more traditionally “premium” wheels in this segment.
SOFTWARE:
Complexity with Purpose
Heusinkveld’s SmartControl software is considerably more powerful than what you’ll find with many steering wheels, particularly in this segment. At a basic level, you can simply map buttons like any other wheel and never touch the software again, but the depth is there if you want it.
Every button, encoder, shifter, and analog paddle can be configured with short press, long press, double output logic, and a secondary function layer, all managed directly in the software. Any input can also be assigned as a function toggle or function hold, effectively multiplying the available controls without adding physical complexity. Pulse timing and logic behaviour can be fine-tuned to ensure reliable inputs across different sims.
The analog paddles are flexible, with support for deadzones, response curves, axis assignment, and dual-clutch bite point operation. Profiles can be created and switched to suit different cars, allowing you to change behaviour without remapping controls in-game. While the software is more complex than average, it’s clearly designed by sim racers, offering real-world flexibility rather than gimmicks.
Overall Rating:
A Bold, Cleverly Engineered Wheel With One Major Caveat
Conclusion
The Heusinkveld One is a steering wheel that very clearly knows what it wants to be, and just as clearly understands that it won’t be for everyone. From an engineering and functionality standpoint, there’s a lot to admire here. It’s extremely lightweight yet impressively rigid, packed with well-thought-out controls, and backed by one of the most flexible and genuinely useful software ecosystems in sim racing.
Where things become more divisive is in the physical design. The unconventional grip angle resulted in noticeable wrist discomfort during extended driving, something not experienced with other wheels. That alone was a deal breaker for me personally, particularly for anyone who regularly swaps between steering wheels and doesn’t want to constantly adjust their rig to suit a single design.
That’s disappointing, because aside from that issue, the Heusinkveld One excels in many areas. Button ergonomics are outstanding, the control logic is exceptionally powerful, and the attention to detail throughout the design is obvious. While the centre section feels like an underutilised opportunity for additional visual feedback, the wheel still delivers everything required from a functional standpoint.
Ultimately, this is a bold and unapologetic product. It doesn’t try to be a replica, it doesn’t chase premium materials for the sake of appearance, and it isn’t designed to appeal to the widest possible audience. For sim racers who value low weight, deep configurability, and intelligent control design—and whose ergonomics align with the grip angle—the Heusinkveld One could be an excellent fit. For others, particularly those sensitive to wrist position and unable to compensate through cockpit setup, this may not be the right wheel. It will be interesting to see whether others experience the same wrist issues, because aside from that, this is otherwise a very impressive piece of hardware.
Sim RACING
Discount Codes
Pros
- Extremely lightweight design with excellent rigidity
- Outstanding button ergonomics, with most controls reachable without moving your hands
- Very deep and flexible input logic, including multi-layer, short-press and long-press functionality
- Reliable, low-latency wireless connectivity via included USB dongle
- Smart, well-executed software that offers real benefits rather than gimmicks
- High overall build quality despite unconventional material choices
Cons
- Unconventional grip angle can lead to wrist discomfort during longer sessions
- Grip ergonomics may require cockpit or wheelbase adjustment to compensate
- Centre section feels underutilised given its size and visual prominence
- All-composite construction will be a turn-off for those who prioritise metal or carbon fibre materials
Reseller Affiliate links
Search local resellers
If our Heusinkveld reviews have helped you decide what the best sim racing gear is for you, please consider using the links on this page to make your purchase. By doing so you’ll be supporting Boosted Media at no additional cost to you! This option is available for a huge range of Sim Racing gear.
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