[souvikjana83]

Under ₹20 lakhs on road you can consider the MG Hector Petrol Shine variant as well. Very silent engine plus loads of space. Very good car super VFM. Yes you would be spending a bit above your budget but you are also going above the segment as well.

[androdev]

This may not be the input you are looking for but nevertheless here are my two cents:

You will need a car with "laminated side windows". You may be disappointed with any new car under 25L when it comes to blocking outside noise. EV/Hybrid being quiet may be irrelevant in your case. Nobody is worried about engine noise even from noisy diesel cars - it's very mild and constant. The problem is with sudden and loud noises from outside world and rattles inside. Former needs high quality glass (laminated would be the best, at least a thicker glass would be better) and latter needs high quality build.

The cheapest car with "laminated side windows" to buy and own would be a pre-owned Volvo. If you have access to a Volvo service facility, I highly recommend that you look for a pre-owned Volvo with laminated side windows. Unfortunately, I don't remember which cars of Volvo came with such a glass but I would imagine that XC60 might be a good candidate to check. If XC60 is too big or expensive, take a look at V40. It doesn't have laminated glass but I am sure it will have a fairly thick glass and very good overall build.

The reason I singled out Volvo is because a lower category Volvo offers build quality equivalent to German cars from 1 or 2 segments higher. For instance, laminated glass is not available below S Class category from the Germans but Volvo offers in XC60. The glass they use also features heat rejection and WRG (water-repellent glass) - not sure which models but in general Volvo materials are top notch and a step above the Germans at the same price point.

If you are keen on NVH, I would go the pre-owned route and buy a car from higher segment. New cars of 15L budget are built to cost. Just to give you an example, you will get a used Camry Hybrid for 15L which would be heads and shoulders above any new 15L car when it comes to NVH and it being a Toyota will not be expensive to run.

Couple of other tips:
Carry a micrometer and measure the thickness of the glass to compare your options. Thickness of the glass really matters.

Go with the smallest rim size to accommodate thicker tire profile - this helps a lot in reducing the interior rattles.

[PrasunBannerjee]

I found Hyundai Venue cabin to be really silent, compared to Nexon and previous gen Brezza. Haven't been in a Sonet ever, as wel las the latest gen Brezza.

My encounters were brief in nature and not prolonged. While I have never liked the looks of Venue then and now the newer gen too, interiors were really good and silent compared to the rest of the lot.

[Simple_car]

Hi Bit,

As someone who can relate to what you experience (I am not medically diagnosed with hyperacusis; however, I am extremely sensitive to noise...to the extent of moving cities due to the noise!!), I would suggest the following from the Indian options:

1. Volvo (pre-owned): The Volvo's do a pretty good job of isolating the outside ambient noise, however, they fare very poorly to limit the road noise which is generated from the tyres.

2. Hyundai Venue or Verna: I haven't experienced the latest models, but their previous-gen cars were really good. In fact, I am pretty sure their noise insulation is one of the factors which makes them popular.

3. Mahindra products (XUV, TUV, or scorpio): I have found these to isolate the noise much better than the competition. Scorpio would be my choice.

4. Toyota: Their cars are average in cancelling out ambient noise, but the overall experience is decent. Best to do a TD and make a judgement.

5. Tata: I have heard good things about their cars but have not experienced them in situations where I could make a judgement.

That being said, I strongly advise you to carry sound-deadening earplugs (active or passive) when travelling. After I got mine, I found myself being able to venture out more.

All the best, and keep us posted. I shall be keenly following this thread.

Thanks,
Simple_car

[bajoseph04]

You should test drive the City eHEV , the Honda City Hybrid. You may have to extend your budget. But the NVH levels and soundproofing should be far better than any subcompact SUV in India. Also, you are free from the range anxiety of the EVs. With my experience, If I have to choose from your list, Nexon & XUV 300 have the worst NVH & noise isolation. You may also test drive the Toyota Urbancruiser.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Bit

That makes me curious though, while soundproofing, I haven't seen people discussing the importance of the thickness of the window glass. Is it mostly good enough in Indian cars that it doesn't matter?

You will find the best glasses in higher models of BMW, Porsche and then MB. Most of these also have additional (sometimes optional) acoustic glasses too. Per Androdev, you should try Volvo too.

https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2021...401-26834.html

Whenever I am travelling to Gujarat, I can't bear the traffic noise (Innova), whereas I feel nothing when I am in NCR in my usual European cars. Even within higher-end cars, there can be a difference depending on how these are specced or the country of origin. So, the road noise indeed varies a lot between the cars.

The cheapest will be to look for a used 7 series or an S class if you want to be on budget and noise insulation is your biggest priority. (we live only once - right )

[smasher]

NVH was high on my list as well. I prefer a silent cabin over a powerful car.

My previous car was very noisy (Toyota Innova), especially around the 100KM mark. And gets exponentially worse from there.

From your list/budget, Looks like Hyundai/Kia looks like good options. My wife owns a Hyundai hatchback automatic (Petrol) and it is absolutely silent.

I do not recommend Mahindra from my experience with XUV700. That was on my shortlist and discarded purely for the coarse engine note inside the cabin in a diesel Automatic. This was pointed out by many reviewers initially but magically disappeared in future reviews from most of the famous bloggers.

I also own a Crysta 2.8z which I think has very good NVH figures, comparable to premium cars. The 90-110 range cruise is bliss. No engine noise, no outside noise. You only hear the wind.

[drsnt]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

If you are open to 2 major compromises (sedan instead of CSUV, and pre-owned instead of new), please read on.

Toyota Yaris highest variant was sold with Acoustic and Vibration Control glass, which reduced road noise by a good deal. It was obviously not a hot-selling car, but might just fit into your use-case. Also, Toyota's age really well. So, if you feel it worth pursuing, you can test-drive some models at any Toyota Pre-Owned outlet, and see if it floats your boat.

I have a Toyota Yaris VX, I can vouch for the sound insulation capabilities of this car. Most of the time you cannot hear if someone is speaking to you from outside and the window is closed. I have to roll it down to hear. Every time I drive it on highways I am surprised by its quietness. Please note that Acoustic glasses only came in top or top 2 models, not in lower varients.

[Simple_car]

@Bit,

I was re-reading this thread and my post. I must add a few points:

1. VW/Skoda's (old gen) are also good in insulating from ambient noise. But they are poor at isolating road noise.

2. Don't get carried away by the acoustic glass or laminated glass or such words. The best way to judge is to sit in the car and better still do a TD through the worst streets you encounter. These tech do work, however, the devil is in the details. More often than not, these feel like marketing gimmicks.

Thanks,
Simple_car

[Edud Regnad]

Originally Posted by Lowflyer23

Most people here are suggesting Venue and Sonet but the Korean twins are refined engine wise and not NVH proof from other factors. Their refined engines create this false sense of quietness on smooth urban roads at medium speeds. But the moment small pebbles and stones will start hitting the partially clad wheel wells, you will be surprised at the poor insulation.

I have to disagree here, even though not a fan of the twins, I have to say that they have the best NVH levels than most cars in this segment, even if we're not factoring in the engine sounds, it still performs the best. From my testing it does better than the xuv300, which comes just after the twins. The honking and city sounds are comparatively lower in the twins than the xuv300, since that's the main concern of the op.

In the twins, sonet has better insulation compared to the venue.

Picking the xuv300 and compromising a bit on the NVH is a good option since it has better build quality, but lacks features or the luxury feel that you'll get from the sonet. So being in a quite luxury feeling car or a car thats safer is the buyers choice.

If you want both, get a used top end Yaris , but it being a a used car and a sedan is the catch that some people might not want to put their money onto.

I wouldn't recommend Tata or Suzuki cars since they perform poorly in this case

So based on what the OP needs my recommendations are (not in order, since the last para is the real key here)

- Xuv300
- Sonet
- Used Yaris
- Venue

Take a test drive of each from this list since feeling it for yourself will be the best deciding factor in finding the one that suits you, sure it takes time and effort but it's always worth it.

[Shoshin_Sam]

I had a similar requirement as the OP, and team-bhp didn't fail to surprise, again. Thanks to all the members here. I suffer from a condition where I can't hear certain frequencies in one year, resulting in the base frequencies sound booming and it is very hard in loud areas. I thought maybe I could piggyback on this thread, also because the last comment is almost a month old. But OP, if that is not desirable, I would delete this comment, please let me know.
Sure, the Germans might a good option. 6 months from now, I am vying for an A4 or a 3 series. But that is not going to be the everyday car, but more like weekly used twice or for outstation trips (that doesn't involve bad roads). I wanted a car with high ground clearance for everyday commute. And silence inside as much as possible. My budget is 20-25 L (on road). Personal taste- don't like how the Mahindras look, so I would stay away from it. Prefer new car, not used. What car has surprised you with the sound isolation and cabin silence?

[ashu0510]

I think Hyundai and Kia have the best in class sound proofing thanks to their excellent silent engines.

Here are the best available "top trim" SUVs under 15 lacs:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ax7fAQ_a6HI?feature=share

[ashu0510]

You can also think of mid and low trim SUVs which you can buy under 15 lacs:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DuPxfv12C2I?feature=share

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Nfe2BYDgrC8?feature=share

[Guri]

Hello,
Probably my first post with a similar query - quiet cabin, meaning lowest possible wind, tire, road, traffic, and engine noise. I have Vento 1.2 DSG TSI 2016 and Octavia 1.8 DSG 2019. I upgraded to Continental tires and it works well in Octavia. Tried Michellin in Vento but wasn't happy. Octavia for me fairly a quiet cabin hence this is to be used as a benchmark/comparison.
Now looking for an under 15L CSUV with a quiet cabin and suspension for a plush ride. Usage of this car is primarily in Gurgaon Urabn where roads are found in the middle of potholes, unscientific vehicles and break breaking humps, uneven surfaces, water-filled roads etc. Expecting a top speed of 75 for this SUV. A driver cum self-driven preferred even a manual is fine if the vehicle makes sense in the budget.

Thanks in advance!