A steering apparatus has a sector shaft rotatable in response to rotation of a steering wheel for steering road wheels through a pitman arm coupled to the sector shaft. A torque sensor for detecting a steering torque applied to the steering wheel is positioned closer to the steering wheel than the sector shaft in a path of the steering torque from the steering wheel to the sector shaft. An electric motor is operatively coupled to the sector shaft for applying an assistive force to the sector shaft. The electric motor is controlled by a controller based on an output signal from the torque sensor. A steering angle ratio varying mechanism is disposed between the sector shaft and the torque sensor for varying the ratio of an angle through which the road wheels are turned to an angle through which the steering wheel is turned.