Proper depowered rack in my NB, I love it. You don't really notice it when you're moving.
I bought a used manual steering rack instead, and absolutely love it! Moderate low speed effort with precise high-speed inputs and feedback. I think a manual rack from the factory is the way to go, if you can swing it.
Mazda 3 Stick shift are very fun to drive. They have the same steering rack out of the Miata with added practicality.
So the ZF steering rack finally got through customs and arrived safe and sound - thanks UPS. The rack is originally from a VR6 Passat so in theory should be up to the task. Got it installed and hooked up and so far no leaks. Immediately I noticed the pump is a lot quieter connected to this rack than it was when connected to the TRW rack which makes me think the TRW rack couldn't handle the pressure coming from the pump? Or maybe there was just something wrong with it internally. So far no leaks from the ZF rack so fingers crossed it'll hold up well when I get it back on the ground and go for a test drive.
I can confirm, I had to change the rack on my 2001.5 Passat because the steering wheel was loose and they are in fact interchangeable.
I did the depower and its hard to turn standing still but once you get moving I can one hand it even in a parking lot but I still use the factory wheels and steering wheel.
Feels like my CX90 steering rack has a bunch of these in it when I turn the wheel.
The sticky steering became such a problem (despite the worm gear recall and greasing), that they now have to replace the rack/pinion.
I just went back to power steering. I depowered it proper, cut the plunger off and welded the pinion but no matter what the adjustment I did I still had this really odd play. Other than that the steering was great, driving felt smooth the feedback felt great
Had mine replaced, took about a week. Loaded up the miles on an even nicer loaner, so I wasn’t too bothered…other than the unsafe feeling around corners at speed.
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If choosing steering rack across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare steering rack across these categories:
In March 2026 on PartReview, steering rack ZF were overall better than OEM Mazda.
In March 2026 on PartReview, steering rack ZF were overall more popular than OEM Mazda.
By vote balance, steering rack ZF surpassed OEM Mazda:
By number of reviews, steering rack ZF surpassed OEM Mazda:
In March 2026, according to PartReview, steering rack ZF led more car-specific ratings than OEM Mazda:
ZF are chosen by owners of cars such as: Volkswagen Passat, and others.
Steering rack OEM Mazda have not yet taken leading positions in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding a review and specifying your car.
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of steering rack OEM Mazda with: OEM Honda, OEM BMW, OEM Volkswagen, OEM Subaru.
Also available: comparisons of steering rack ZF with: OEM Honda, OEM BMW, OEM Volkswagen, OEM Subaru.
You can also see who is better among other steering rack manufacturers: OEM BMW or OEM Honda, OEM Volkswagen or OEM Honda, OEM Honda or ZF, OEM Subaru or OEM Honda, OEM Mazda or OEM Honda.
