Aside from just lowering your car, coilovers allow you to adjust its settings based on your needs and provide significantly improved handling.

If all you want is a lowered car and minor handling improvement,  then look for lowering springs instead – they are much cheaper and easier to install. That being said, let’s talk about my recommended coilovers!

After looking through and comparing coilovers from different brands, I find KW V1 coilovers (Amazon affiliate link) to be the best bang for your buck.

But before we focus on the KW coilovers, let’s first discuss what you should look for when purchasing coilovers.

Image of KW Coilovers

What to Look For In Coilovers?

Spring Rates

Spring rate is how much force is needed to compress the spring by 1”. In simple terms, spring rates control two things:

  • How much body roll a car is going to experience on a corner.
  • How much pressure can the car absorb from bumpy roads. 

Higher spring rate means your car ride will be good at cornering. Your car will be steady and  won’t have much body roll when you take a corner.

In exchange, you will have a very stiff ride. Your car will not absorb much of the pressure when you go through bumpy roads.

Actually, spring rates also play a role in speed – but the impact will not be as much as the handling. Plus, if you are looking for coilovers, handling is generally what you want. 

That being said, I think this factor depends on your preference. Do you want the absolute best handling?

Or you are fine with moderately improved handling but a comfortable ride? For me, I would prefer coilovers that have reasonable spring rates.

I use my car as a daily driver – which means I must balance the handling improvement and comfort.

Generally, spring rates above 350 front / 250 rear are considered as stiff.

If you want improved handling while still being comfortable as a daily driver, then get coilovers with spring rates of about 280 / 160.

Adjustability 

Coilovers could offer you adjustability for any of these:

  • Height of your car (Height Control) 
  • How fast weight moves away from your tires (Rebound Control)
  • How fast weight moves towards your tires (Compression Control)

 

The price of coilovers differ greatly depending on the adjustability they offer. In my opinion, you only need rebound and compression control if you are very serious about handling and you regularly go to track. Otherwise, height control alone is sufficient to adjust the handling. Even more suitable if your car is also a daily driver. Things like driving lower in the summer or driving higher in the winter.

Material

Good coilovers should be made with anodized aluminium or stainless steel. Coilovers are placed at the bottom of the car – often in contact with water. Rusting or corrosion could be your biggest enemies – or not, if you get anodized aluminum or stainless steel 🙂

Warranty

Find coilovers that provide a long warranty – lifetime is preferred. Generally, the warranty defines how confident the manufacturer is to the coilovers. Plus, a lot of coilovers brands provide lifetime warranty. Nothing much to say here, aim for a lifetime warranty with your purchase. Otherwise, at least a 5-year warranty.

Ease Of Installation

Performance mods are fun and exciting until you have troubles installing them. Your coilovers of choice should be easy to install.

They should also come with installation instructions – if they don’t, you should at least be able to find some installation videos on YouTube. 

Pro Tip: look at the customer reviews for your coilovers of choice. Customers usually include their installation experience when they review.

If you can’t find any of them, then look for information in the forums.

I am sure you can find some information on them. Unless your coilovers of choice has no recognition at all…

Below is an example of KW coilovers installation video on YouTube.

Customer Reviews

Last but not least, always read the reviews on your coilover of choice. Best way to find reviews is to look at online stores like AutoAnything or Amazon and see what people are saying. If you can’t find the reviews, then look for YouTube videos or forums. You shouldn’t skip this because real customer reviews are always the best!

My Recommendation: KW Coilover V1

As I mentioned earlier, the KW Coilovers V1 (affiliate link) are my go to. V1 stands for Variant 1 – their entry option that’s not super expensive and allows only height control. I am a firm believer in purchasing performance mods only from reputable brands.

KW has been around the longest and they are pretty reputable in the suspension worlds. I would be surprised if a car enthusiast does not come across KW when researching for coilovers. 

Image of KW coilovers for Audi

Throughout this article, I walked you through the list of items to look for when purchasing coilovers. So how does the KW V1 compare to these items?

  • Spring Rates. At 285 front / 160 rear the KW V1 has the perfect balance for me. It provides much improved handling but still comfortable enough as a daily driver.
  • Adjustability. The KW V1 allows adjustable height. This means you can change the height of your car based on the occasion. I think height control is enough – unless you are willing to pay that extra dollars for extra adjustability.
  • Material. The KW V1 has Stainless steel strut housings and anodized aluminum spring collars. Ideal  to prevent rusting and corrosion. 
  • Warranty. The KW V1 has a lifetime warranty. 
  • Ease of Installation. The KW V1 is straightforward to install and you can find many YouTube tutorials if you have troubles. 
  • Customer Reviews. Well you have one right here 🙂 But I let you be your own judge. Just search it up online and look at the reviews. 

If you have more budget and want coilovers that offer more customizability, then below options are also great:

That’s it! Good luck on your coilovers. I hope this article helps you in finding the best coilovers for you.  🙂