Top 13 Best Coilovers For Daily Driving In 2024

If you are looking to lower your daily driver and maybe even improve its handling, coilovers are an excellent option. They give you the ability to adjust the ride height to exactly how you want it, and many even let you adjust the dampening and other settings to really fine tune how they ride.

In this post, I’m going to cover the 13 best coilovers for daily driving available on the market today.

Are Coilovers the Best Option For Daily Driving?

As somebody who has been running coilovers on cars I daily drove for close to 10 years, I can speak from personal experience on this topic.

My short answer is yes, I think coilovers are a good option for daily drivers because they give you the ability to adjust the suspension to both sit how you want and ride how you like. With lowering springs, you are stuck with whatever you got, and the only thing you can do to adjust them is buy a new set and swap them out. I covered this in much more detail in my post about Are Coilovers Good For Daily Driving?, so go check that out if you want to know more.

The Best Coilovers For Daily Driving

BC Racing coilovers have become widely popular in the tuning world, mostly for the fact that they make a huge range of coilovers for almost all vehicle models, feature height and dampening adjustability and can be bought for around $1200.

Their BR series coilovers, which are their entry level coilovers, come packed with features including 30-level dampening adjustability, ride height adjustment by the shock body, camber adjustable strut mounts and more. They also come with a 1 year warranty.

The dampers on these are monotube and have linear valving which provides extra comfort for the street while still giving you good performance on the track. You’ll find many people running BC Racing BR Series coilovers on both the street and track.

Another positive about BC Racing coilovers is that you can customize a lot when you order the coilovers, from custom spring rates and valving to Extreme Low, Swift Springs and more.

These coilovers also come with 1 year warranty and are fully rebuildable, which means they can also be revalved if you are not fully happy with the setup.

This kit is an excellent option for daily drivers that provides excellent value for money and is perfect if you want a slightly more performance leaning setup.

Pros

• Low cost for the amount of features and customizability
• Many different setup options
• Ride height adjusted by shock body
• 30-level adjustable dampening
• Monotube dampers with linear valving for more street comfort
• Can get different spring rates and shocks valved to your specifications
• Huge range of vehicle applications, there is a BC coilover for almost every car
• Lots of people use them and are very happy with them
• Proven on both street and track
• 1 year warranty

Cons

• Won’t be quite as good as some of the high end kits

BUY BC RACING BR SERIES COILOVERS HERE

The Riaction GT1 coilovers are extremely good value for money for around the $1000 mark.

They offer similar features to the BR Series above, including monotube dampers with linear valving and 32 levels of adjustment, shock body height adjustment and more, but with a few extras.

This kit can be upgraded to 2-way dampening adjustment, and converted to digressive valving, something the BR Series don’t offer.

Riaction also have an excellent reputation for servicing coilovers ultra fast (4-7 days), and even offer a lifetime free labor warranty, meaning you only have to pay for parts to get your coilovers serviced.

If you are looking for a high quality set of coilovers primarily for street use and were considering something along the lines of BC Racing, these are another great option at a slightly lower price and with more features and a longer warranty.

The TEIN Flex Z’s offer unparalleled ride quality and performance for the price. They are made in Japan at TEIN’s manufacturing facility in Yokohama, and are height and dampening adjustable and come with camber adjustable strut top mounts on MacPherson strut models.

Ride height adjustment is done by the shock body, which gives you full suspension travel at all ride heights, making for a more comfortable ride, and will lower the car up to 5 inches depending on the model.

The dampers are twin tube, specifically selected for street comfort, and give you 16 levels of dampening adjustment. They also feature damper oil designed to handle intensive driving, so they can be used for the occasional track day.

TEIN put a lot of engineering and R&D into their coilovers, and the Flex Z really gets the compounded effects of that with a coilover kit that provides great adjustability, good ride quality and lots of features.

These coilovers very high build quality, featuring TEIN’s patented powder coat and special ZT coating on the adjustment threads to prevent corrosion and provide protection in harsh climates.

While the Flex Z shocks are not rebuildable, the dampers are made as replaceable inserts, which can be valved to your requirements. So if you need to replace the dampers, you don’t have to buy a whole new coilover kit or send it in to get rebuilt.

The TEIN Flex Z are available for an extremely wide range of vehicles, so no matter what car you have, there is probably a Flex Z kit for it.

This kit is the easily the best I have found for under $1000 and is perfect for daily drivers. I’ve done a detailed TEIN coilovers review here, so if you want to know more you should check that out.

Pros

• 16 Levels of dampening adjustment
• Ride height adjustment by the shock body
• Come with camber plates
• Very good build quality
• Can buy replacement dampers valved to your requirements
• Available for a very wide range of car models
• Reported to last a long time
• 1 year warranty

Cons

• Not really suitable for hard track use

Cons

• Only made for some vehicles

KW are well known for their really high quality suspension and have a great reputation when it comes to their V3 coilover kit. KW make all their suspension in Germany, and have been around since 1985.

This coilover kit is super popular for a number of reasons, the biggest of which are the high build quality, the individual bump and rebound adjustability options and the availability of these coilovers for a very wide range of vehicles.

The KW V3s allow you to lower the car by up to 85mm (depending on the car) and have individual adjustment of the bump and rebound settings, which sets them apart from most coilovers which only allow you to adjust bump and rebound together (generally referred to as “dampening adjustment”).

The Kw V3s are an excellent choice for daily driving because they allow you to really fine tune your suspension settings to get the height and ride just right to suit your needs. They are also perfect if you intend on doing the occasion track day, as they are well known for their handling capabilities while keeping the car comfortable.

KW put a lot of engineering into the V3 kit which is why they are such a popular choice amongst car enthusiast everywhere. If you are not on a tight budget, definitely consider the KW V3 coilover kit.

Pros

• Individual compression and rebound adjustment
• Shocks are rebuildable
• Very good build quality
• Good compromise between road and track use
• Great handling
• Extremely resistant to corrosion
• Limited lifetime warranty

Cons

• Ride height adjusted by spring perch, which means you lose travel as you go lower
• Don’t come with top mounts
• Somewhat expensive for twin-tube shocks
• Won’t go super low (if that’s what you are looking for)

If you drive a Japanese vehicle, the HKS Hypermax S coilovers are another excellent option for daily driving.

HKS are well known in the JDM circles and have been making high quality parts since they were established in 1973, and the HKS Hypermax S suspension is no exception.

These coilovers were specifically designed by HKS to give a “great driving experience and a comfortable ride” and many owners of the Hipermax S coilovers will attest to that. In fact, HKS says that the Hipermax S gives the best ride in HKS suspension history.

The Hipermax S coilovers give you ride height adjustment as well as 30-levels of dampening adjustment from a mono-tube, inverted damper – which HKS say provides a better ride and handling than twin-tube dampers. They also come with a 3 year warranty.

The HKS Hipermax S are an excellent choice if you are going to be daily driving your car while also wanting great handling and performance.

Pros

• 30 Levels of dampening adjustment
• Can set and adjust spring preload
• 3 years warranty
• Very good build quality
• Special PNE coating which gives 5x better durability compared to standard galvanizing – Great for snow and harsh conditions

Cons

• Only available for Japanese cars and some BMWs
• Don’t come with camber adjustment plates

8. Bilstein B14 PSS

Bilstein is very well known in the suspension world for building very high quality suspension kits in Germany, and the B14 PSS coilover kit is no exception. These coilovers are their “entry-level” kit (Bilstein’s definition of entry level is a bit higher than most other companies) designed for both street and track use.

Reviews on these coilovers are extremely positive, especially when it comes to ride quality. People report that they are extremely comfortable and ride extremely well on the road, making them an excellent option for daily drivers.

The B14 PSS coilovers allow you to lower your car by up to 50mm and come with a lifetime warranty, meaning they will repair or replace your coilovers if the fault is due to a part failure (such as worn seals causing a leak).

There are only 2 downsides to the Bilstein B14 PSS coilovers:

1. They don’t have any dampening adjustment
2. They don’t make a kit for every car, so you may not be able to find some for your car depending on what you have (for example there are no B14 coilovers for the Nissan 300zx).

Pros

• Lifetime warranty
• Extremely good ride quality reported
• Very good balance between road and track
• Very comfortable for street use
• Can adjust ride height by up to 50mm (2 inches)

Cons

• No dampening adjustment
• Ride height adjusted by spring perch
• Not available for every car

H&R is another big German name in the suspension world, offering a mid-teir coilover that combines both street comfort and track handling.

The H&R Street Performance coilovers “offer race-bred performance without sacrificing comfort” according to H&R. They feature monotube dampers and have been specifically designed to offer sporty performance without losing ride quality or comfort.

Unfortunately, they aren’t dampening adjustable, only height adjustable and you can’t set or adjust the spring preload. There also aren’t many reviews about them online, however the few reviews you do find are favourable, with people reporting that the ride quality and handling are both very good with these coilovers. They also report the build quality to be very good.

So despite the fact that you can’t adjust the dampening and can’t find many reviews, these coilovers actually are an excellent option in the mid-tier price range for people looking to daily drive on coilovers.

Pros

• Great ride quality
• High build quality
• Good balance between handling performance and ride comfort
• Handle really well

Cons

• Won’t go super low
• Can’t adjust dampening
• Ride height adjusted by spring perch
• Not a lot of information or reviews about them online

10. ST X Coilovers

ST Suspension is actually owned by KW and the ST X coilover is actually exactly the same as the KW V1 coilovers, except that the ST X use galvanized steel whereas the KWs use stainless steel. Other than that, all other aspects of these coilovers are the same as the KW V1.

According to ST, the ST X coilovers were “developed for the everyday driver who needs to hug the curves yet retain road comfort”. They are ST’s entry level coilover and designed for street use while improving handling and performance. These are quite popular in the European car circles, particularly Audi, VW and BMW.

The ST X coilovers allow you to adjust the ride height by up to 85mm (done by spring perch), but unfortunately do not feature adjustable dampening. However, that doesn’t make them a bad coilover by any means.

People who run ST coilovers on their cars report them to be stiff but still ride well, providing excellent handling in corners and reducing body roll significantly. They can also go super low, so if you are looking to slam your car, these would be a good option to consider.

Pros

• Go super low
• Handle well
• Use KW technology and made by KW
• Reportedly good ride quality for daily driving

Cons

• Galvanized steel which is not suitable for harsher climates
• Not dampening adjustable
• Ride height adjusted by spring perch
• Might ride a bit stiffer than some of the other options

11. TEIN Street Advance Z Coilovers

While we already included the Flex Z coilovers in this list which are fantastic value for money and fall under $1000, if you really can’t stretch the few hundred extra, you can go for the Street Advance Z’s.

The TEIN Street Advance Z’s are a step below the Flex Z’s but still come with 16-level adjustable dampening. However, the Street Advance Z’s don’t come with strut mounts and also don’t allow you to adjust the height by the shock body. You can still adjust ride height (obviously), by winding the spring perch up or down.

They are also made in China, rather than Japan. However, this doesn’t make them poorer quality, as they have to pass the same quality control as any other TEIN product, so you can still expect to get a good quality coilover kit.

So, while we would recommend going for the Flex Z’s given their amazing value for money and the additional features, if you just can’t stretch your budget then the Street Advance Z’s are basically the best coilover you are going to get in this price range.

The Street Advance Z’s also are available for a huge range of cars so odds are that there is a coilover kit for your vehicle.

Pros

• 16-level adjustable dampening
• High quality
• Great value for the price
• Wide range of vehicle options

Cons

• Don’t come with strut mounts, meaning no camber adjustment
• Ride height adjusted by spring perch

Having personally run these on my car and having written a review on the Solo-werks S1 coilovers, I can personally recommend them as a great option for under $500.

These coilovers are absolutely amazing value at the price they are, which is almost unbelievable, and are great quality coilovers that will give you a good, firm but comfortable street ride while also being able to handle track driving (I used them for this, so I can say from experience).

While they don’t have adjustable dampening, don’t come with strut mounts and don’t allow you to set the spring pre-tension, they really are very good for the very low price tag they come at. Don’t forget that they are still ”budget” coilovers, so you have to be realistic with what you are going to get. However, they have been set up from the factory to good specs that will handle both street and track driving very well.

Solo-Werks was actually started by ex-engineers from KW who weren’t happy with how some things were being done there, so they started making their own coilovers. This is why they were able to make such good coilovers for such a low price.

The only downside is their vehicle range is limited and they mostly have options for BMW, Audi, VW and very few Japanese models. But if you are lucky enough to have a car they make these for, they are definitely an option you should consider.

Pros

• Excellent value for money
• Great combination of comfort and handling
• Good build quality
• Built by ex-KW engineers

Cons

• Limited vehicle range
• Don’t come with strut mounts
• Ride height adjusted by spring perch
• No dampening adjustment

Just scraping in under the budget level with a price tag of $999, the Megan Racing EZII coilovers are another excellent option in this price range.

Being designed as a streetable coilover, they feature both height and 15-level dampening adjustability, with the ability to adjust ride height by the shock body and set spring pre-load. They also come with strut mounts and a 1 year warranty.

Reviews online overwhelmingly praise these coilovers for daily driven street use, providing a firm but comfortable ride, with better cornering and handling. They also report great build quality, making them a good option for a daily driven car for under $1000.

Pros

• Great value for money
• Good build quality
• 15-level adjustable dampening
• Ride height adjusted by shock body
• Come with strut mounts (but no camber adjustment)
• 1 year warranty

Cons

• Reportedly not great for track use
• Won’t be as high quality as some of the more expensive kits
• Reportedly ride on the stiff side

Things to Keep in Mind When Selecting Coilovers For Your Daily Driver

While it can be tempting to go for a cheaper option to just lower your car and get rid of the wheel gap, you have to remember that you might not appreciate that decision after a 2 hour drive in a bouncy car.

So, you want to select a coilover that’s not only going to allow you to lower the car, but will also give you a comfortable ride, good handling and other features you may need depending on what you are going to use the car for.

If you are picky about ride quality, or you intend to use the car at the track, getting coilovers with adjustable dampening is a good idea so you can play with the settings and stiffen it up for the track and then soften it up again for the trip home.

If you are looking to slam the car as low as possible, it’s a better idea to select a coilover that allows you to adjust the height by the shock body, because this means you won’t always be running at the bottom of the suspension travel and be hitting the bump stops, which will cause the shocks to blow out faster.

You may also want to consider whether the coilovers provide the ability to adjust camber, as you may need this if you want to fine tune your handling or are intending to go super low.

Are Coilovers Really the Best Option For A Daily Driver?

Unless you care about nothing else other than comfort and you want to go for air bag suspension, coilovers really do provide the best of both words option when it comes to handling vs comfort for a daily driver.

Sure, if you buy a cheaper set of coilovers, you are likely to under up with a stiffer or perhaps even bouncy ride.

However, if you buy a quality coilover setup like one of the ones on the list above, you are going to get a suspension set up that provides a good middle ground between adjustable ride height, a comfortable ride and handling performance.

Many coilover kits have been designed specifically for road use and thus have been built with comfort in mind. Some are even as good if not better than the OEM suspension. The right coilover kit really can provide the perfect balance of improved handling performance without sacrificing ride quality.

What Are the Benefits of Coilover Suspension?

The main benefit of coilover suspension is that they let you adjust the ride height of the car. There are also additional benefits such as improved handling and even ride quality, and depending on the model of coilover, they also let you adjust and fine tune your dampening settings, camber and more.

Do Coilovers Make a Big Difference?

Yes, coilovers make a big difference especially compared to OEM suspension. Coilovers provide more responsive handling, less body roll, they can even improve the ride quality, and they also let you fine tune your suspension settings including height, dampening and more.

Do Coilovers Improve Ride Quality?

In some cases, yes. Good quality coilovers can improve ride quality, even compared to factory suspension. While their main purpose is to provide better handling and performance, and to give you ride height adjustment, a good coilover kit will also be designed to improve the ride quality and provide the perfect combination of comfort and performance.

Would Lowering Springs Be Better Than Coilovers For A Daily Driver?

While there are a number of lowering spring kits that can provide a good ride and will be cheaper than buying a coilover kit, in the long run my opinion is that the coilover kit is going to be better.

I discussed this in detail in my post Lowering Springs VS Coilovers, however the short answer is that there is no lowering spring kit than is going to be better than the best coilover kit, and that coilovers give you several benefits over lowering springs such as height adjustability, dampening adjustment, potentially camber adjustment and more.

In my opinion, lowering springs are just a mid-way solution, but eventually most people who buy lowering springs end up getting coilovers anyway (myself included), so you may as well just cut to the chase and get coilovers to begin with.

Are Coilovers Better Than Regular Shocks?

In my opinion, yes, coilovers are better than regular shocks. While regular shocks certainly can be very good, coilovers give you the ability to adjust your ride height and fine tune your suspension while improving the handling performance of the car. With regular shocks, you are stuck with what you have, and if you want to change something you have to buy new parts.

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Mateja Matic

Having been in the car tuning game for 15 years, I'm now using all the knowledge I acquired to help other people learn and select the right parts for their cars through this blog.

Cars owned: Mk2 Golf with 1.8T swap, BMW E28 with M30B35 swap, BMW E36 328I Mtech, BMW 750IL, Nissan 300ZX, Honda Civic EF

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