HKS just rolled out a full redesign of the Hipermax S coilover line, and every 80300-series part number has been reissued under a new 80330-series SKU. The line has been rebuilt around what HKS calls the Flat Ride Concept, dust boots and stabilizer links are covered under a new 3-year or 60,000 km warranty, and the lineup has expanded to cover the C8 Corvette Z06, the 2022+ WRX (VB chassis), the R32-era 300ZX, and the Mazda CX-5.

As an authorized HKS retailer, we've refreshed every HKS Hipermax S listing on SPRINGRATES to reflect the new codes, spring rates, mount types, and fitments. Here's what changed, why it matters, and which HKS coilover is right for your chassis.

The New HKS Hipermax S at a Glance

  • All Hipermax S part numbers moved from 80300-* to 80330-*
  • Redesigned around HKS's Flat Ride Concept for calmer body motion mid-corner
  • New WR Needle damping mechanism widens the useful range of the 30 levels
  • Aluminum upper mounts with a shot-blasted matte finish
  • PNE thread coating for corrosion resistance and lower height-adjustment effort
  • New 3-year or 60,000 km warranty now covers the DURA BOOTS dust boots and stabilizer links, backed by 60,000 km of real-world validation
  • Four brand-new fitments added: C8 Corvette Z06, 2022+ Subaru WRX (VB), 1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX (Z32), 2012-2017 Mazda CX-5
  • Every kit is still made in Japan and remains rebuildable through HKS

What Is the HKS Flat Ride Concept?

Flat Ride Concept is the design philosophy behind the redesign. HKS's target was a coilover that keeps the chassis level as it transitions through mid-corner load transfer, rather than pitching, diving, or squatting the way most sport coilovers do when you push them. The result is a car that reads flatter through a corner without giving up the compliance you want on broken pavement.

Two pieces of hardware do most of the work. The first is HKS's dual preload valve system (Dual PVS), which raises damping force in the low piston-speed range where body motion happens, while keeping high-speed damping low so the kit still absorbs sharp bumps and expansion joints. The second is the new WR Needle: a redesigned damping-adjustment needle profile that pushes the useful range of the 30-click adjuster wider toward the soft end, so you can dial in real ride comfort without giving up the top end for spirited driving. If you want a deeper primer on how monotube construction and multi-way damping work, our guide to monotube vs. twin-tube coilovers covers it in detail.

What Changed From the Old Hipermax S

The 80300-series Hipermax S was already one of the best-riding street coilovers in Japan. The 80330 redesign keeps everything that worked and tightens the parts that didn't.

Spring rates on most applications are the same, since they were already dialed. Upper mounts are now aluminum with a matte shot-blasted finish that reads more premium than the old anodized parts. Dust boots use a new material with better heat, weather, and ozone resistance, and they're covered under warranty for the first time. Stabilizer links have been reworked around HIPERMAX S-specific geometry with lower-friction ball joints for cleaner suspension movement, and they're covered under warranty too.

Under the skin, the piston valving has been retuned for the Flat Ride Concept, valve shims are Japan-made with a special surface treatment that keeps shim adhesion from tightening up over time, and the entire kit is still monotube for a large piston, refined damping, and a rebuildable design.

New HKS Hipermax S Fitments for 2026

Four platforms are joining the Hipermax S lineup for the first time:

  • 2023-2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C8) β€” 80330-AA005CP. LT6-specific full canceller kit with spherical-bearing upper mounts front and rear, 12 kgf/mm front and 13 kgf/mm rear rates, and factory magnetic damper cancellers included. If you're chasing a Z06 that stays flat through the fast stuff without giving up daily usability, this is HKS's answer.
  • 2022-2025 Subaru WRX (VB chassis, VBH engine code) β€” 80330-BF001P / 80330-AF010C / 80330-AF010CP. Three variants: full kit with front pillow mounts, full canceller kit with rubber mounts, and full canceller with front pillow. The canceller versions handle the VB's electronic damper control so you don't throw dash lights after install.
  • 1990-1996 Nissan 300ZX (Z32) β€” 80330-AN019. A long-requested fitment. Rubber upper mounts front and rear, 8 kgf/mm and 6 kgf/mm rates, tuned for the twin-turbo Z32's chassis dynamics.
  • 2012-2017 Mazda CX-5 (KE2FW) β€” 80330-AZ009. An inverted-monotube application at the front strut for a crossover that most performance brands skip. HKS engineered a real coilover for it.

Meanwhile, four older applications have been discontinued and are no longer in production: the 1998-2001 Evo 5/6 (CP9A), 2020+ GR Yaris, 2019+ RAV4, and 2022+ Prius.

The Popular HKS Coilover Fitments, Refreshed

If you shop by chassis, here's where the biggest names in the Hipermax S line land after the refresh. Every one of these is available at SPRINGRATES with the new 80330 SKU, updated spring rates, and rewritten spec table.

370Z HKS Coilovers (Z34)

The 2009-2020 Nissan 370Z kit is tuned at 10 kgf/mm front and 9 kgf/mm rear with rubber upper mounts front and rear. The 370Z Roadster and 370Z NISMO are covered by the same kit. If you want the pillow-mount upgrade for camber and steering feel, ask us about pairing the base kit with HKS pillow uppers.

350Z HKS Coilovers (Z33)

The 2003-2009 350Z (and 2002-2007 G35 Coupe and Sedan) run 10 kgf/mm front and 9 kgf/mm rear. Same spring rates as the 370Z kit, tuned for the Z33 chassis.

GT-R HKS Coilovers (R35)

The 2009-2021 R35 GT-R kit runs the highest front rate in the Hipermax S line at 16 kgf/mm front and 9 kgf/mm rear. Rubber upper mounts, full-length height adjustment, and 30-level damping. This is the same construction as the rest of the Hipermax S line, valved specifically for the R35's weight distribution and factory alignment geometry.

Nissan Z HKS Coilovers (RZ34)

The 2023+ Nissan Z (RZ34) is tuned at 12 kgf/mm front and 11 kgf/mm rear. HKS was one of the first Japanese brands to release a real coilover for the RZ34, and the refresh keeps that same aggressive rate spec.

GR86 and BRZ HKS Coilovers (ZN8/ZD8)

The 2022+ Toyota GR86 and 2022+ Subaru BRZ both use spherical-bearing front upper mounts as standard in the new line. Rates are 5 kgf/mm front and 6.5 kgf/mm rear for the GR86 kit and 5 kgf/mm front and 6 kgf/mm rear for the BRZ. Both use inverted monotube fronts for strut-type suspension rigidity.

86, FR-S, and First-Gen BRZ HKS Coilovers (ZN6/ZC6)

The 2013-2020 Toyota 86, 2013-2016 Scion FR-S, and 2013-2020 Subaru BRZ all share a 5 kgf/mm front and 5 kgf/mm rear rate with front pillow mounts standard.

GR Supra HKS Coilovers (A90/A91)

The 2020+ GR Supra ships as a full kit with front pillow mounts, or as an EDC canceller variant if you want to keep the factory electronic damper display happy. Both run 7 kgf/mm front and 12 kgf/mm rear, tuned for the B58 chassis. Same kit covers the 2.0 Supra with the B48.

WRX HKS Coilovers (VB, VA, GR, and GD)

The lineup covers every modern WRX. The 2022+ WRX (VBH) is new for 2026, in three variants. The 2015-2021 WRX and WRX STI (VAG) ship in base or F-pillow spec. The 2008-2014 STI (GRB) offers the same base and F-pillow choice. Older GDB and GDA applications are all still covered.

Civic Type R HKS Coilovers (FL5, FK8, FD2)

The FL5 kit is a full canceller with front pillow, tuned at 10 kgf/mm front and 8 kgf/mm rear. The FK8 runs 8 kgf/mm and 6 kgf/mm. The FD2 kit keeps its Type R chassis tune. All three keep HKS's dedicated Type R chassis tuning.

S2000 HKS Coilovers (AP1/AP2)

Both AP1 (F20C) and AP2 (F22C) S2000s share the same kit at 10 kgf/mm front and 10 kgf/mm rear. Twin-tube monotube design with rubber upper mounts.

Mazda Miata HKS Coilovers (ND, NC, NB, NA)

Every generation of Miata is covered. Kits are dedicated per generation for the ND and ND RF, the NC, and the NA/NB. Rates are Miata-appropriate (4 kgf/mm and 3 kgf/mm on the ND, 7 kgf/mm and 6 kgf/mm on the NC) to keep the chassis balance the platform is famous for.

Evo X and Evo 7/8/9 HKS Coilovers (CZ4A, CT9A)

The 2008-2016 Evo X and the 2003-2007 Evo 7/8/9 both ship in base or F-pillow spec, and both keep HKS's Evo-specific chassis tuning.

Full Kit vs. Canceller Kit vs. F-Pillow: How to Choose

HKS names each variant by what's in the box. The differences are worth understanding before you buy.

Full Kit is the base coilover: strut and damper assemblies, springs, upper mounts as spec'd for that chassis, and hardware. This is the right kit for the majority of buyers on any chassis that doesn't run electronic damping from the factory. New to coilovers in general? Start with our guide to the best coilovers for daily driving.

F-Pillow (or F Pillow) means the front upper mounts are spherical bearings instead of rubber. Pillow uppers sharpen steering feel and eliminate the small amount of mount deflection you feel through the wheel, at the cost of a little added noise, vibration, and harshness on rough roads. On strut-type front suspensions, HKS's front pillow uppers also carry slotted holes that let you adjust camber, effectively acting as camber plates for track alignment work.

Full Canceller Kit includes the electronic damper canceller module for chassis with factory adaptive damping. The C8 Corvette, VB WRX, GR Supra, FL5 Civic Type R, and FK8 Civic Type R all offer canceller variants. If your car has a factory magnetic-damper or electronic-damper system and you don't add the canceller, you'll throw dash codes after install.

Warranty and Rebuildability

The 80330 line ships with a new 3-year or 60,000 km manufacturer warranty on the coilover, and for the first time HKS covers the DURA BOOTS dust boots and the HIPERMAX S-specific stabilizer links under that warranty as well. HKS validated the durability spec against a combination of bench-durability testing and more than 60,000 km of real-world driving.

Every Hipermax S is rebuildable through HKS. When the seals and oil eventually need service after years of hard use, you send the coilovers back to HKS Japan for a full overhaul rather than replacing the kit. Very few brands in this segment still offer that. Ready to install once your kit arrives? Our complete DIY coilover install guide walks through the whole process.

Who Should Buy the New HKS Hipermax S

The Hipermax S is engineered for street-first drivers who care about ride quality as much as handling. It sits between an aggressive lowering spring and a track-first coilover. Compared with a BC Racing BR or Fortune Auto 500, the Hipermax S puts more of its budget into damper refinement and spring quality and less into external adjustability, remote reservoirs, or motorsport features you may not use on the street. If you want to see how BC Racing's series stack up for comparison, we broke that down in our BC Racing series guide.

It's the right kit if you want a coilover that reads OE-refined most of the time, still gives you 30 clicks of damping to sharpen the car up on a fun road, and doesn't tap out over broken pavement. It's not the right kit if you want the highest possible spring rates, external reservoirs for track days, or the widest possible ride-height range for stance-first builds. For those goals, we can point you at a different brand or series that matches.

Why Buy HKS Hipermax S Coilovers From SPRINGRATES

SPRINGRATES is an authorized HKS retailer. Free shipping on orders over $250. 0% APR financing available on any Hipermax S kit through our checkout. Shop the full HKS Hipermax S lineup or reach out and one of our suspension specialists will help you spec the right kit for your build.