The Best B7 Passat Coilovers
Meet Trey
Trey is an automotive enthusiast and has a huge passion for Volkswagen and Audi vehicles of all kinds. His enthusiasm started with the MK5 GTI, and he has massively expanded his knowledge over the years. When Trey is not delivering high-quality and in-depth content, we can usually find him working in his garage on his modified Genesis coupe. Trey created VW Tuning several years ago, and he is the primary visionary behind the content.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.
There’s not much better than a Passat B7 lowered on a nice set of rims, like the one pictured above. IT may not be our favorite VW, but you can’t argue that it doesn’t look good. The B7 Passat was first introduced in 2010 and was essentially a facelifted B6 Passat. The only real difference between the two was the B7 Passat’s exterior was “modernized” and it was longer than the B6. At the beginning of the B7 Passat’s production, there weren’t many aftermarket companies providing coilover kits for them. This forced consumers to use MK5 & MK6 Jetta’s, with independent rear suspension, coilover kits. However, about halfway into the B7’s production cycle, more aftermarket companies started to make them because they saw the demand.
VW B7 Passat Coilovers Considerations
When it comes to purchasing a coilover kit, it can get very confusing because there are a lot of small components that make up a coilover kit. We’ll be going over most of them in this post: monotube vs twin-tube, spring rates, adjustable dampening, and more. We’ll also be going over the difference between coilovers, lowering springs, and bag suspensions because not every driver is best suited for coilovers. The one thing you will want to focus on before reading any further is what are your vehicle goals are. Are you looking to get stanced? Are you wanting to improve ride quality and handling? It is important to set this goal before going any further. As many can imagine, there are a lot of different aftermarket companies that provide coilover kits, but we kept it down to our 3 favorite setups below.
Monotube vs. Twin-Tube
One of the main considerations is whether to go monotube or twin-tube coilover design. Typically there isn’t much of a difference here nowadays because of the research that has gone into it. However, we will provide information on what they are, which is better suited for which driving and more. This topic can get very confusing, so we will try to provide as much info as possible without it being confusing. Monotube and twin-tube refers to the internals of a coilover kit.
Monotube Coilovers
Mono, or one, tube coilovers contain one chamber that houses both hydraulic fluid and hydraulic gas. These substances will never mix, causing a more precise and stiffer suspension. This is beneficial for high-performance street cars or track cars. Because of the technology used, these also tend to be more expensive.
Twin-Tube Coilovers
Twin, or two, tube coilovers contain two chambers that individually house hydraulic gas and hydraulic fluid. Mixing of these substances is possible, which causes less precise suspension, which isn’t a bad thing if you are looking for daily driver kits. It allows for the suspension to be more comfortable and softer. Due to the design, twin-tubes tend to be less expensive.
Coilover Spring Rates
Springs are probably one of the most important components of a suspension. They control the vehicle’s ability to absorb bumps, bounce and create a lower center of gravity. Spring rates refer to the amount of weight it takes to compress a spring by 1 inch. Depending on where you are located, this can be measured by lb/in or KG/mm. The higher the spring rate, 420lb/in for example, the stiffer the suspension. The lower the spring rate, 220lb/in for example, the softer the suspension is. Most aftermarket coilover kits will have higher spring rates than the OE suspension.
Dampening Adjustability
Lastly, probably the most important consideration to most looking at coilover kits is dampening. Dampening refers to the control of the springs and how quickly they rebound after being compressed. Therefore, dampening adjustability refers to the ability to adjust the dampening force. What this means is that it allows the driver to customize their vehicle, whether softer for a driving experience or stiffer for more precise suspension. Not all coilover kits have the ability to adjust dampening, which isn’t a bad thing. There is also fixed dampening. This means that the driver can’t adjust the dampening, but the aftermarket company has spent lots of time and resources to ensure optimal dampening to the end consumer. Dampening adjustability is most likely found on high performing street cars or track cars.
Coilovers vs. Lowering Springs vs. Bags
When it comes to lowering a vehicle, this is always a heavily debated topic. Lowering springs tend to be cheaper, coilovers improve handling, and bags provide a lot of customization to the driver. We don’t find anything wrong with going with any of them, so long as they match your vehicle goals. For example, if you are just looking to go low on a budget, lowering springs are the way to go. Coilovers are for those that are not only wanting to go low, but also improve handling and driving experience. Bags provide the driver customization and tend to be very expensive.
Coilover kits typically come with upgraded shocks and strut mounts, while lowering springs only come with upgraded springs. Bags suspension can provide more driver comfort regardless of the load weight. Needless to say, there are a lot of pros and cons to each, and again choosing vehicle goals will assist in making this decision.
VW B7 Passat Coilover Benefits
- Ride height adjustability/Lowers center of gravity
- Dampening adjustability
- More comfortable driving experience
- Improved handling
Best B7 Passat Coilovers
In our opinion, the “best” coilover kits can be a little subjective. The reason being is that not all drivers have the same vehicle goals in mind. Some drivers may just want stance and that’s it. While others want to improve ride quality and handling. Although there may not be very many B7 Passat track cars, maybe there is someone that has a B7 track monster and is looking for the best track coilover kit. In all three of these cases, we wanted to make sure to provide the best kit for all three drivers. We’ve spent some time scrolling through forums to find what other B7 Passat owners are using or have used. As always, before ordering anything, please make sure it fits your specific Passat B7 application.
1) Raceland Passat B7 Coilovers
There has always seemed to be a negative stigma behind Raceland coilovers because of their pricing. This hasn’t ever made sense to us because from a business standpoint, it makes sense. Raceland coilovers eliminate the middle man, which means savings get passed down to the end consumer. With that said, although the Classic coilovers start at $439, we have used Raceland coilovers on many vehicles and will forever call them the biggest bang-for-your-buck coilover kit. Could they theoretically hike their prices up to get better margins, probably, but they don’t. AND still, come out with high-quality coilover kits.
There are 3 different coilover kits you can go with ranging from $439 – $539 that suit all driver needs. These twin-tube coilovers offer a 1-4″ drop, come with adjustable dampening, optional strut mounts, and more. On top of the high-quality kits they offer, they provide a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, lifetime warranty, and excellent customer service. We highly advise going with the Ultimo or Primo kit because it allows more customization then the Classic kit, but that is just our opinion.
Driver: Stance or Street
Lowering: 1-4″
Price: $439
Buy Here: Raceland Volkswagen B7 Passat Classic Coilovers
Ultimo Raceland Volkswagen B7 Passat Coilovers (Lowering 2-4″)
Primo Raceland Volkswagen B7 Passat Coilovers (Lowering 2-4″)
2) Bilstein Passat B7 Coilovers
First off, these Bilstein coilovers fit all Passat B7’s. Bilstein is a well-known suspension company that has been around for decades. They are known for building high-quality street and track setups. There is a good reason almost all of our coilover guides on here have included Bilstein’s in the top 3. Many VW enthusiasts and suspension enthusiasts have had or have a set of Bilstein’s. Starting at $995, there are on the moderate side of coilover kits, which is great since they are Bilstein’s. These monotube coilovers allow for a 1.18-2.00″ ride height adjustability, tried and true fixed dampening, progressive spring rates, and more. Their patented Triple-C technology coating ensures resistance to corrosion which in turn will last longer than your normal coilover kit.
Driver: Street
Lowering: 1.18-2.00″
Price: $995
Buy Here: Bilstein Volkswagen Passat B7 PSS B14 Coilovers
3) H&R Passat B7 Coilovers
For starters, these coilovers fit all Passat B7’s except the V6 engine. H&R is a very common suspension company for those with VW’s and Audi’s. Like Bilstein’s, H&R has been around for decades and is known for building high-quality coilover setups. These specific monotube coilovers offer a ride height adjustability of 1.25-2.50″ and progressive spring rates to ensure ride comfort and handling suits the driver.
Driver: Street
Lowering: 1.25-2.50″
Price: $1,176.95 + Free Shipping
Buy Here: H&R Volkswagen Passat B7 Street Performance Coilovers
VW B7 Passat Coilovers Conclusion
To wrap this guide up, we hope the information and kits we have provided assist you in your buying decision. We always advise everyone to do as much research as possible because coilovers are not the cheapest part and we want to make sure everyone loves what they buy. In short, if you are looking for a coilover that provides the biggest bang-for-your-buck, go with Raceland. If you are someone that puts more importance on ride quality and handling, go with Bilsteins. Let us know what coilovers you have used, your experience with them, and any advice for any future B7 Passat readers in the comments below.
If you are interested in more Volkswagen B7 Passat content, here is an article on “The 7 Most Common Volkswagen Passat B7 Problems”.