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When it comes to upgrading the suspension on your vehicle, you’ve got options. Two of the most popular options are performance suspensions and magnetic ride control suspensions. Both offer significant upsides — especially compared to your factory suspension. But the differences between the two means that one is likely a better option for your needs than the other.
In this article, we examine the differences between performance suspension and magnetic ride control, including their distinct features and their advantages and disadvantages. You’ll also learn how to decide which option is likely to be best for you and your vehicle.
Performance Suspension vs. Magnetic Ride Control: Comparison
While performance suspensions and their magnetic ride control counterparts both serve the same purpose of supporting your vehicle and providing damping capability, that’s about where the similarities end. Each type of suspension goes about doing that job in radically different ways. We explore those differences in this section.
What Is a Performance Suspension?
A performance suspension uses traditional coilover struts that are finely tuned to optimize handling, stability, and stopping power. You’ll often find this type of passive suspension on sports cars and other vehicles built for speed. Even though they are structurally similar to “normal” suspensions, the precise mechanical tuning of performance suspensions enables them to do the job more effectively and efficiently.
Performance Suspension: Key Features
There are a few things that make performance suspensions unique from other types. These include:
➤ Typically have stiffer springs
➤ Include upgraded shocks, sway bars, and bushings
➤ Usually tuned for competitive driving
➤ Prioritize responsiveness and feedback over comfort
➤ Many allow for manual adjustment by the driver
Performance Suspension: Pros and Cons
The design and build of performance suspensions comes with a few advantages and disadvantages specific to them. We go over a few of the most notable in the table below.
Performance Suspension Pros | Performance Suspension Cons |
|---|---|
Relatively affordable and easy to service | Doesn’t offer adaptive support |
Can be tailored to the driver and driving scenario | Must be manually adjusted |
Offers predictable, reliable performance | Can produce a stiff and bumpy ride, especially on rough surfaces |
What Is Magnetic Ride Control?
Magnetic ride control is a type of active suspension system that uses magnetorheological fluids to adjust damping support based on changes in driving behavior and road conditions. This is in contrast to the passive support offered by performance shocks. Also called MagneRide suspension, magnetic ride control uses sensors mounted at each wheel to allow the magnetic shocks to adapt in real-time, providing advanced leveling capability and enhanced driver comfort.
Magnetic Ride Control: Key Features
Magnetic ride control suspensions have a few unique features that separate them from other types of suspensions. These include:
➤ Employs mechanical sensors to monitor driver inputs and changes in road surface more than 1,000 times per second
➤ Adjusts resistance in the struts to optimize the balance of comfort and performance
➤ Often found in high-end luxury and performance vehicles, but are becoming more commonplace
Magnetic Ride Control: Pros and Cons
Suspensions built with magnetic ride control offer some significant upsides over other types of suspensions. However, they also come with a few noteworthy drawbacks. We take a look at both in the table below.
Magnetic Ride Control Pros | Magnetic Ride Control Cons |
|---|---|
Automatically adapts to the road and driver to offer superior comfort and handling | Significantly more expensive than passive suspension equipment |
Improves vehicle safety | Complex system with substantially more points of failure |
Good for both daily driving and high-performance applications | More difficult and costly to repair and replace |
Performance Suspension vs. Magnetic Ride Control: How To Choose
Both types of suspension systems we looked at in this article are likely to offer a significant upgrade over your factory suspension. However, one type may be more aligned with how you drive and what you use your vehicle for than the other.
Based on our research and experience, we’ve identified some ideal use cases for each type below.
A performance suspension may be the right choice if you:
➤ Use your car for racing and other high-performance applications
➤ Want an affordable suspension upgrade
➤ Wish to tune your suspension to your driving style
Magnetic ride control may be the best choice if you:
➤ Prioritize comfort for you and your passengers
➤ Want a versatile suspension that can adapt to different situations
➤ Don’t mind the additional cost
Strutmasters: Your Source for Suspension Options
Whatever you decide between upgrading your vehicle with a performance suspension or magnetic ride control, Strutmasters has what you need. For over 25 years, we’ve been a leader in the suspension industry, building a reputation off of quality products and customer service. Our suspension components come with a guarantee against manufacturing and material defects, ensuring you’ll get the high-quality solution you paid for.
Still can’t decide which option is right for you? Let our Suspension Experts help you choose. Based in our Roxboro, NC headquarters, our support team can walk you through the decision-making process to find the ideal solution for your needs. They can also help with any other suspension-related questions you may have.
Not sure where to have your new suspension installed? The Suspension Experts can help with that, too. Just ask and we’ll line you up with one or more of our Strutmasters-approved repair centers near you for an installation that meets the same standards as our products.
