I've read some of the noise threads on this site, and it seems some people here are pretty knowledgable on the subject, so I would really appreciate any opinions.

I was wondering if anyone has tried using active noise cancellation on the Fit, where they invert the sound wave through the car speakers. I know Honda has started putting this in some of their car models (not the Fit though). I have never heard how effective this method actually is, or if it's possible to implement this into a Fit after purchase.

I'm looking at buying a car right now (in US), and the final choices are the 2nd Gen Fit, Civic or new Ford Fiesta. I love the Fit's utility and Hondas in general, but excessive noise might be a deal-breaker for me. Is it true that the 2nd Gen's are less noisy than the first?

Imo, for sub-compacts to make it in this country noise control should be a higher priority for the manufacturers. I applaud the efforts and research made by some of the people here, but not sure I have it in me to muster the effort/money.

 

they are econo boxes. they will never be quite like a lexus.
thats why they are so cheap. if you want quite get that new
Austin Martin coming out. they are making it from a Toyota
i think.

 

Road noise has never been a big concern for me. I wouldn't even pay $500 for a quieter car. I always end up with aftermarket audio far louder than any road noise anyway.

 

lol

"it's not a sports car!"


I've read that active noise cancellation works very well (in car mags like Car and Driver and Motortrend). I'd imagine it all depends on the placement of the microphone(s). The programming logic isn't complicated at all.

 

I'm going to take a contrarian view that active noise cancellation will become more and more common on low end cars as processing becomes cheaper because it is a noise control solution that doesn't depend on weight. Unfortunately, I don't think ANC is an easy retro-fit to an existing car.

Due to much higher gearing, the Fit AT is quieter at highway speed than the MT. Due to less wind noise, I find my Fit to be quieter than my previous car, a Subaru Forester. I can't comment on the other cars you are considering, but recommend the longest test drive you can wrangle, preferably on a rough highway on a windy day.

 

I just purchased a Fit about 5-6 weeks ago. I also own a very large, very comfortable, very expensive and very quiet SUV. I thought the noise factor in the Fit would bother me a lot considering my other ride. I do one heck of a lot of running around and needed a decent gas sipping ride, so I decided to go with the Fit regardless... I figured I'd just put up with any noise and other possible undesirable qualities of the Fit as long as the gas situation improved.

In my opinion, the Fit's noise levels are greatly exaggerated by many. I also know any "econo-car" you purchase will not hold a candle to larger vehicles that have more metal and insulation... that would include the Fit, the Fiesta, the Yaris, etc...

I don't simply tolerate the Fit... I love this little car now that I've put some miles on it. Is it louder than my SUV? Listen, my SUV is like driving down the road in some relaxation lounge! So no way the Fit will come even close to the quietness and comfort of it... you DO get what you pay for. But is the Fit irritatingly loud? No way... not even anywhere close as far as I'm concerned. I've been in some cars I felt required the use of earplugs after riding in for an hour. In my opinion, the Fit isn't loud.

Do yourself a favor though... test drive any and all cars you may be interested in before purchasing. I heard lots of negative things about the Fit -- even on this forum -- before purchasing one. An extensive test drive will end the hesitation from negative, and even excitement over positive opinions. I found most of the negativity about the Fit to be either untrue, or again, greatly exaggerated. Matter of fact, it's probably the most fun to drive of any car I've ever owned.

I will never get rid of my SUV... especially considering how it got me through blizzards with complete and absolute ease this past winter... it didn't even flinch at 2' snow banks. But I am about as happy with the Fit as I've ever been with any car I've ever owned.

Still, just be sure before you purchase. Cars are far too expensive and depreciable to be unhappy with your purchase.

BTW, Seldon (the poster above) is right... the AT model is a lot quieter than the MT. That's a fact I know of first hand. Something else to consider with any "econo-car".

 

I agree that the noise problem of the Fit (or any car) seems to vary greatly with the individual. Some say it's "intolerable", while others claim to never even notice. So I'll just try to arrange a long test drive with the dealer.

I hope ANC does take off though. That would be a great way to reduce noise signatures w/o increasing car weight. But it sounds almost too good to be true IMO.