KW launches new GR Yaris V3 coilovers
Managed to nab a new GR? Need it to corner even more keenly? KW has the solution
While harder to get hold of and more expensive than ever, the latest GR Yaris has meaningfully improved on a brilliant hot hatch: faster, sharper to drive, better to sit in and more interesting to look at, it’s exactly as hoped for. But there’s always room for improvement, even in a car as good as Toyota’s turbo tyke. Step forward KW.
As it did with the first GR, it now has a V3 coilover kit for the Gen 2 Yaris. It’s not simply a repackaged continuation either, as the springs, top mounts and piston rods don’t fit. KW says its new upgrade offers up ‘a sporty harmonic driving behavior with a tight setup that is as necessary and as comfortable as possible.’ Just as importantly, or at least it could be argued for the GR, is that a ride height drop makes the Yaris look even better. There are full touring car vibes from KW’s demo car, and the V3s offer between 25 and 45mm of lowering. Apparently customers with original GRs and V3s ‘rave about the high level of ride comfort, even at maximum lowering.’
Compression and rebound damping is independently adjustable, which KW reckons is notable in the world of aftermarket Yaris suspension as most offer parallel tweaking (where compression and rebound are tweaked at the same time). These V3s offer up 12 compression settings and 16 for rebound at both ends. With compression increased at the front, KW says you’ll get a ‘more direct steering response’; match it with more at the rear and oversteer will be reduced. Cranking up the rebound will reduce body roll and sharpen up responses, with ride quality sacrificed a little. That being said, two-stage valves in the dampers should keep the Yaris comfy-ish; ‘even with the low-speed compression damping fully closed’, says the press release, the preconfigured high-speed compression valve can open over really nasty imperfections to allow the wheels ‘to travel and provide damping without sacrificing performance.’
Furthermore, while KW is of course globally renowned for its suspension wizardry, it has a close alliance with Toyota in motorsport. There are KW dampers in the GT4 Supra, for example, and Reiger suspension - a company owned by the KW Group - underneath the Yaris rally car and Hilux rally raid truck. So another V3 package for the hot hatch was always going to happen. There’s even a V4 Clubsport kit coming for the really keen. But that’s for the future; for now the V3s are available to order, priced from £2,114 on KW’s UK site. That’s the easy part - the difficulty might be finding a Yaris to fit them to…
I note in the article the comment about Reiger, yes Reiger are owned by KW as of about 4yrs ago but they are quite different in their piston tech (with Reiger's being superior) and price point.
Toyota must’ve spent an absolute fortune in R&D to ensure that the GR Yaris has the best possible set up. It’s not like buying aftermarket suspension For a bog standard Astra or focus. I understand on those cars that the quality and set up of the suspension would be compromised by price and design characteristics and KW would be able to improve on the OEM setup.
But improving on Toyota R&D on a GR Yaris must be difficult.
Toyota must’ve spent an absolute fortune in R&D to ensure that the GR Yaris has the best possible set up. It’s not like buying aftermarket suspension For a bog standard Astra or focus. I understand on those cars that the quality and set up of the suspension would be compromised by price and design characteristics and KW would be able to improve on the OEM setup.
But improving on Toyota R&D on a GR Yaris must be difficult.
How much is a WRC car? £700k, that's where you get the best possible set up.
Toyota must’ve spent an absolute fortune in R&D to ensure that the GR Yaris has the best possible set up. It’s not like buying aftermarket suspension For a bog standard Astra or focus. I understand on those cars that the quality and set up of the suspension would be compromised by price and design characteristics and KW would be able to improve on the OEM setup.
But improving on Toyota R&D on a GR Yaris must be difficult.
Almost all road car suspension is the result of compromises, and that includes cars like the GR Yaris.
Some drivers want suspension that is less compromised for their use and preference, hence you have companies like KW offering what they do.
At least this is not as obscure as the 20 year old German set from KW, but I do wonder if they have a promotion deal with PH.
My limited experience of aftermarket suspension is that they don't last anywhere near as long as OEM stuff.
The nearside rear damper started to mist after about 40k miles and almost ten years, and the nearside rear spring snapped after a further 10k miles. As a point of reference, the OEM BMW rear spring snapped at fewer than 30k miles when the car was under 3 years old. The springs have some surface corrosion where the yellow paint has cracked, but they otherwise have been faultless in my experience.
My limited experience of aftermarket suspension is that they don't last anywhere near as long as OEM stuff.
https://www.yellowspeedeurope.com/products/tegiwa-...
Toyota must’ve spent an absolute fortune in R&D to ensure that the GR Yaris has the best possible set up. It’s not like buying aftermarket suspension For a bog standard Astra or focus. I understand on those cars that the quality and set up of the suspension would be compromised by price and design characteristics and KW would be able to improve on the OEM setup.
But improving on Toyota R&D on a GR Yaris must be difficult.
Toyota must’ve spent an absolute fortune in R&D to ensure that the GR Yaris has the best possible set up. It’s not like buying aftermarket suspension For a bog standard Astra or focus. I understand on those cars that the quality and set up of the suspension would be compromised by price and design characteristics and KW would be able to improve on the OEM setup.
But improving on Toyota R&D on a GR Yaris must be difficult.
Even poor quality competition grade dampers are £3k. There just isn't the budget in a road car to spend that sort of money on higher performance components like that.
These components have to be non-service items and also ensure the tyre wear is uniform and a whole host of other things that if you want *performance* you will sacrifice.
Think of it another way: If you enter a race series with a road car the first thing you do is fit racing parts to make the car perform better and actually just last the race. I'm confident there isn't a single race series on the planet that permits modifications and has winners on OEM suspension...
My limited experience of aftermarket suspension is that they don't last anywhere near as long as OEM stuff.
My limited experience of aftermarket suspension is that they don't last anywhere near as long as OEM stuff.
The nearside rear damper started to mist after about 40k miles and almost ten years, and the nearside rear spring snapped after a further 10k miles. As a point of reference, the OEM BMW rear spring snapped at fewer than 30k miles when the car was under 3 years old. The springs have some surface corrosion where the yellow paint has cracked, but they otherwise have been faultless in my experience.
Rear springs after c 50k miles:
That's what the after market are for is to take the margins in the OEM design, ignore the regulations that apply only to new cars and stretch the capability of the car for those that really want it and are willing to pay for it. Personally I am happy they built a ~300 BHP Yaris as no other OEM has done anything like it for years
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