[Slickone]

I'm looking to buy a 3rd gen CRV but I've noticed many current/former CRV owners on here and other places say their CRV is/was really loud, some saying the loudest vehicle they've ever owned. I'm only concerned about noise while cruising on the highway. Acceleration noise isn't a concern at all. What is making most of the noise?

I watched a youtube video of a 2010 and the engine was really loud on acceleration, but they didn't get on the highway, nor would that be really hearable from a video anyway.
One youtube comment said it was road noise. If that's true, has anyone tried some really good Michelin tires? The only other thing that could make road noise is just air. I know some add sound deadening material, but that's a huge amount of work.

Some mention that the 4th gen is quieter because of added sound deadening. If it's a huge difference, maybe I should pay the difference and get a 4th gen.

 

[racoon]

The only way to know if the noise is too loud for you is to drive one.

And, a lot of the noise on the highway could be from the tires. Some tires are quieter than others.

 

[kloker]

Welcome to the forum! +1 on what Racoon says. When I first got mine last year, I thought it seemed loud. Turns out it is just the oversize tires/wheels it came with (255/255/R18's). Much larger than stock. They look good, but are noisy. I've since picked up a set of OEM alloys and plan to go back to the stock size when these wear out. Otherwise, the car does transmit some road noise, but I guess it depends on what you are comparing it to. A unibody car is going to transmit more than, say, a body-on-frame vehicle like my F250. But I have gotten used to it, and it's not that noisy. I expect a major improvement when I do the tire/wheel swap. But I agree. Drive and compare. Heck, test drive a Lexus, too. My ex-wife's RX-300 is a little quieter than my CR-V, but not by a huge amount.

 

[Mike728]

Our 2010 EX-L was the loudest vehicle we've owned. It was better on fresh tires, but still not very isolated from road noise. If that's a concern, you will definitely want to test drive the one you're looking at on the highway. Engine noise was not as much of an issue, as being underpowered was. Still, a very solid vehicle. It's just not something you'll really look forward to driving.

 

[Scott091981]

Its not typical SUV Loud, but its also not passenger car quiet. As mentioned tires have a HUGE impact.

In my experience Honda vehicles do tend to transfer more road noise into the cabin, I feel the newer models control this much better but my Gen 3 CRV certainly is not what I would describe as quiet.

 

[Wildcat]

The 3rd gen is for sure quieter than the first gen, and both were quieter than the two Civics I have owned (1992 and 2004)! Tires do make a difference. Once I put some nice Kumho tires on both of our '09s, the noise dropped noticeably (especially the blue '09 which had worn tires and needed a rear wheel alignment). Can't say the '09 really bothers me too much with the noise, as I was used to louder. The only quieter car I've had is the Acura TL (a '99).

I might be tempted to Dynamat one of our '09s if we keep one of them...

 

[kloker]

Our 2010 EX-L was the loudest vehicle we've owned. It was better on fresh tires, but still not very isolated from road noise. If that's a concern, you will definitely want to test drive the one you're looking at on the highway. Engine noise was not as much of an issue, as being underpowered was. Still, a very solid vehicle. It's just not something you'll really look forward to driving.

I'd agree with that 100%. My '07 is louder even than my '91 Civic Wagon was. Assuming I keep it I will likely do some moderate soundproofing when I do my audio upgrade. At least the doors, side walls, and floor. But if I do so, it will be more for audio benefit than for quieting. To me it just isn't that big of a problem.

As far as it being underpowered, I think that's more a matter of what you are used to and are comparing it to. I find mine to be plenty zippy, certainly able to keep up with the main flow of traffic. Though I am used to having much more power under the hood, I do love zipping right on by all those gas stations, which my F250 cannot do. A similar model in an Acura or Lexus, with a V6, would be better in the zip department and quietness, but there is a cost there, too, in both vehicle price and fuel economy. My neighbor has a '17 CR-V, and, having ridden in it several times, it seems about the same to me in terms of road noise. But then, that could also have something to do with my 1951 model ears.

 

[Slickone]

Thanks for the info.

I was actually just asking what is actually making the noise, instead of how loud it is (as I've already read quiet a bit about that here). Going by some of the replies above, it sounds like tires might be much to blame for it, but not all?

I had a 2004 Civic for quite awhile and was always a little disturbed at how loud I had to have the music playing on the highway. Good to see that the CR-V might be quieter than that.

Unfortunately being a used car, I probably won't test drive until I'm ready for an immediate purchase. And I'll probably buy from an individual. I know I would be a little PO'd if I was selling a car and someone came and drove it and didn't buy just because it was too loud for them (vs. having a mechanical problem).

 

[Wildcat]

Aside from tires, I find that most of the noise is road noise, and perhaps a little wind noise at highway speeds. I agree the 2004 Civic is noisy, but that's how Civics always were. I rode in a friend's Honda Fit and did not like it at all--it felt like riding in a noisy tin can. (It was one of the earlier Fits.) Another friend had a 2007 Civic and it wasn't as noisy as the 2004, but, still wasn't all that quiet.

The 2017 Civic EX-T I rented for a day was dead quiet though, compared to any of the Hondas I have owned. I couldn't even hear the engine start. Today's Civics are worlds better than the older ones.

 

[kloker]

Thanks for the info.

I was actually just asking what is actually making the noise, instead of how loud it is (as I've already read quiet a bit about that here). Going by some of the replies above, it sounds like tires might be much to blame for it, but not all?

I had a 2004 Civic for quite awhile and was always a little disturbed at how loud I had to have the music playing on the highway. Good to see that the CR-V might be quieter than that.

Unfortunately being a used car, I probably won't test drive until I'm ready for an immediate purchase. And I'll probably buy from an individual. I know I would be a little PO'd if I was selling a car and someone came and drove it and didn't buy just because it was too loud for them (vs. having a mechanical problem).

I'd say yes, tires transmit most of it, suspension the rest. Mine doesn't have a wind noise issue. To my thinking it's more about the larger interior volume amplifying what the unibody structure transmits. It's more than none at all, but really not that much.

I, too, buy only used cars, only from individuals, and only pay cash. I stopped giving all that money away to banks and dealers long ago. I looked for six months before choosing my '07. I also looked at the Element and the Odyssey. In the end I found CR-V owners tend to take better care of their cars, generally. The Odysseys had too much "kid wear," and the Elements had too much "young owner" wear.

Anyway, shop carefully and good luck. I'm pretty happy with mine.

 

[Slickone]

Aside from tires, I find that most of the noise is road noise, and perhaps a little wind noise at highway speeds.

I'd say yes, tires transmit most of it, suspension the rest. Mine doesn't have a wind noise issue. T

But my point is that road noise has to get to the car somehow. If it's actually from the "road", the only way it can get to the car is through the tires. If by "road noise", they just mean noise while driving on the road, it could only be from the tires on the road, air, engine combustion, or drivetrain components spinning.
So when people say they have road noise in the CR-V, I didn't know if they meant that literally, or just exactly what kind of noise they're talking about.

 

[kloker]

There is some tire noise (good luck finding a car with none), but no, it's road noise, and it comes into the car by several routes. It is transmitted up through the suspension to the unibody, as well as though the body panels, doors, and floor, from outside, which have either none, or little factory sound deadening. Once all that gets into the interior, it is in a large hollow chamber full of hard surfaces that reflect sound and amplify it, such as the trim panels. These are not unique to the CR-V, they are just the characteristics of unibody construction. Honda could do a much better job here, by adding some in strategic places such as in the doors and side walls, on the floor, and a little suspension isolation. So, much improvement can be added. But they are not really all that terrible. Most cars these days are similar. Only luxury cars get the full treatment. Also, full size trucks, which are cab-on-frame, do not have this issue. My F250 is nice and quiet inside. But I am quite used to the CR-V now, and, while the road noise is there, it is not a big issue. You will just kind of have to experience it for yourself. All I can say is, yeah, there is some road noise, but it's not enough to make a big deal out of. And you will find it in most other small cars, too. And the CR-V is a small car. It is, after all, built on the Civic platform. Could I do without the road noise? Yes. Is it a deal breaker? Not at all. The thing is, it has an excellent balance of size, room, feel, handling, and fuel mileage.

 

[mnestrud]

Honda could do a much better job here, by adding some in strategic places such as in the doors and side walls, on the floor, and a little suspension isolation. So, much improvement can be added.

The newer generations have almost all of this... I am unsure about the suspension isolation tech or what's in the headliner. My feelings about the extent of the improvements are documented in my signature.

All of this can be upgraded on any generation by a car audio shop or DIY if you want to get cozy with the interior of your car. If there really is nothing underneath the carpet but sheet metal, wires and air ducts then you really can improve things dramatically. Same with the trunk area.


Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Wildcat]

If by "road noise", they just mean noise while driving on the road, it could only be from the tires on the road, air, engine combustion, or drivetrain components spinning.

That's what I was referring to--a combination of all of those things, plus the wind noise. It all kind of blends together. If you're standing alongside a busy freeway, that's the type of noise. Primarily the noise of tires over pavement. But since sound carries, the noise from the tires is probably entering through the firewall, the doors and the floor, and to a lesser extent the roof. Some of the newer Hondas claim to have a sound-insulating glass (thicker?).

I'm debating that myself at the moment--if I decide to keep my '09, I might go the Dynamat route to kill off a lot of that noise.

 

[kloker]

When I do my audio upgrade in my '07, I plan to follow mnestrud's method, which he very helpfully now has a link to in his sig. His thread is a very informative and useful one. I've used the Dynamat in the past, and it is good stuff, but they are extremely proud of it, so I plan to use a less expensive brand, such as Noico - haven't made my mind up yet which one, there are several, but there are some that are not that good, too, so be careful what you choose. There are lots of YouTube videos on this, so some research is prudent. But mnestrud's method is as good as I've seen, and maybe better. My plan includes doing the insides of the doors and side panels, the floor, and the firewall. I like his layered approach, as it will cover a wide frequency of sound. My main aim is better audio, but if it comes with a quieter interior, that's a plus too.