[PhilH]

I'm another potential buyer who's disappointed by the the electromechanical steering.

It's funny that in cars that didn't have great steering feel with hydraulic steering, the switch to electromechanical steering wasn't a big letdown. Audi just adopted it for the refresh of the A4/S4 and from the reviews I've read they say it's very similar to their old Servotronic steering. Reviews of more pedestrian cars like the new Honda CR-V say there's no change at all in steering feel with their switch to electromechanical steering.

However, in Porsches and BMWs, the switch seems to be, if not a deal breaker (because they still have other sporting attributes going for them), then at least one more advantage that they've lost.