Road Noise Comparison

Why not visit a dealer and take a C for a test drive?

The C shouldn't be any worse than the Civic. Both are economy cars, which aren't known for being silent. Tires can make a big difference in road noise, if you think its too loud, they would be a place to start looking for silenter options. But with you coming from an older Civic, the C shouldn't be a problem.

 

They are about the same, I had a Civic Hybrid once as well. I really can't see what some consider to be the big deal with noise... Maybe they came from super quiet high end cars to the C but to me it's a non-issue.

 

I have a regular Prius. I have heard from different sources that complain about the road noise of the Prius. The only noise I hear is the regular hybrid noise when coming to a stop and at low speeds and that dissipates at highway speeds. Someone always has a criticism of everything. I'm happy with mine and as long as you are happy with your C that is all that matters.

 

My new '13 C-4 seems pretty quiet on the highway... until I open the sunroof &/or windows. In comparison to my other car it whispers on the road at all times. My other car is a '03 SRT-4 w/ 280HP & turbo. Dodge used the turbo to muffle the sound of the engine and those cars don't come with mufflers, just catalytic converter & resonators to muffle sound. The people with a problem over the road noise in the C are just being picky IMO.

 

some of the extra noise is due to the factory LRR tyres which non hybrids don't usually have.

 

You're right on that. I took a Lexus 300H for a test drive. The LRR tires on that car were unusually loud to me.

 

Wouldn't something that creates the least amount of resistance rolling along the road cause less noise than something that wants to cause as much resistance and grip as it rolls along? I just don't understand how LRR tires would cause more noise than conventional tires in your statement?

 

I have no idea why LRR tires make more noise but they do. I think it is because the sidewalls are harder and stiffer which makes the tires roll better. That's probably pretty close.

 

We read the CR complaint and cheked thenoise on my kia sedan and my prissy (priusc) with mydecibel audiometer. Both have aftermarket tires of hihgh performance all weather tires. At 30 and 60 mph on same road we couldn't measure a significant difference, both in the mid 40's. I have no reason to say the C is noisy; I wonder how CR did.

 

I had a 2010 Camry before and the road noise is louder but not enough to be a problem. What bothers me are all the squeaks and rattles in the dashboard.

 

The squeaks and rattles in the Prius bothers me too. When I first bought the car I tried wedging small pieces of rubber in between the cracks everywhere I had an rattle and I gave up. It's something you have to live with. Also, the Prius has no enclosed trunk like a regular car. All the space is inside the car so you get a squeak and rattle from the rear and everywhere, especially in cold weather. Cheap plastic everywhere.

 

A Prius C has one of the noisiest interiors of any car you can buy new today. But coming from an 18 year old Civic to a brand new Prius C would be like stepping into a Lexus. It's all a matter of perspective.

We had an 2003 and 2006 Civic. Noise went up on the Prius from the 2006 but down considerably from the 2003. 2005 and down Civics were especially noisy because the engine was from an older design.


iPhone ?

 

LRR tires are indeed stiffer to reduce the rolling resistance by less deformation of the tread as passes over the road surface.. That also increases to noise the treads make as they swirm across the road surface. Worse, they substantially reduce the resistance to sliding laterally in corners or braking. as any track testing will attest.

 

I actually tested the road noise in the C this last weekend using a decibel APP on my iPhone.

Driving on the freeway with cruise set to 60 MPH and the radio completely off, it read right at 80 decibels. The freeway was pretty smooth, on a scale of 1 to 10 on smoothness (10being super smooth), I would have given it a 7 or 8.

I took this reading from the center of the car next to the radio controls (it got louder the closer I put it to the door).

 

I had a 1998 Civic LX Sedan previously. The Prius C seems quieter to me. It isn't quiet...just quieter IMHO.

 

I also had a 1998 Civic LX Sedan before my C, road noise was more noticeable in the Civic.