The Best MKV/MK5 Jetta 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.
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A lowered MK5 Jetta with some supporting mods can be one of the best-looking Volkswagen’s out there. The MK5 Jetta was introduced in 2005 and produced until 2010. It happened to be the second Volkswagen vehicle to make its world debut at a US auto show. Handling was actually a strong point on the MKV Jetta when it came to reviews because it had the MacPherson Strut suspension in the front. Although the Jetta’s suspension was not as firm as the upgraded suspension that the GLI got, it is still a pretty solid OE suspension. With that said, however, the MK5 Jetta’s are coming up on a decade old or more, so suspension should be looked at.
Before jumping into coilovers, if you are needing or want to refresh your suspension, since the MK5 Jetta’s were produced over a decade ago, here is a list of refresh kits.
- Front Suspension Refresh Kit – Stage 1
- Front Suspension Refresh Kit – Stage 2
- Rear Suspension Refresh Kit – Stage 1
- Rear Suspension Refresh Kit – Stage 2
- Tie Rod Service Kit
- Front Control Arm Service Kit
MKV Jetta Coilovers Considerations
When it comes to purchasing coilovers, that are a lot of components to take into consideration: monotube vs twin-tube, spring rates, dampening and more. However, before looking at those considerations, it is important to layout your vehicle goals. Are you looking to just go low? Are you looking to improve handling on corners? Or are you wanting to take the Jetta to the track? It’s important to lay your goals out before looking at coilovers because there are so many different options out there for many different driving conditions. We would assume most of our MK5 Jetta readers would be looking for daily driver, best bang-for-your-buck, but we also want to include some high-tier coilover kits as well. Let’s jump into the considerations.
Monotube vs. Twin-Tube
Without going into too much detail, we will go over the high-level information for monotube and twin-tube coilover designs. Monotube and twin-tube refer to the internals of the coilover and shock design.
Twin-tube coilovers contain two chambers: one that houses hydraulic gas and one that houses hydraulic fluid. These two substances can mix sometimes which causes a less precise driving experience. However, this isn’t always a bad thing, especially if you aren’t taking the Jetta to the track exclusively. The suspension on twin-tube’s happen to be softer and less expensive since it isn’t as technologically advanced as the monotube design.
Monotube coilovers contain a single chamber that houses both hydraulic gas and hydraulic fluid. Unlike the twin-tube design, the substances never mix, leading to more precise suspension. Monotube’s are predominantly found on aggressive street cars or track cars since precision is key. That also means monotube’s tend to be more expensive.
Coilover Spring Rates
Springs are a very important part of your suspension. They control the vehicle’s ability to bounce, absorb bumps, and create a lower center of gravity when loaded. Spring rates specifically refer to the amount of weight it takes to compress the springs by 1 inch and can be measured in lb/in or KG/mm depending on where you are located. Most aftermarket coilover kits provide higher spring rates than the OE suspension to allow the driver to feel the road and improve the vehicle’s handling. A higher spring rate typically yields stiffer suspension, for example aggressive street cars and track cars. An example of a high spring rate would be 420lb/in, while an example of a lower spring rate is 230lb/in. A lower spring rate takes less weight to compress the springs, yielding a softer aftermarket setup.
Dampening Adjustability
Probably one of the most important considerations is dampening. Dampening is the control of the compression of the springs and how fast they rebound after compression. So, dampening adjustability refers to the ability to adjust the compression of said springs and the rebound. Adjustable dampening is typically found on aggressive street cars and track cars. Not all coilover kits have adjustable dampening, also referred to as fixed dampening. There’s nothing wrong with fixed dampening, it just doesn’t allow the driver to fully adjust the driving experience. However, aftermarket companies put many hours into R&D to ensure optimal dampening levels to consumers out of the box.
Coilovers vs. Lowering Springs
Lastly, we want to go over a heavily debated topic: coilovers vs lowering springs. First off, we don’t find anything wrong with either, we just prefer coilovers and we’ll explain why. There’s nothing wrong with going with lowering springs if your goals are to lower your vehicle and lower the vehicle’s center of gravity. If this is your goal, go with lowering springs. However, if you decide to throw a couple hundred extra bucks and go with coilovers, you get upgraded struts and shocks, while vastly improving handling. Coilovers also allow more customizability to enhance the driving experience by allowing you to adjust ride height, dampening, and more. Again, we don’t see anything wrong with going with lowering springs if those are your goals, we just prefer coilovers any day of the week.
MK5 Jetta Coilover Benefits
- Ride height adjustability/Lowers center of gravity
- Dampening adjustability
- More comfortable driving experience
- Stiffens up chassis for better cornering and control
- More cost-efficient than replacement factory suspension (Some setups)
Best MK5 Jetta Coilovers
When it comes to the “best” coilover kits on the market, we believe it is rather subjective. Every driver has different vehicle wants, so it’s hard to say what is the best for every driver. However, what we can do is give the best in different categories: stance, street, and track. We’ve spent quite a bit of time researching forums and aftermarket brands to find the three best according to other MK5 Jetta owners and our personal opinion.
1) Raceland MKV Jetta Coilovers
It seems like Raceland’s have mixed reviews on forums with MK5 Jetta owners. However, we want to ensure to include them on this list because we believe at a starting price of $439, Raceland coilovers provide the biggest bang-for-your-buck. What makes these stand out to us is the customizability and price. As you can see below, there are 3 different tiers that Raceland offers for different drivers. Their twin-tube design features a 1-4″ drop in ride height, fixed and adjustable dampening, optional strut mounts, and more.
Along with the kit, Raceland offers a lifetime warranty, 30-day satisfaction guarantee, and great customer service. Raceland coilovers are the best for daily drivers, period. If we had to recommend a specific setup for daily drivers that want to go low, we highly recommend the Ultimo or Primo setups.
Driver: Stance or Street
Lowering: 1-4″
Price: $439
Buy Here: Raceland Volkswagen MK5 Jetta Classic Coilovers
Ultimo Raceland Volkswagen MK5 Jetta Coilovers (Lowering 2-4″)
Primo Raceland Volkswagen MK5 Jetta Coilovers (Lowering 2-4″)
2) Bilstein MKV Jetta Coilovers
Bilstein makes a return in our top coilover kits because they have been making high-quality coilover kits for many decades. This is Bilstein’s middle-tier and can be used for high-performance street use, but not recommended for the track. The PSS B14’s are for drivers looking to improve handling and looks on the streets. Their monotube design allows 1.18-2.00″ in ride height adjustability, fixed dampening, progressive spring rates, and their Triple-C technology coating to ensure resistance to corrosion. You can’t go wrong with a set of Bilstein’s if you have extra money to spend.
This is for the 2.0T MKV Jetta, so if you happen to have another engine make sure you get the right one.
Driver: Street
Lowering: 1.18-2.00″
Price: $995 + Free Shipping
Buy Here: Bilstein Volkswagen MK5 Jetta PSS B14 Coilover Kit
3) Koni MKV Jetta Coilovers
Last but certainly not least, we’ve got Koni’s coming in for the mild to aggressive street drivers. Starting at $1,640, these are definitely for those that are particular about being able to adjust their driving experience. Their twin-tube design features a 2-2.40″ ride height adjustability, adjustable dampening, and more. These coilovers are for serious handling enthusiasts. Along with the kit, Koni also provides a lifetime warranty.
This is for the 2.0T MKV Jetta, so if you happen to have another engine make sure you get the right one.
Driver: Street
Lowering: 2.00-2.40″
Price: $1,640.52 + Free Shipping
Buy Here: Koni Volkswagen MK5 Jetta 1150 Series Coilover Kit
MK5 Jetta Coilovers Conclusion
To conclude this post, we are hoping that this has assisted you in your purchasing decision whether you happen to go with the setups above or not. We want to provide information to make it easier to make a big purchase and hope this post has done just that. Again, all drivers don’t want the same thing out of their suspension. Some want stiff and precise, others just want stance. But most kits will have the above considerations. To make it easy, if you are just daily driving and are looking to enhance your handling and lower your vehicle, go with Raceland. If you are particular about customizing your driving experience, go with Koni.
If you are interested in reading more Volkswagen content, here is a writeup on “The Best MK6 Jetta Coilovers”.