Gen 4 Increased noise reduction?

Fuel economy, not quietness, was the primary consideration the engineers had in mind when they designed these cars. There would be minimal, if any, difference in road noise between the different trims. They all have the same amount of insulating material, but the cloth vs. the SofTex (fake leather) upholstery might make a (very slight) difference in the sound reaching the driver's ears. I've only had the factory tires on our Gen 4, but I know with the Gen 2, there was a substantial reduction in road noise when we replaced all four tires with the Firestone Firehawk AS brand last year.

 

I think you'll find it's mainly the low rolling resistance tyres which are noisy. Some tyres have been reported to be noisier than others. I find it relatively quiet (Bridgestone tyres) - unless I come across a coarse textured road - but previous cars were similar. Check the tyres are up to pressure - I had one low once and I could hear it before I could feel it.

 

jac45: Which trim level did you drive? The Touring has 17" tires, are noticeably noisier than the usual 15". I own both, both fo them OEM Bridgestones, which I like much better than previous Bridgestones. On exposed aggregate surfaces, both are thunderous, can't even hold a conversation.

 

2018: Prius Four Touring vs. Prius Two | PriusChat

 

As others have noted, the front windshield has an acoustic layer, and the Limited trim has an acoustic layer in the front door glass. Toyota improved noise insulation compared to the Gen 3 in a number of other ways too. From the press package when the Gen 4 was introduced:

 

jac 45: With all the changes that occur from year to year, we all have to be careful writing/interpreting information.

Which model year did you test drive? If it was 2019 or 2020, my information isn't totally apropos.

I believe the Limited superseded the Touring, beginning in the 2019 model year. The info that VMan455 posted applies to 2019>>>.

Both my 2018 Two and 2018 Four Touring have identical windshields. Neither windshield trademark states anything resembling "acoustic" glass.

The handling/suspension/road noise comparison of 15" to 17" tires remains the same, regardless the exact vintage of the car.

Yes, this is confusing, as manufacturers frequently make modifications within the same model, even within the same year. It requires some "inside" knowledge, as sales staff, and even service staff, aren't always privy to the changes.

 

Interesting. My 2014 Avalon Hybrid Limited windshield has "acoustic" clearly printed within the manufacturers numbers.

I see no such designation on either of my 2018 Prii. Hmm...

 

My 2019 XLE's tires are significantly noisier than my 2011 Prius' tires were. Not much you can do other than buying four new softer tires that will not be as fuel efficient. Softer tires should improve handling a bit too.

I'm staying with the noise until the tread wears to the point where replacements are necessary. Probably 30K to 40K miles from now.

 

I'm interested to know what brand/size tires came on your respective cars. Thanks. Tire technology has come a LONG way in the past 9 years.

 

Ya' know what, these are just pretty loud cars. Not much for sound dampening. But that's not a really tough thing to fix. You can get a enough sound deadening material to deaden the heck out of an entire Prius for probably about $150.... Then it's just a matter of the time and effort to rip open all the panels, for the doors, hatch, and roof. The stuff goes on really easy, and is super effective. I haven't done my Prius yet, but after a super positive experience with sound deadening in my F150 stereo wagon, Im definitely doing the Prius next. It actually has a pretty nice little stereo in it too which is going to sound even better in a much quieter vehicle

 

Must be a Canadian thing.

 

NOPE -

 

My Gen 4 is on 17" rims and Toyo Nanoenergy tyres and it's far quieter than the Gen 3 with Michelin Primacy that I used to have. I reckon the tyres are the biggest culprit in most cases, I've noticed mine is getting slightly louder as the tyres wear down.

 

Interesting. I would have guessed the noise would decrease as the treads wear down, and I believe I've seen others on this board promoting that theory. I noticed a definite reduction in road noise when we replaced our worn-out tires with new Firehawk tires, but I attributed that to the difference in tread design.

 

IMO, tires are like computers: enormous variables in design, with continual updating by manufacturers. Same brand, same "name" model, but different sizes have totally different characteristics because of load variables. Discussing/comparing on line is next to impossible.

I'm still wondering why my 2018 Prii don't have "acoustic" labeling on the windshield. Maybe it's an AMUHRICAN thing?????

How about this: For those in this discussion, look at the windshield manufacturer's label, driver side (left, of course...this IS AMUHRICA, after all!), see if it says "acoustic".