A vehicle strut includes a cylinder and a piston connected to a piston rod axially movable within the cylinder. The strut further includes two elastomeric spring members at opposite ends of the strut defining respective fluid chambers. A connecting member connects the two elastomeric spring members. The spring rate of one elastomeric spring member is different from the other elastomeric spring member. An electroheological fluid is disposed within the fluid chambers. An elastomeric bladder separates one of the fluid chambers from a gas chamber. The fluid chambers are in fluid communication with a fluid storage chamber located in the central portion of the strut. Another elastomeric bladder separates the fluid storage chamber from another gas chamber. When relative movement occurs between the cylinder and the piston rod, the elastomeric spring members either axially deform or stretch depending upon the direction of relative movement, the fluid flows between the fluid chambers and the fluid storage chamber, and the gas chambers compress or expand to damp and absorb the energy of the relative movement. A variable electric fluid is applied across the electrorheological fluid to control its viscosity and thereby further control the spring and damping characteristics of the strut.