What is the quietest car?

[glen]

A New Corrolla?
Or a used Lexus ES?
or what?
Ideas?

Drove mom's Lexus the other day, and that killed the joy of my BMW.

 

[sniperruff]

the new avalon is known to "out-buick" buicks so i assume the ride is sublime and cabin noise to be non-existent.

having a kickass engine means it'll leave a lot of "sports compacts" in the dust as well.

 

[996GT2]

From personal experience, I've found the Lexus ES to be uncannily quiet. Even though my parents have owned an ES350 for almost a year now, it still never ceases to impress with its quiet ride. So quiet, in fact, that when you open the windows at 40mph, the outside noise coming into the almost silent cabin is like someone turning on a stereo next to you. Engine noise is basically nonexistent until you break 4k revs, which is hardly necessary during daily driving on the ES350 (since it's packing 272 HP and quite a bit of torque). Above 4k RPMs, the engine has a quiet but pleasant growl. There is some suspension noise over bumpy roads, but overall the cabin is quiet enough that two people can hold a normal conversation perfectly fine at 80+ mph on the highway.

If you can find a used ES300 or 330 in your price range, I'd say go for it. The ES may be based on a Camry platform, but it has a lot of extra sound deadening and other features that make it very quiet and calming to drive. If you're into sportiness though, then it's not for you.

 

[woodie1]

Originally posted by: glen
A New Corrolla?
Or a used Lexus ES?
or what?
Ideas?

Drove mom's Lexus the other day, and that killed the joy of my BMW.

You didn't mention your price range. The Camry and Avalon are quiet but there are others too. A little more info would help us.

 

[glen]

15 to 20k

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Buick Lacrosse or Buick Lucerne

http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...rives/articleId=103493

But back to that statement about the new Buick LaCrosse sedan matching the Lexus ES 330. Regardless of whether the company has hit the mark or not, Buick is serious about bringing its cars up a notch or two. The two-step process involves giving the cars and trucks higher-quality interiors and incorporating a "Quiet Tuning" package that essentially makes the cars smoother and quieter ? you know, like a Lexus.

In Buick's eyes, the road to Lexus-like vehicles is paved with Quiet Tuning technology and in many ways it works. There are many aspects to Quiet Tuning, but the biggest gains are the result of adding laminate to the windshield and side windows, adding a noise-suppressing engine cover, recalibrating various belt-driven pulleys, revising the power steering lines and installing extra sound-deadening material throughout the cabin. A special exhaust system is also part of the package. Unique resonators and mufflers are also employed to reduce exhaust noise.

So has Buick built a real Lexus fighter in the new LaCrosse? Yes and no. If the only goal is to build a car that has a firm but supple ride combined with an ultraquiet interior, then yes, it has done just that: The LaCrosse at least equals the ES 330 in these areas. However, there is more to a great car than just a quiet interior. Some of the essential elements of a premium sedan are simply missing. Although there are plans to add one later, there is currently no navigation system offered on the LaCrosse. Also, the lack of a power-adjustable seat back is a glaring omission. The seat bottoms and lumbar adjustments are power and the seats overall are quite comfortable, but you'll have to adjust the rake of the seat back manually no matter which trim level you choose. That is decidedly un-Lexus-like.

 

[mwmorph]

Gen 6 Camry V6 is very, very good, especially for he price.
http://www.caranddriver.com/re...yota_camry_v_6_feature

On the other hand, if your mantra is the Seinfeldian "serenity now," you should know that this mid-size sedan is as quiet at a 70-mph cruise as a Mercedes-Benz E550 and as quiet at idle as a Rolls-Royce Phantom. That's because there's more scrupulous engineering in a Camry than in just about any supercar ever made.

I have a W211 E500(2006) and I can attest, at 70mph, it is very, very quiet.

The ES350 will only be quieter since it's an even further refined Camry.

 

[thomsbrain]

As others have mentioned, newer Buicks, Camrys/Avalons, and Lexuses are all great places to start looking. They all tend to ride very smooth, too. Even the Highlander I rode in the other day impressed me with its smooth and quiet freeway ride. You trade off driving engagement, but not everyone wants to be engaged with driving.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

1983 Yugo. The only noise it makes is your head smacking the steering wheel for buying it when it won't start.

 

[BassBomb]

Don't get an I30 gen 2 or I35. The rear doors add quite a bit of noise.

ES350 as stated is obscenely queit (I've got ES350 and 2000 I30 at home)

I'd also add in Acura TL previous generation

 

[jtvang125]

There's the IS300 if you're looking at Lexus. It's probably not as quiet as a ES but it is more "sporty". I rode in my buddy's IS and was surprised that it was quieter than my GS. Of course mine is lowered and on 18's.

 

[Xcobra]

Originally posted by: 996GT2
From personal experience, I've found the Lexus ES to be uncannily quiet. Even though my parents have owned an ES350 for almost a year now, it still never ceases to impress with its quiet ride. So quiet, in fact, that when you open the windows at 40mph, the outside noise coming into the almost silent cabin is like someone turning on a stereo next to you. Engine noise is basically nonexistent until you break 4k revs, which is hardly necessary during daily driving on the ES350 (since it's packing 272 HP and quite a bit of torque). Above 4k RPMs, the engine has a quiet but pleasant growl. There is some suspension noise over bumpy roads, but overall the cabin is quiet enough that two people can hold a normal conversation perfectly fine at 80+ mph on the highway.

If you can find a used ES300 or 330 in your price range, I'd say go for it. The ES may be based on a Camry platform, but it has a lot of extra sound deadening and other features that make it very quiet and calming to drive. If you're into sportiness though, then it's not for you.

QFT. My gf has a 98 ES300 and man you pop up the hood and that thing is SO quiet, its almost pleasant to hear it run. Same thing goes when on the road, quiet AND smooth ride. I am so jealous.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
1983 Yugo. The only noise it makes is your head smacking the steering wheel for buying it when it won't start.

Aww, you stole my "Any car that doesn't run" line.🙁