HKS Introduces HIPERMAX Touring for the FL5 Civic Type R
HKS has officially released a new suspension option for the FL5 Honda Civic Type R: the HIPERMAX Touring 80280-AH001.
This one is particularly interesting because it takes a very different approach from the typical aftermarket coilover kit.
Instead of removing the FL5's factory electronically controlled dampers, HIPERMAX Touring keeps them.
You get a lower ride height, front and rear height adjustment and front camber adjustment while retaining the factory adaptive suspension system.
What Is HKS HIPERMAX Touring?
Think of HIPERMAX Touring as the middle ground between a conventional lowering spring and a complete coilover.
Traditional lowering springs reuse the factory dampers but normally give you a fixed ride height and little additional adjustment.
A full coilover gives you substantially more suspension adjustment, but replacing the FL5's factory electronic dampers means the original adaptive damping system can no longer control the dampers themselves.
HIPERMAX Touring takes another route.
HKS retains the factory FL5 shock absorbers and builds a height-adjustable suspension system around them.
The Factory Adaptive Suspension Still Works
This is arguably the biggest feature of the new kit.
The Civic Type R's factory electronically controlled shock absorbers remain installed, so the car retains its factory damper mode functionality.
For an FL5 that spends most of its life on the street, that means you don't necessarily have to choose between lowering the car and keeping one of the features that makes the factory Type R suspension so versatile.
Three Front Ride Heights
HKS uses an unusual system to adjust the front ride height.
Instead of adding a conventional threaded front spring perch, the front upper-mount assembly uses a pair of spacers. Different spacer arrangements provide three front ride-height positions:
- -13 mm compared with stock
- -19 mm compared with stock
- -25 mm compared with stock
HKS used the -19 mm position during testing and lists it as the standard setup.
The advantage of this design is that HKS can change the ride height without unnecessarily sacrificing suspension stroke.
The Rear Is Threaded and Adjustable
At the rear, HKS uses a more conventional threaded ride-height adjuster.
The published rear range is approximately -13 mm to -25 mm compared with the original ride height, with HKS's test configuration sitting at -19 mm.
That gives owners the ability to fine-tune the rear of the car rather than being locked into one predetermined drop.
HKS Adds Front Camber Adjustment
The front of the HIPERMAX Touring kit receives another major upgrade: HKS camber-adjustable pillow-ball upper mounts.
They serve two purposes.
First, the pillow-ball mount provides more direct steering response than the factory upper mount.
Second, the adjustable mount allows front camber to be changed.
That becomes particularly useful for FL5 owners running wider wheels and tires or looking for additional alignment flexibility for performance driving.
Surprisingly Mild Spring Rates
HKS did not turn the Touring into an extremely stiff suspension setup.
The FL5 specifications are:
- Front: 51 N/mm (5.2 kgf/mm)
- Rear: 52 N/mm (5.3 kgf/mm)
HKS says it repeatedly tested the suspension and intentionally avoided dramatically increasing the spring rate from the factory setup.
The objective was to control larger body movements while maintaining ride comfort and allowing the original electronic dampers and factory bump stops to continue doing their jobs.
HIPERMAX Touring vs. HIPERMAX S and HIPERMAX R
This also gives HKS three distinctly different suspension directions for the FL5.
HIPERMAX Touring is for the owner who wants to retain the factory adaptive shock absorbers while gaining ride-height and front camber adjustment.
HIPERMAX S is a complete aftermarket damper and spring package aimed at combining street comfort with substantially greater suspension tuning capability.
HIPERMAX R pushes farther toward performance and track use with substantially higher spring rates and a more aggressive damper setup.
That makes Touring especially interesting for a daily-driven or street-focused FL5 where retaining the factory electronic suspension matters.
HKS HIPERMAX Touring FL5 Specifications
| Part Number | 80280-AH001 |
| Vehicle | Honda Civic Type R FL5 |
| Engine | K20C |
| Application | September 2022 production and newer / 2023+ U.S. model |
| Front Spring Rate | 51 N/mm (5.2 kgf/mm) |
| Rear Spring Rate | 52 N/mm (5.3 kgf/mm) |
| Front Ride Height | -13 / -19 / -25 mm |
| Rear Ride Height | -13 to -25 mm |
| Front Upper Mount | Camber-adjustable pillow-ball |
| OEM Adaptive Dampers | Retained |
Who Is the HIPERMAX Touring For?
The most interesting thing about 80280-AH001 isn't simply that it lowers the FL5.
There are already plenty of ways to do that.
Its advantage is that HKS has created a more complete adjustable suspension package without forcing the owner to give up the factory adaptive dampers.
For someone who wants a roughly 13-25 mm drop, improved steering response, more front camber capability and greater flexibility with wheel and tire fitment while retaining Honda's electronic damping system, the new HIPERMAX Touring fills a very specific gap in the FL5 suspension market.
The HKS HIPERMAX Touring for the FL5 Civic Type R carries part number 80280-AH001.
