We recently had Neil’s Tesla Model Y AWD (2022) into the workshop complaining about poor ride quality and comfort and it wasn’t the first time either!

One of the biggest complaints from Tesla owners both in person and also researching on various online forums and the fan favourite Reddit is the suspension on these vehicles is incredibly poor. You would expect for a premium EV that weighs nearly as much as the moon that Tesla would have made the handling and comfort one of it’s top priorities but sadly not!

Neil came to us back in October 2024 complaining of all the usual issues we’ve seen and heard before in regards to the Model Y. It lacked confidence on the roads, very lazy and just didn’t feel like the price-tag, like it should do. Due to the issues, Neil wanted to prioritise comfort over performance overall without sacrificing too much in ride height so the natural option for him and his car was the KW Suspension – V3 Leveling.

There are various other brands on the market such as TEIN and Ohlins but KW always seems to be a winner in our book as the kit just works and the performance is un-paralleled. We’re even running one of their Street Performance systems on our Audi R8 CW GT!

Once we had done the necessary installation work (Which takes about 6 hours) we then did a full vehicle (4-wheel) alignment and geometry to ensure the car was fully setup to make the most of the upgrade!

Neil has run with the setup for a good few months now and with very little on the internet in terms of real-world reviews of this kit in combination with the Tesla Model Y we fired over some questions to hopefully help others make the leap of faith. It’s very difficult to convey to people over a video or pictures about what a suspension upgrade feels like so these “real-world” questions came about from the various comments we had received on our YouTube videos and comments on other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Question Time

Question 1 – Did you find that actually installing the KW setup made a difference to the car, if so what was this?

Yes! A significant difference.  Don’t get me wrong, I was as nervous as hell about doing it as it was a lot of money.  Consequently, I knew that my best chance getting the results I wanted was to ensure whoever was installing was at the top of their game when it came to the setup.  In other words, I wasn’t going to do the installation myself!

The difference was immediately obvious.  The surprise was that​ the drive was so much quieter.  Gone was the annoying rattles (like when the passenger seatbelt buckle rattling against the trim). Also gone was the noise from the tyre carcass slapping against the tarmac.

The ride was significantly improved. Carbonwurks had set the bump and rebound settings slightly softer than the KW recommended ’start point’.  But equally importantly, you can feel the more sophisticated damping control at work.  The softer ride did not translate to a ‘disconnected’ feel… it was just better.  I have subsequently made several adjustments to bump and rebound myself (it’s very easy to do… you don’t even have to remove wheels.  I have it down to a 5 min job) and have stiffened up on the original settings.  Noise, vibration and harshness remains considerably less than OEM but I can now dial-in the feel and responsiveness I can enjoy in more ’spirited’ drives on the local B roads. 

Question 2 – How would you compare it to the OEM suspension? 

Difficult to compare when there is such a big difference.  I have the OEM equipment stored in the loft but there is no way I am going back.  It is difficult to put into words but you genuinely can feel the more sophisticated control that the KWs offer. 

I also happen to like the lower, more muscular, stance of the vehicle.  The big thing, however, that is just not available via the OEM suspension is the adjustability.   It’s not that you need to play with the settings (I left well alone for 6 weeks while I got used to the new set up) – but once you do, it becomes addictive!  

I generally do a mix of long runs (Somerset to Perth), local B roads and everything in between.  There is no issue with staying with your preferred setting as it will handle each scenario competently.  I also keep a simple log of my settings and my observations.  From that I decide on what adjustments I might make and record the changes in handling I observe in different conditions.  I now have my favourite settings for different driving scenarios.  I won’t make changes for every drive, but I do if I know that, say, I am about to do a lot of motorway driving.  Adjustment takes 5 minutes once you are used to it.

Question 3 – What difference did it make to the handling of the car? 

It was the handling as much as comfort levels that drove me towards KW.  For me, the final push came when I was overtaken by a Renault Clio on a particularly bumpy rural road.  I tried but I just couldn’t live with him – simply because the Tesla got all out of shape on the bumps where he was gliding over them.  I probably had 200+ BHP more but just couldn’t use it!  With the KWs fitted, I definitely fancy my chances!

Dialling it in for your roads and driving style is the key.  Bump settings have a greater impact than rebound… and, therefore, should be adjusted first with rebound used to fine tune.  If I was driving on track (or even motorway driving all day), for example, I would dial in a harder bump setting.  If I spent most my time at 20mph in town, I would definitely go softer. On the local B-roads, the harder setting could lead to reduced traction (much like the OEM setup).  Out of the 12 stops available, my preference is stop-4 at the rear and stop-6 at the front.  This gives me good control while maintaining comfort in daily use.

Rebound tends to get adjusted more often.  Where a change of 1 or 2 stops of bump will have an instantly recognisable effect, changes to rebound need to be experienced in over a bit of time to decide where your preferences lie in different scenarios.  Right now I am set to stop-9 at the front and stop-8 at the rear.  The most comfortable settings for me were 6F / 6R but I prefer the sharper turn-in and high-speed stability that I get with the firmer setting. 

I should mention that the new suspension gives you greater confidence under braking… it just feels more predictable when you know the tyres are staying in contact over imperfect surfaces.

All that said, if your aim is for the best track-day car then the Street Comfort range is probably not for you. Similarly, if you don’t what to get into using the adjustment, there will be cheaper options with less adjustability. But for a spirited drive in the country with the ability to carry you for 100’s of miles without tiring, these are a great option.

Question 4 – How much more comfortable was the ride compared to the OEM suspension? 

On my ’72 plate Model Y, much better. Even on the firmer settings it is noticeably better.  The main difference is that, almost regardless of setting, you loose the crashing of the tyre carcass on the tarmac which the OEM suspension creates as the tyres momentarily loose contact with the road.  I was genuinely amazed at the difference in the noise levels.  But with the wheel and tyre under a more subtle control, ride comfort is dramatically better.

Comfort is not up to S-Class Merc levels, and you are still better trying to avoid the pot holes rather than drive through them!

Question 5 – Did this upgrade affect the range of the vehicle (Good or bad)?

No impact on range that I can detect.  I am hoping, however, given the tyre is under better control, that tyre wear will reduce.  That said, the benefit here may well be out-weighed by me enjoying a more spirited drive!

Question 6 – What is your overall opinion / review now you have had this installed?

Would I do it again?… definitely. It’s a lot of money but I believe if I had bought cheap I would have bought twice to get to where I am now.  

Make sure your installer knows how to set it up and, crucially, spend the money on getting the best wheel alignment. Give it a few weeks when you first get it done to get over the initial delight to understand what you like and don’t like about the settings.  Keep a log of your thoughts and, when you make changes, record those changes.  That way you will go beyond simply having a great suspension set-up to having your great suspension set-up.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully this real owner review of the setup from KW Suspension helps give you the confidence that this upgrade is worth the expense to do.

If you’re interested in getting your vehicle upgraded with the V3 Leveling then we can supply and install this here at our workshop in Poole and also update the car with our signature alignment setup that we’ve spent many many hours perfecting for the Tesla Model Y.

We’re one of the South Coast’s suspension specialist’s that can cater for a wide range of vehicles and geometry so feel free to get in touch!

If you want to watch our video over on YouTube then this can be found below:

You can find out more about this specific kit by visiting the product listing on the link below.

Tesla Model 3 & Model Y KW Suspension – V3 Leveling