The Best Coilovers For Your Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
Suspension guide
EVO X owners come to us wanting one of two things: the car sitting lower with better damping than the factory fitted, or a setup that can handle a proper circuit session without running out of adjustment halfway through.
Cameron's first observation is about how wide the range runs. TEIN FLEX Z starts the list at £972 and MOTON 3-Way tops it at just over six thousand. Garreth's is about the AST range: it lists three kits for this car, each with a different top mount spec, and those three steps are the clearest guide to how the car gets used.
Below is our pick at each level, cheapest first, with the price, what adjusts and who each one is for.
- Five brands list EVO X coilovers with us: BC Racing, TEIN, AST, MOTON and H&R
- Bilstein and Eibach do not list a CZ4A coilover in our catalogue
- TEIN's reference drop for the EVO X is 45mm front and 30mm rear
- AST lists three kits for the CZ4A, each with a different top mount specification
- BC Racing ships the EVO X on 8 kg/mm front and 6 rear springs by default
What the top mounts tell you about the car
The EVO X is the last Lancer Evolution, a four-wheel drive four-door saloon with sport-biased factory suspension. For coilovers it is one car on one set of part numbers across our range. The three AST kits are where the detail lives: each one changes the top mount spec in a way that maps to how you use the car.
| AST kit | Top mounts | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| 5100 Street | Your original mounts, not replaced | Road car, bolt-on damper upgrade |
| 5100 Street Performance | Camber-adjustable front mounts included | Road car being lowered and driven hard |
| 5100 Clubracing | Camber front and solid rear top mounts | Car that goes on circuit regularly |
From the listing descriptions. Each step changes the top mount spec to match how the car is used.
TEIN gives reference drop data in both listings. The recommended range is 35 to 55mm front and 20 to 40mm rear, with 45mm front and 30mm rear as the reference setting. Spring rates are 9 kgf/mm front and 8 rear on the FLEX Z, and 12 front and 9 rear on the MONO SPORT. The stiffer kit is for the car that works on track.
Five brands cover the EVO X in our catalogue. Bilstein and Eibach do not list a CZ4A coilover with us.
The ladder at a glance
Six picks from BC Racing, TEIN, AST and MOTON, cheapest first. There is no spring kit rung: Bilstein and Eibach do not list a CZ4A spring or spring-and-damper kit in our catalogue.
| Level | Our pick | Price inc VAT | What you can adjust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry coilover | TEIN FLEX Z | £972 | Full-length height, 16 damping positions |
| Entry coilover | BC Racing BR | £1,049 | Height, 30 click damping |
| Fast road coilover | AST 5100 Street Performance | £3,276 | Height, 12 click rebound |
| Club and trackday 1-way | AST 5100 Clubracing | £3,780 | Height, 12 click rebound |
| 2-way | BC Racing ER | £1,849 | Height, rebound and compression separately |
| 3-way | BC Racing ZR | £2,159 | Height, three way adjustable |
Prices read from the site on the day this guide was built, inc VAT. The product cards below show prices before VAT, as the rest of the site does; the Inc/Exc VAT switch changes them.
1. TEIN FLEX Z: the starting point with setup data
FLEX Z is the cheapest coilover we list for the EVO X and it has one practical advantage: TEIN gives you the numbers. The recommended drop is 35 to 55mm front and 20 to 40mm rear, with 45mm front and 30mm rear as the reference setting. It is a twin-tube kit, 16-way adjustment, full-length height adjustment so the ride quality does not change as you set the height, and camber-adjustable front top mounts included.
Garreth also points to BC Racing BR at £1,049. The character differs: 30-way single-dial damping, a pillowball front top mount, and the same listing page lets you step to ER or ZR series later. Cameron’s view is that for a road EVO X that needs to sit lower and ride better, FLEX Z is the simpler kit with the better setup data behind it.
- Price. £972 inc VAT
- Adjustment. Full-length height, 16 damping positions
- In the box. Coilovers, springs, upper mounts per car
- Buy it if. You want the EVO lower, set up from TEIN’s own reference figures, without spending more than you need to
2. BC Racing BR: 30-way damping and the full series upgrade path
BR is the entry point in BC’s EVO X range, on pillowball front and rubber rear top mounts, with 30 clicks of single-dial damping. BC ships it on 8 kg/mm front and 6 rear springs. Ride height adjusts on the lower bracket, independently of spring preload. The practical reason to choose it over FLEX Z is the listing page: every BC series for the EVO X, BR, RM, ER, HM, ZX and ZR, is chosen on the same page, so if the car goes on track and needs a second dial, you order the ER kit from the same listing.
Cameron’s read on the two entry options: FLEX Z if you want TEIN’s setup data to start from; BR if you want the upgrade path built in and a pillowball front mount from day one.
- Price. £1,049 inc VAT, BR
- Adjustment. Height, 30 click damping
- In the box. Coilovers with springs; the top mount options are on the listing
- Buy it if. You want the entry BC coilover for the EVO X, with the option to step to ER or ZR on the same listing later
3. AST 5100 Street Performance: the better damper for a road car
AST makes three kits for the CZ4A and the Street Performance is the one for a road car you are going to lower and use properly. It is an inverted high-pressure monotube, 12 clicks of rebound, made in the Netherlands and rebuildable, with camber-adjustable front top mounts included in the box. The Street version at £2,712 keeps your original top mounts, which works at standard height. Once the car is lowered, the camber tops earn their keep.
If you want a mid-step, TEIN MONO SPORT sits at £1,740. It is a monotube with the same TEIN drop reference data, 12 front and 9 rear spring rates, and an overhaul service. Garreth’s view is that the AST build quality is the real step change here, and the £564 from Street to Street Performance is worth it for a car that will be lowered. If you need help confirming the right spec, drop us an email or click to open a chat.
- Price. £3,276 inc VAT
- Adjustment. Height, 12 click rebound
- In the box. Springs and camber-adjustable front top mounts
- Buy it if. The car is used properly on the road and you want a European-built damper that can be rebuilt
4. AST 5100 Clubracing: the trackday EVO
The Clubracing kit adds solid rear top mounts to the camber front, locks the rear down for circuit use and keeps 12 clicks of rebound. The rear spring rate is now something you can actually change. For an EVO X that goes on circuit regularly, that distinction matters more than an extra few clicks of adjustment.
MOTON 1-Way Clubracer at £4,128 is the alternative at this rung: a non-inverted endurance monotube with 15 clicks of rebound and no reservoir, the MOTON damper without the plumbing. Garreth’s rule is this rung for the car with a circuit schedule, not just the occasional trackday.
- Price. £3,780 inc VAT
- Adjustment. Height, 12 click rebound
- In the box. Coilover rear, camber front and solid rear top mounts
- Buy it if. The car goes on track regularly and you want the rear spring rate and corner weights adjustable
5. Two way: BC Racing ER, AST 5200 or MOTON 2-Way
BC Racing ER adds a second dial and external reservoirs to the same CZ4A listing: rebound and compression adjust separately for well under £2,000 on an EVO X that goes circuit racing.
AST 5200 and MOTON 2-Way are the European-built alternatives, with remote reservoirs, custom spring rates and a UK rebuild centre that can revalve them as the car develops. Cameron would fit ER first on a track EVO: it is the way to learn what compression adjustment does on this car before committing to the higher spend. Garreth would go straight to AST or MOTON for a car with a race programme: the valving and the rebuild infrastructure are worth it.
- Price. £1,849 inc VAT, ER
- Adjustment. Height, rebound and compression separately
- In the box. Coilovers with external reservoirs and springs
- Buy it if. You set the car up session to session and want compression alongside rebound
6. Three way: BC Racing ZR, AST 5300 or MOTON 3-Way
The top rung splits compression into high and low speed adjustment. BC Racing ZR is the competition kit and still comes in well under the AST 5300 and MOTON 3-Way. AST 5300 adds 14 or 15 clicks of low speed compression to the 5200 spec. MOTON 3-Way runs 6 low speed and 15 high speed positions, built for endurance programmes.
Garreth’s rule for this rung: it is a race car purchase. Buy it when someone is going to write the settings down between sessions.
- Price. £2,159 inc VAT, ZR
- Adjustment. Height, three way adjustable
- In the box. Coilovers with external reservoirs and springs
- Buy it if. It is a race car, or a trackday car with a proper setup programme behind it
Anti-roll bars to go with them
Coilovers change how the EVO X sits and how it controls body movement over bumps. Anti-roll bars change the balance in corners. H&R list a dedicated bar kit for the CZ4A, and it is the usual next step once the car is on adjustable coilovers and the height is set.
| Part number | Fits | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|
| 33009-1 | Lancer Evolution X (CZ4A) | £584 |
Every option we list for the EVO X
| Range | Part number | Listed for | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEIN FLEX Z | VSE18-C1SA4 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X CZ4A | £972 |
| BC Racing | BCR-B-20 | Mitsubishi EVO X (07-16) [CZ4A] | ZR £2,159, ZX £1,964, HM £2,059, ER £1,849, RM £1,239, BR £1,049 |
| TEIN MONO SPORT | GSE18-71SS4 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X CZ4A | £1,740 |
| AST 5100 Street | ACU-M3008S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £2,712 |
| AST 5100 Street Performance | ACT-M3008S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £3,276 |
| AST 5100 Clubracing | ACC-M3008S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £3,780 |
| MOTON 1-Way Clubracer | M 526 102S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £4,128 |
| AST 5200 2-Way Motorsport | RIV-M3008S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £5,376 |
| MOTON 2-Way Motorsport | M 526 002S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £5,544 |
| AST 5300 3-Way Motorsport | RAC-M3008S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £5,688 |
| MOTON 3-Way Motorsport | M 526 005S | Mitsubishi EVO 10 CZ4A | £6,312 |
Every coilover and spring listing that names the EVO X today. BC Racing prices are per series.
Before you order
- Year and market. TEIN lists these kits for UK-market CZ4A cars from 2008. Imports need confirming before you order
- Alignment. Any ride height change alters camber and toe; book the alignment as part of the job
- Top mounts. AST Street uses your original mounts; Street Performance includes camber-adjustable fronts; Clubracing adds solid rears. Match the spec to how the car is used
- Road or track. The gap between a road car and a trackday car is where most EVO X buyers sit. If you are not sure, drop us an email or click to open a chat before you order
Common questions
What are the best coilovers for a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X on a budget?
TEIN FLEX Z at £972 is the cheapest coilover we list for the EVO X, with TEIN’s reference drop data. BC Racing BR is £77 more and gives you the upgrade path to ER or ZR on the same listing.
Do you list Bilstein or Eibach coilovers for the Lancer Evolution X?
No. The five brands we list for the CZ4A are BC Racing, TEIN, AST, MOTON and H&R. Bilstein and Eibach do not list a CZ4A coilover kit in our catalogue.
What is TEIN's recommended ride height drop for an EVO X?
TEIN gives a recommended range of 35 to 55mm front and 20 to 40mm rear, with 45mm front and 30mm rear as the reference setting for this car.
What is the difference between AST 5100 Street and Street Performance for the EVO X?
Street uses your original top mounts. Street Performance includes camber-adjustable front top mounts. For a car that will be lowered, Street Performance is the one to go for.
Is TEIN MONO SPORT worth the step up from FLEX Z on an EVO X?
MONO SPORT is a monotube rather than a twin-tube, runs stiffer springs (12 kgf/mm front, 9 rear, versus 9 and 8 on the FLEX Z) and can be overhauled. It suits a road car that also goes on circuit. If the car is road only, FLEX Z does the job.
What we would fit
For a road EVO X, Cameron fits TEIN FLEX Z and uses the reference setting: 45mm front, 30mm rear. The car sits right, the data takes the guesswork out, and the budget goes on an alignment and tyres.
Garreth’s pick for a road car that gets used hard is the AST 5100 Street Performance: the better damper, the camber tops already in the box, a kit that goes back to AST for a rebuild. For a car that races, it is AST 5200 or MOTON 2-Way and up. On the BC Racing ER they do not agree: Cameron would fit it first on a circuit EVO to learn what a second dial does before spending AST money. Garreth would spend the AST money from the start on a car with a race schedule.
Our AST guide and MOTON guide go deeper on those two ranges, and the BC Racing Mitsubishi guide covers every BC fitment for the brand.
Send us the registration and what the car does: road car, trackdays or more serious. We will recommend the right kit and top mount combination before you order.
Send us the registration and whether the car lives on the road, goes on trackdays or is used more seriously. We will find the right part number and talk through spring rates and top mount options before anything is ordered.
