The progressive steering has been about for little while now so I presume the car you test drove had it as well. What are you actually comparing your steering experience to? Is it actually different to your test drive?
Alas, mine is MY17 so I'm spinning the wheel more on parking. Soon get used to it though.
The progressive steering is all about how many turns to go lock to lock. My wifes leon doesnt have it and its a full turn more verses my Cupra which is 1.5 turns from centre to lock.
That's exactly that (in short).
It's called "progressive steering" as it has variable ratio. Normally if you'd have 2 turns lock to lock it's quite hard to keep the car in straight line, as ratio of the steering is the same all the time. So it means even slight movement of the steering wheel means rapid change of direction (that's how it used to be for example in some older Alfa Romeo models - challenging to drive at higher speeds).
Now with variable ratio they were able to use "normal" ratio around center position, which is than "tightening" as you turn the wheel further. By doing this it's easy to keep the straight line, especially at higher speeds, but also allows you to make tighter turns without moving your hands on the steering wheel.
Have it in my Ateca as well and loving it. Compared to my previous Leon with normal steering, it's much easier to maneuver as well as drive through tighter bends, but without this "nervousness" in straight line at higher speeds.
It doesn't really change the feel of the steering, meaning if it's heavier or lighter. But actually the torque applied by power steering motor is changing, so that you don't feel the difference caused by variable ratio. Otherwise (if the torque would not change) steering would be lighter around center position, and becoming heavier as you turn.
It's different from market to market, so hard for me to say how it is in UK.
In Poland progressive steering is only available in FR and Xcellence. In other trims it's only available as a pack with DCC (4Drive only).
In the past actually it was only available with DCC, i think in all VAG models. Now it can be ordered separately in some cases (i.e. Tiguan) or is part of standard package without DCC (i.e. some Ateca trims).
In Ateca it's available in FR and XC as standard since end of 2017.
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