rijhoogte

Rijhoogte (commonly called ride height or ground clearance in English) is the vertical distance between a vehicle's chassis or lowest structural point and the road surface. It is a fundamental vehicle parameter that influences handling, comfort, aerodynamic behavior and the ability to traverse uneven terrain.

Rijhoogte can be described as static (measured with the vehicle unloaded) or dynamic (varying under acceleration, braking, cornering or when encountering bumps). Factors that affect rijhoogte include suspension design, spring rates, dampers, tire size and pressure, vehicle load and wear. Adjustable systems such as air suspension, hydraulic ride-height control or adjustable coilovers allow deliberate alteration of rijhoogte for different driving conditions.

Lower rijhoogte typically improves cornering stability and reduces aerodynamic drag by lowering the center of gravity, while higher rijhoogte increases obstacle clearance and reduces the risk of underbody damage on rough surfaces. Excessively low or high rijhoogte can negatively affect safety, tire wear and steering geometry. Many jurisdictions and vehicle manufacturers set recommended limits or legal requirements for minimum ground clearance.

Modern vehicles may use ride-height sensors linked to electronic control units to maintain a set rijhoogte or to adapt suspension characteristics in real time. In motorsport, off-road and commercial contexts, rijhoogte is an important design and operational parameter tailored to performance, load capacity and intended use.