Noise levels in car reviews

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 16:59
Noise levels in car reviews - Ed V

I am sure I have seen some car reviews, online or a magazine, which provide helpful DCb levels. Can anyone help me out and re-direct me?

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 18:56
Noise levels in car reviews - merlin

The government provide figures - see carfueldata.dft.gov.uk/search-new-or-used-cars.asp...3 and scrolldown to the further details section.

You can start a search from carfueldata.dft.gov.uk/search-new-or-used-cars.aspx

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 19:17
Noise levels in car reviews - RT

Does that cover internal noise levels - seems to be all about fuel and emissions.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 19:44
Noise levels in car reviews - merlin
It gives "Noise Level [dB(A), moving]" - I thought this was internal noise... but according to the glossary...
"The current noise test standard for passenger cars, as detailed in EU Directive 92/97, consists of driving the vehicle into a test area at a speed of 50 km/hr and then accelerating at full throttle through the test area. A microphone at a set distance from the line of travel measures the maximum level of noise reached. Noise levels are shown in decibels as measured on the A scale of a noise meter. The A scale was devised to ‘weight’ the reading of a noise so it more closely represented what is heard by the human ear"

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 20:27
Noise levels in car reviews - Cyd

This is something known as "pass by noise" and is external to the vehicle measured by a standard test.

I seem to remember Autocar tests quote an internal noise measurement.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 20:39
Noise levels in car reviews - unthrottled

Decibels don't really tell you anything about how intrusive you will find background noise.I don't think anyone would describe the clattering of a diesel rotary pump as 'pleasing', but exhaust pulses can add to the character of the car. (sadly most 4 cylinders merely drone).

Too quiet can be as distracting as too loud! Background hum can mask all sorts of noises in the cabin-and make up for any lapses in conversation with passengers.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 20:56
Noise levels in car reviews - RT

The frequency of the sound matters to some people - the "age-related hearing loss", that many older men have, takes away the high frequencies much more than the low frequencies.

So cars can whistle all they want for me, I can't hear above 4,000 Hz.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 21:09
Noise levels in car reviews - unthrottled

Must be why older drivers like the Jazz with the CVT-they can't hear the belt whine!

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 21:15
Noise levels in car reviews - Auristocrat

The Which? reviews measure what they call 'cruising noise' - noise inside the cabin at motorway speeds - in decibels.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 22:41
Noise levels in car reviews - Graham567

What car magazine quotes db levels in all its reviews.One at 30mph and one at 70mph.

They also tell you which is the quietest overall.

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Mon 10 Jun 2013 22:44
Noise levels in car reviews - jamie745

I can already tell you Jaguar, Bentley, Rolls & possibly Mercedes Benz - when they're not using stupid wheels - probably come out on top in all these tests.

Sometimes you want a bit of noise though, nothing like pulling out, putting foot to the floor and hearing the growl as you kick it round some Honda.

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Tue 11 Jun 2013 13:11
Noise levels in car reviews - Ed V

Was that the NSX Honda you meant!

Thanks for all the responses. I'll get searching. To me, 'refinement' means "quiet".

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