What it is
The CSL Steering Wheel Round 1 V2 is the smallest round rim in Fanatec’s CSL line. It is a compact 270mm fully round wheel in smooth genuine leather, built onto the CSL Universal Hub V2. Like the rest of the modular CSL rims it carries the hub’s snap-dome shifters and a small 3-digit display, and it connects through the QR2 Lite quick release. It is a rim, not a complete wheelbase: it adds the grip, buttons and shifters to whatever Fanatec base you already run.
Who it’s for
You are the right buyer if you drive karts, the Mazda MX-5 or entry-level road cars and you want a wheel sized to match. The compact 270mm diameter gives the snappy, direct steering those cars want, and the smooth leather is an easy, low-fuss grip. On a Fanatec base it is an affordable way to get a small round rim that fits the kind of driving where quick hands matter more than scale.
You are the wrong buyer if you want a full road-car-sized wheel, where one of the 300mm round rims suits better, or if you want an on-wheel display and rev lights, because this one has neither beyond the hub’s basic readout.
In use
The small diameter defines how it drives. At 270mm the steering is quick and direct, with small inputs translating fast, which is exactly what a kart or a light road car wants. The smooth leather grips well enough bare-handed, so there is no need to reach for gloves the way you would with suede or Alcantara. The hub buttons and shifters sit close to your hands on a rim this size, so mid-corner inputs are an easy reach.
The catch is the same size that helps the karts. To an adult used to a real road-car wheel, 270mm can feel small or even toy-like at first, and it takes a session or two before it stops feeling undersized.
The 3-digit hub display does the basics and no more. There is no RPM LED strip, so a shift light is not part of the package.
What to watch out for
The size is the main thing to be honest with yourself about. If you mostly drive larger GT or road cars, the 270mm rim will feel small, and a 300mm round is the more comfortable everyday choice.
Remember the rim does not decide console support. If you are on Xbox or PlayStation, the licensing lives in the base, so check your wheelbase is console-licensed before assuming this rim gets you on track.
Verdict
A focused, affordable small round rim. For $264 / £209 the Round 1 V2 gives kart and entry-car drivers the compact 270mm size and direct steering they want on a Fanatec base, with smooth leather that needs no gloves. Its only real weaknesses are that small size feeling toy-like to anyone used to a bigger wheel, and the basic 3-digit display shared across the whole CSL line. If you want more wheel in your hands, a 300mm round rim is the sibling to weigh up.