This paper focuses on a ride comfort based suspension (RCS) system using an optimal stiffnessdetermination method. The proposed RCS system is composed of a variable hydraulic damper with gas chamber (VHDGC) and an air spring. In this work, the detailed structure, modeling process and parameter sensitivity of the proposed VHDGC are presented. Moreover,the mathematical relationship between the proposed damper and the air spring is considered. Numerical results reveal that the ride comfort of the proposed RCS system can be greatly improved as compared with the passive suspension. In addition, the overall performance of the RCS system is also guaranteed. In sum, the proposed RCS system is a promising solution in improving the ride comfort of the vehicle.