Vehicle steering control device

A new and novel device for controlling a steering characteristic of a vehicle such as automobile (100) so as to enhance an effect of suppressing a change in a behavior of the vehicle body (12) due to a difference between driving and braking forces (Ffl;Ffr) on the left and right wheels (10FL,10RL;10FR,10RR) is characterized in that the device makes an amount of controlling the steering characteristic smaller as an index indicating an amount of a shift of vertical loads between the left and right wheels (10FL,10RL;10FR,10RR) is increased. The steering characteristic is modified through controlling steering assist torque or a steering angle of the steered wheels (10FL,10FR). The steering assist by the steering control device is fully effective when the vehicle is running on a straight road having surfaces (102A,102B) of different frictional coefficients while less effective on a curved road having a uniform frictional surface, preventing undesirable and unexpected modification of the steering characteristic during turning of the vehicle (100).