The Honda Civic Coilovers at Their Finest. The Honda Civic is a fantastic car for a variety of reasons. It’s efficient, light, fun, sporty, and the list goes on. Civics aren’t high-performance vehicles, but they’re adequate for most people. For the rest of us, a few simple upgrades can truly elevate the Honda Civic. Suspension, specifically a good set of coilovers, is one of the best upgrades. This guide will go over some of the best Honda Civic coilovers, as well as their benefits, costs, and more.
*The majority of the information in this guide is applicable to all Honda Civics. Our primary focus is on Civic coilovers for the 8th, 9th, and 10th generations. As a result, specific product and fitment information may only apply to Civics manufactured between 2006 and 2021. Otherwise, much of what we cover in this article applies to any Honda Civic.
Civic Coilovers: The Fundamentals
Before we get into the meat of this article, let’s go over the fundamentals. What exactly are coilovers? What is the distinction between shock absorbers, struts, and coilovers? What role do springs play in this? These are all reasonable concerns. Suspension upgrades can be perplexing because so many terms are used interchangeably.
But don’t worry. We’ll go over the fundamentals before moving on to slightly more advanced topics. Once you’ve gotten this information out of the way, it’ll be easier to know what you’re looking for in Civic suspension upgrades.
Shocks vs. Struts vs. Coilovers on Honda
It can be difficult to explain in words alone. As a result, watch the video below for more information on shocks, struts, and coilovers.
To summarize, all of these suspension parts are shock absorbers (also known as shock absorbers). Shocks are hydraulic pumps that help to dampen impacts and rebound movements. When the coil spring is actually mounted on the shock with the coil spring collar, they are referred to as struts.
Coilovers are similar to struts, but they have adjustable spring location. On the shock absorber, the coil spring collar can be moved up and down. This is how coilovers can change the ride height of a Honda Civic.
Springs for Civics
The coil springs come next. Again, the springs in struts and coilovers actually wrap around the shock absorber. The spring is the component that supports the entire weight of the Honda Civic. Contrary to popular belief, the actual shock or strut does not support the weight.
One of the most important aspects of Civic suspension upgrades is the springs. Springs prevent the car from collapsing. When cornering, accelerating, or braking, they also control body roll. There’s a lot more to springs, which we’ll cover in the following sections.
The Advantages of Honda Civic Coilovers
There are numerous things you can do with the right coilovers. But how do you know which Honda Civic coilovers are best for you? This all depends on your goals, budget, driving conditions, roads, and a variety of other factors. Before we get into the rest of the details, let’s go over some of the potential advantages of coilover upgrades.
The following are some of the advantages of Civic coilovers:
- Reduce the ride height
- Improved handling
- A more comfortable ride
Replace worn-out suspension.
This is not an exhaustive list, but it does highlight a few significant benefits of Civic suspension modifications. The ability to lower ride height is an important feature of coilovers. Most kits allow for 1-3′′ drops, while others may allow you to lower 3-4′′ or more.
Many people choose Honda Civic coilovers because they want better handling. This is where dampening, spring rates, and other factors come into play. A faulty coilover setup can actually degrade handling; more on that later.
Many people associate suspension upgrades with a harsher ride. Don’t get us wrong: this is frequently the case. This is especially true if you’re looking for maximum performance and/or a stiffer setup. However, a high-quality coilover kit with the proper specifications can improve handling and comfort.
Finally, springs and shocks are wear and tear components. They may still function properly after ten years and 100,000 miles. However, they are unlikely to provide the same ride and handling quality. If you can find a set of coilovers for a reasonable price, why not take advantage of the opportunity to replace old, worn suspension?
Rates for Honda Civic Coilover Springs
One of the most important topics here is spring rates. This is the weight required to compress the spring by one inch. This is commonly stated as 400 lbs/in, for example. In other words, 400 pounds are required to compress the spring 1 inch. There’s also the metric system, which uses kilograms per millimeter.
In any case, the greater the number, the stiffer the spring. Stiffer is not always better for handling. This is especially true on rougher roads. However, if you’re using coilovers to lower your ride height, you’ll need stiffer springs. If you go too soft and lower your Civic too much, the chassis will bottom out on the bump stops.
In general, higher spring rates are beneficial when lowering the vehicle and for smoother road surfaces. They do, however, sacrifice ride comfort. Softer spring rates are better for comfort and bumpier roads, but they add body roll.
Selecting the Best Coilovers
There isn’t always a perfect solution. It takes a lot of R&D, testing, and calculations to figure out the best spring rates and dampening. Even so, road conditions and other variables influence what the best spring rate is on any given day. As a result, it’s best to let coilover manufacturers determine the best spring rates for each vehicle.
It is still critical to monitor spring rates. If you want OE-style comfort, look for something with lower spring rates. Those looking to lower their Honda Civic should consider higher spring rate kits. You can, of course, choose a middle ground option.
Extremely high spring rates typically do not improve street handling. This is due to the fact that most streets are not perfectly flat and smooth. Track cars, on the other hand, typically use these higher spring rates. On smooth tracks, high spring rates are preferred to reduce weight transfer and body roll.
The Most Effective Honda Civic Coilovers Upgrade
Alright. With that out of the way, let’s get started on some of the best coilover upgrades for the Civic. Again, our primary focus is on Civic coilovers from the eighth, ninth, and tenth generations. These models were created between 2006 and the present. Many of the coilover brands we mention are also compatible with older Civics. The exact fitment varies, so double check.
Having said that, there are a plethora of excellent coilover upgrades for the Honda Civic. The list below is by no means exhaustive. However, there are a few Civic coilovers that we believe provide the best balance based on your objectives and budget.
Related : The Top 5 Kia Stinger Performance Upgrades
1) Upgraded Civic Raceland Coilovers
Tier: Beginning street or stance
Lowering: 1-3′′ for Classic, 2-4′′ for Ultimo
Price: $419-449
When it comes to entry-level street coilovers, Raceland is difficult to beat. Many people rant and rave about Raceland Honda Civic coilovers at this price point. No, they are not the best coilovers in terms of comfort, handling, and so on. They do, however, exactly what they are supposed to do.
They are simply high-quality entry-level coilovers at an incredible value from a company with excellent customer service. What more can you reasonably expect at this price? Unless you’re looking to spend a lot of money, Raceland is hard to beat. These Civic coilovers do the job on the cheap.
Choose between the Classic coilovers for $419 with 1-3′′ of drop or the Ultimo kit for $449 with 2-4′′ of drop. With these lower price ranges, the options are excellent. Unless you want to stance your Honda, stick with the standard coilovers. They have slightly softer spring rates, making them a better option for basic street setups.
2) BC Racing Coils for Honda Civic
Tier: Intermediate street or stance
1-3′′ reduction in height
Price: ~$1,000
BC Racing is approaching the $1,000 mark, but this is standard for the extra features. These coilovers include damping adjustment. This makes it simple to modify the compression and rebound characteristics of the shocks. It’s a feature you’re unlikely to find on cheaper Honda Civic coilovers.
These can still be used for stancing after being lowered by up to 3 inches. If stance is your ultimate goal, you might as well save money and go with the Raceland, which is less than half the price. The BC Racing Civic coilovers are an excellent choice for those looking for some adjustability and a better mid-tier street suspension package.
3) Coilover Kit Honda KW V1 & V3
Moderate street to entry-level track
1-2.5 inch reduction
Price: ~$1,200 – 1,500 (V1) or $2,400+ (V3)
If you’re familiar with coilovers, you’ve probably heard of KW. They offer coilover kits ranging from mild street use to full-fledged track cars. You must also pay a premium for their well-known brand and tested products. The KW Variant 1 (V1) is their entry-level setup, starting around $1,200 for the Civic. It may appear to be more expensive than previous Raceland coils. However, for mid-tier street coilovers, this is still a reasonable price.
Depending on what you want, Civic coilovers can be very expensive. KW V3 coilovers for the Civic are also available. These are top-tier street coilovers that also work well on the track. However, you’ll have to pay around $2,400 for some V3s.
Anyway, KW is the place to go if you want a really nice set of Civic coilovers. They are unquestionably one of the most well-known brands and have a stellar reputation. If we had a limited budget, KW would be our first choice.
4) Ohlins Coilovers for the Civic Type R
Tier: Purpose tracking
Lowering: ?
Price: $2,790+
When it comes to extremely high-end track coilovers, Ohlins is a household name. Regrettably, they are only available for the Civic Type R. There are no high-end track setups for base model Civics that we are aware of. KW offers coilovers that are even more aggressive than the V3s we discussed earlier. However, we were unable to locate any for base models.
In any case, these setups aren’t for the faint of heart. They can maintain lawful street use. They are, however, best suited to track use. These aggressive Civic coilovers also wear out faster and necessitate more frequent rebuilds.
That being said, any Civic Type R owner looking for the best suspension available should look no further than Ohlins. If you’re willing to pay the price, these are excellent suspension kits.
Summary of Honda Civic Coilovers
Coilover upgrades are an excellent way to elevate the Honda Civic. Coilover suspension kits are also extremely versatile. There are options for all of the different objectives and budgets. There is a coilover kit for you whether you want stance, moderate lowering, mild street use, or all-out track builds.
The spring rate and adjustability are two critical factors. Those who drive their Civic on the street will most likely prefer a mild spring rate and may not require adjustable coilovers. Dropping the car significantly necessitates stiffer springs, which can degrade ride quality. Finally, make sure the setup meets your comfort, handling, and use requirements.
At less than $500, Raceland Honda Civic coilovers are an excellent buy. It’s an excellent option for those looking for stance or an entry-level coilover upgrade. BC Racing is a good choice if you want some damping adjustability. Otherwise, KW and Ohlins have some aggressive Civic coilovers for track or street driving.
