A method for determining estimated vehicle dynamics parameters using a vehicle parameter estimator, a vehicle condition detector and a rich steering input detector for estimating vehicle understeer coefficient and front and rear cornering compliances in real time. The vehicle parameter estimator receives a front wheel steering angle signal, a rear wheel steering angle signal, a vehicle lateral acceleration signal, a vehicle yaw rate signal and a vehicle speed signal, and employs a linear parameter estimation algorithm for estimating the understeer coefficient, and the front and rear corning compliance. The vehicle condition detector receives the front wheel steering angle signal, the rear wheel steering angle signal, the vehicle yaw rate signal and the vehicle speed signal, and disables the vehicle parameter estimator if the vehicle is not operating in a linear region. The rich steering input detector determines whether the estimated vehicle parameters are reliable and are ready to be used.