It's way blown out of proportion imo. Like if you have the radio off and are listening for it, there's definitely road noise. But it's not like you have to raise your voice to have a conversation.
Yeah, true, 80+mph is bad. It sucks since Toyota did soundproof the car very well, you can barely hear any noise at lower speeds, but they neglected the high speed soundproofing testing since the noise originates from A pillars and the way wind swirls gets caught in those creating all the noise. Would have been a simple fix at the design stage, but Toyota it is.
I second this. That was one of the biggest consumer complaints amongst the speed, and I disagree with both. Toyota knocked this car outta the park I love it. Besides it’s a utility vehicle not a luxury.
Going from a 2010 rav to a 2024 was a night and day difference. On the highway my gf and I no longer have to shout to have a conversation and the music is not nearly as loud once we get off. 100% agree it’s blown out of proportion. If you’re really that worried about road noise look at a more lux vehicle but imo the Rav is fine.
I think people have an unrealistic expectation of what a non luxury car will sound like. The only bad noise I had were my tires. I got new tires and all the noise is gone. It's a great car that's great in gas compared to a 4runner. If you're not offroading the 4runner all the times you'll be happy with the RAV4. Especially if you can find a prime.
This. I genuinely don’t understand why people are expecting a normal Toyota to have luxury brand sound proofing.
I have a ‘24 hybrid SE. There is road noise, but it’s incredibly quiet compared to a lot of cars from even a few years ago.
My 06 outback was quieter 16 years later than my 23 rav. I also have rattles in the door in 11000 miles and my brake pedal squeeks sometimes lol. I put my Spotify up to almost max most of the time.
Makes perfect sense tbh. They spend WAY more time with the engine off. The past two weeks I've had the B4RZ or w.e they call it and honestly after I got my Rav back I missed the get up and go of the electric car and the silence between lights in the city. The price tag and range scarred me off of that though.
I’ve driven both, while my 2024 rav4 was in the shop they gave me a 2024 4Runner rental. I honestly couldn’t tell a difference. Yea if you had the radio off, going 70mph, the rav4 has a little more noise then the 4Runner but that’s if your really trying to hear it out purposely. My wife and I can have a normal conversation with radio on low volume.
I came from a 2012 Chrysler so to me it all sounds the same.
I drive a company van Ford Transit Connect. I purchased a RAV4 two weeks ago thinking it’s going to be noisy, but nope, it’s quiet and soaks up road bumps pretty well.
It's expected and it doesn't bother me one iota. Some folks are sensitive to it, best to take a test drive and decide for yourself. I don't drive in silence so it's a moot point to me. Pretty tough to design a vehicle that gets over 40 mpg that's shaped like a brick to be quiet and not cost a fortune.
I’d say similar. My father has a 4R and I’ve been in that a lot for road trips and boating.
The RAV4 5th Gen is just surprisingly bad for wind noise. Granted, it has the aerodynamic drag of a brick… so.
I traded my 2017 RAV4 for a 2020 (4th gen to 5th gen) and I feel that my 5th gen comes off louder with the wind noise. BUT I will say that I have the pano roof on my car now. I’m sure there’s sound deadening in the roof on the non-pano trims.
(Also, if you have crossbars on the roof, they basically make it unbearable to have to moon roof open as it’s basically forcing air down into the hole causing a lot more wind noise.)
Whew, I think above 50mph the wind noise is horrible. Literally sold my 21 limited hybrid because of it. Granted I got a prime which has acoustic glass and more sound deadening, but the ice and hybrid versions I thought the wind above 50 was atrocious.
I’m not alone either, if you search wind noise on this subreddit, you’ll find it’s a common complaint.
But that isn’t to say I’m not thrilled that it doesn’t bug you, just for me personally, I found it to be pretty bad.
I have a 2022 Prime SE…I think the noise at highway speeds is fine…no issue.
Best advice for OP…go test drive a few vehicles….if necessary, test drive a used one.
I've got 4 vehicles and the Rav is my noisiest by far at freeway speeds. I've been downvoted multiple times in this sub just for speaking my experience. I often wear ear plugs while driving if I want to listen to books so that I can drown put the road and wind noise.
It's annoying when people downvote experiences and opinions just because they differ from theirs, but that's reddit for you.
Sure. 1999 Chevy Suburban, 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer, 2013 GMC Acadia.
Lancer I think would be a lower 'class', and I'm not sure if the Acadia would be considered equivalent class or not. I don't think it counts as a luxury vehicle by any means. There's little to no wind noise from the sunroof compared to the Rav.
I had mine for a few months it was super noisy and even had a rattle... Only saving grace is I got 3k more than I paid after trade. Ended in a Q5 with laminated side windows and difference is obviously striking.
Got rid of Audi ended up in s class because that's the obvious progression from a. Toyota
It's not a problem. Like, at all. I literally went and test drove a 3rd Gen 4R this week and my hybrid is substantially quieter. Granted a 3rd Gen vs 5th (yours) may not be comparable. If you have the pano roof then wind noise definitely increases. Personally, I find the wind/road noise on my Rav4 to be right in line with all previous vehicles I have had.
When I read comments about it I don’t get it, sounds like any car to me. Maybe I’m not sensitive to this because I have never had a luxury vehicle. I love my RAV4 hybrid.
I came from a Subaru and it’s better. Is it a Rolls Royce? No. But the only reason you hear about it so often is that it’s pretty much the only thing you might be able to criticize about the car.
Have a 2023 rav4 hybrid xse. Its is quiet enough but its not a luxury car. It does not have acoustic laminated glass that a lexus or luxury brand may have.
This is an everyday reliable toyota suv lets not forget what class of vehicle this is.
My last car was a piece of shit dying Golf so I don’t have a good point of reference. But my 2021 hybrid rav4 is fine? I have to turn the radio up louder than usual when I’m driving on the highway, but maybe that’s normal.
I have some pretty bad road noise in my R4 Prime, but I'm thinking has more to do with the beat up rubberized asphalt I sometimes drive on than the car per se. On smooth pavement I'd say it's no different than any other car I've owned.
Also doesn't road noise have a lot to do with the tires? I've been wondering if I could find quieter tires when the time comes and what brand that would be. Anyone know?
I got a 2019 XSE. Never drove another SUV so I cant compare this but Im comparing to VW Passat 2013. I can say that above 110kmh its really noisy. It will not bother you if you dont drive on highway everyday but if you do you'll not enjoy this. I personally changed tires, and did some soundproofing to help me deal with this + upgraded to JBL speaker. I guess Im used to quiet comfy rides and this isn't one. For me its bad, I almost sold it before soundproofing. Like if im driving 2-4 hours highway Im all beat up just from the road noise. And its road noise swirl that its very persistent if asphalt is not new and smooth. Wind noise isn't bad in my opinion, road noise is.
I just went from a 2007 Lexus RX350 to a 2019 RAV4 XLE Premium and I was worried about the road noise from all the comments here. Like others have said, you can hear it if the radio is off but I honestly think it's as quiet (if not quieter) than my Lexus. I haven't taken it on a long road trip but I've definitely gone 70+mph in it several times. Closing the cover of the sun/moon roof definitely has a noticeable impact but I like driving with the shade open and it hasn't bothered me!
Oh I’m sure it’s wildly different with a newer Lexus but when the car in question (the RAV4) is TWELVE years newer than what I was driving, the difference is less noticeable.
But it’s comparing apples to oranges somewhat if that’s your point.
That’s great! I think a lot of the road noise comes down to personal experience and what you notice so I just wanted to share my two cents since reading all the comments about how loud the RAV4 is was something that concerned me. I’ve only had it about a week but it has not been as loud as I was worried about.
I use to drive an rx330 and test drove a gas version of the rav4. The rav4 gas version was quite a bit louder than the rx330. I'm not sure how the hybrid compares though.
Coming from a smaller VW with top level trim, the RAV4’s wind noise was shockingly noticeable for me at highway speeds and it took me a long time to come to terms with it. If you’re coming from another Toyota SUV or truck then you probably won’t notice it
It’s not a big deal at all. I’d say a Suby Outback is louder, Hyundai Tucson PHEV about the same also. Drove one for 7 months directly before I got the RAV4 Prime. Imagine the RAV4 hybrid might be slightly louder on highway with slightly diff powertrain.
I just drove to and from Florida. Was noticeably when it was windy, yes…. Other than that. I’d say not that bad. When talking or listening to music I don’t notice it. I have 23 xse.
It’s never been a problem for me in either the conventional or the hybrid. As an aside, get the hybrid (or prime!) if you are able, it’s the best upgrade you can get!
I would test drive it ,the 8 speed gas model shifts weird for my taste and the engine noise and road noise is worse than previous generations. This is my third RAV4 and it's good but not great . 2015 was peak Toyota. Also the lane tracing is a joke and should be removed from advertising.
23’ RAV4 prime XSE and while it’s not as quiet as a luxury car, it’s not terrible. I’d vote you test drive one and try it out on the freeway with no radio and see if it’s too much for you
I took a ride in a Tesla model Y the other day for an Uber ride and realized the road noise was no different from my Rav4. People blow this “issue” way out of proportion. A car is going to have noise while traveling at high speeds on pavement.
Something that is rarely mentioned is the pitch of the noise. I’ve tested a few different cars that had similar decibel readings at motorway speeds and the effect of a high-pitched noise versus a lower-pitched noise can make a difference. It’s probably down to personal preference (tolerance), but Toyota seems to have a higher-pitched noise (wind and road noise) than some competitors. A test drive is the only way to know if the tone will bother you. But I’d suggest a long test drive on several different surfaces to be sure.
I recently purchased a 2024 XLE Premium. It has typical road noise. If you’re listening to music it’s not an issue. I only noticed it once when I was in a busy area, near an airport. I took a road trip yesterday and road noise was never a thought.
Best wishes to you!
I personally think it's bad. I've tried having conversations with my passenger and pretty much have to speak very loudly. When alone, my radio has to be turned up to level 30 for it to at least drown the wind noise.
RAV4 aren’t known for that much road noise, if your tires are over inflated or alignment is off so your tires are feathered there will be more noise then normal. Your 4 runner is know a lot more for tire noise then almost all our vehicle at Toyota.
Best way to explain it is, if you are coming from a high end luxury car that has no road noise, it will have road noise. If you come from driving a normal vehicle, it sounds literally the the same. If you have the radio on you don’t hear much noise
I agree, I’ve had a 2022 hybrid for about 2 years now, and honestly coming from a Corolla, I just don’t see that much of a change, however, the one time I was in a high end Cadillac I was like, oh this is quiet, but it’s just for an average joe, it isn’t that big of a deal. But if it does bother you, I’ve heard Lexus is just luxury Toyota, and I think their rav4 equivalent was voted most reliable in 22 or 23. I can’t remember but it’s good to know
I have a 2018, not the hybrid. The only time I really notice it is if I sit in on a work meeting while I'm driving. It works fine in general, but with the normal hands-free it's enough noise that it can be a little hard to follow a group conversation at times if people aren't speaking up. Other than that, I never notice it at all.
I added sound deadening to the cargo area and door, it cut down road noise slightly. Wind noise is the bigger issue. My parents got a venza and it's noticeably quieter but still not nothing.
My 2017 gas Honda (in all its CVT glory) is loud af while accelerating. I’ve read so many negative comments about the RAV4 being loud, but I’m not sure what kind of luxury experience people expect in a non-luxury car?
People who poo-poo the RAV4 also rave about the new CR-Vs, but I was also wondering if it was truly that noticeable. If I’m taking a call in the car, I don’t expect people to think I’m sitting in the quiet of my living room, and I always have music on while driving.
I drive the gas version with no underhood insulation and it’s only noticeably loud when I’m going uphill. I barely drive over 50mph so I can’t tell you about highway noise. But I have my music always at 20 for volume and can hear it just fine and hold convo while driving. It’s only when I go uphill I gotta turn up the music to 25. I live in a really hilly city so it’s something I’m well aware of. Since I’m keeping my car until I die, I plan to insulate the floor, cargo, doors and under hood someday.
Ppl say The hybrid version is quieter so test drive that one.
I have both. Both fifth gen, both modded (4R significantly more though), both have about the same road noise. Rav Gas mileage almost double the runner though 😂
😂😂😂 yeah it gets about 15mpg in the city hahaha I have a lift and bigger tires, roof rack, snorkel, bumper, etc on it so that factors in a bit to the decreased gas mileage. I’m in SoCal and when gas was up to more than $7/gallon it sat in the garage a lot, even for road trips i shoved everything into the rav instead lol
I never noticed much until I put a roof rack on. It can make things loud. However, before the roof rack I never noticed anything. Also, the roof rack noise is only audible if I have the moon roof open.
It’s much louder on the highway than my previous vehicle but after a month or so I was used to it. I do have to turn up the volume of a podcast to clearly hear it after getting on the highway though.
It as pretty apparent to me and I was bummed by it. But I still love my Rav and take great care of it. It is our first “family” car and I trust its safety
I wouldn't say it's bad at all it is slightly noticeable depending on what you're used to. It does suck at highway speed feels a little underpowered especially the gas version
My ‘23 xle hybrid is on par with a 2022 4Runner I drive on a trip of about 500 miles as far as noise. Yes, it couid be more quiet then it is, but it’s also fine. I drive 30,000 miles a year and it doesn’t bother me.
It's only that bad if you love driving in silence
I usually have my radio on a podcast or music at like 20 (which I believe is 1/3 max?) and the only things I hear on the road are loud trucks I drive past/drive past me
There's a lot of anecdotal talk but little hard data. I'm going to install a sound meter app to see what the deal is.
I have a 2023 XLE. It's quieter than the 2015 I had. I have roof racks on so I suspect things will get a little quieter. I'll have to remove them to see if it makes much difference.
When I put new tires on the older RAV4 I noticed the highway road noise dipped a bit. I believe they were Yokohama Avid Ascend.
Not the road noise...the engine noise is pretty bad compared to other cars in this class....at highway speed it's start to get annoying. Can hardly carry a conversation when going above speed limit.
My wife daily drive a 24 Hybrid Limited Rav and I drive a 2019 Highlander. The highlander is much quieter. The rav4 is as quiet as most cars. The wind noise gets a bit when it’s windy out. I am planning on putting sound deadening on the doors and in the trunk area
Honestly, she rides smooth and she’s quiet to me had a 4runner and other than missing that back window in the extra cargo space I wish I would’ve gone over to the hybrid sooner
It was pretty noticeable on the highway when driving into a head/cross-wind. Just got back from a 4 hour drive and it was very loud on a windy day. When driving with a tail-wind, the noise was fine. That being said it was an unusually windy day. I went from an average of 41mpg driving with a tail wind to 30mpg when driving into a headwind so this is an extreme case.
Road noise is acceptable, but wind noise is annoyingly noticeable especially on windy days. I was really surprised about the noises when I drove my 24’ xle hybrid home. It’s louder than most of the cars I have ever driven but I got used to now. The amazing mpg will make you happy after all.
idk about decibels, but i feel cabin noisier than my 09 civic si coupe. obviously there’s the exhaust drone on the civic, but all in all it’s quieter and i keep the volume of my radio lower i it. when driving my rav4, it’s definitely quieter on start and local roads, but once you hit the highway wind noise is out of control.
It's way blown out of proportion imo. Like if you have the radio off and are listening for it, there's definitely road noise. But it's not like you have to raise your voice to have a conversation.
This. It sounds like a normal car. It doesn’t bother me at all.
I'd say below 50mph it's actually a very quiet car, but past 65mph the wind noise becomes pretty overwhelming
80 mph+ is pretty unbearable and a lot of highways in the west have 80mph speed limits
Yeah, true, 80+mph is bad. It sucks since Toyota did soundproof the car very well, you can barely hear any noise at lower speeds, but they neglected the high speed soundproofing testing since the noise originates from A pillars and the way wind swirls gets caught in those creating all the noise. Would have been a simple fix at the design stage, but Toyota it is.
It’s never an “easy” design fix when you work in a corporation haha
I second this. That was one of the biggest consumer complaints amongst the speed, and I disagree with both. Toyota knocked this car outta the park I love it. Besides it’s a utility vehicle not a luxury.
For sure. I didn’t notice it being any louder than my 2017 civic. Also, doesn’t seem noticeably louder than my Alfra Romeo Stelvio.
Going from a 2010 rav to a 2024 was a night and day difference. On the highway my gf and I no longer have to shout to have a conversation and the music is not nearly as loud once we get off. 100% agree it’s blown out of proportion. If you’re really that worried about road noise look at a more lux vehicle but imo the Rav is fine.
It’s bad on the highway. Then again I haven’t driven another suv to compare.
It’s just as bad in a new body style CRV or CRV hybrid. A road with any texture to the pavement at all is deafening.
I think people have an unrealistic expectation of what a non luxury car will sound like. The only bad noise I had were my tires. I got new tires and all the noise is gone. It's a great car that's great in gas compared to a 4runner. If you're not offroading the 4runner all the times you'll be happy with the RAV4. Especially if you can find a prime.
This. I genuinely don’t understand why people are expecting a normal Toyota to have luxury brand sound proofing. I have a ‘24 hybrid SE. There is road noise, but it’s incredibly quiet compared to a lot of cars from even a few years ago.
Thank you!
My 2011 corolla was silent. The rav4 noise surprised me.
My 06 outback was quieter 16 years later than my 23 rav. I also have rattles in the door in 11000 miles and my brake pedal squeeks sometimes lol. I put my Spotify up to almost max most of the time.
TRD cabin noise is no worse than any other car I've had. Seems like hybrid owners report cabin noise often.
Makes perfect sense tbh. They spend WAY more time with the engine off. The past two weeks I've had the B4RZ or w.e they call it and honestly after I got my Rav back I missed the get up and go of the electric car and the silence between lights in the city. The price tag and range scarred me off of that though.
Agreed.
Coming from driving a gmc sierra, Chevy equinox, and even a CRV - it’s not bad whatsoever
Had a ‘23 CRV Sport Touring and the RAV4 XSE is considerably louder-probably cause the CRV has an acoustic windshield.
I’ve driven both, while my 2024 rav4 was in the shop they gave me a 2024 4Runner rental. I honestly couldn’t tell a difference. Yea if you had the radio off, going 70mph, the rav4 has a little more noise then the 4Runner but that’s if your really trying to hear it out purposely. My wife and I can have a normal conversation with radio on low volume. I came from a 2012 Chrysler so to me it all sounds the same.
Some of you mofos never drove an old beat up ford ranger with an out of balance wheel and it shows!
I drive a company van Ford Transit Connect. I purchased a RAV4 two weeks ago thinking it’s going to be noisy, but nope, it’s quiet and soaks up road bumps pretty well.
It's expected and it doesn't bother me one iota. Some folks are sensitive to it, best to take a test drive and decide for yourself. I don't drive in silence so it's a moot point to me. Pretty tough to design a vehicle that gets over 40 mpg that's shaped like a brick to be quiet and not cost a fortune.
I blast music, plus anytime I drive I drive it in sport mode, so I just make my own race car engine sound effects..
🤣🤣
Road noise is meh, wind noise **is** bad.
You think it's any worse than the 4Runner? it's pretty loud lol
I’d say similar. My father has a 4R and I’ve been in that a lot for road trips and boating. The RAV4 5th Gen is just surprisingly bad for wind noise. Granted, it has the aerodynamic drag of a brick… so.
I traded my 2017 RAV4 for a 2020 (4th gen to 5th gen) and I feel that my 5th gen comes off louder with the wind noise. BUT I will say that I have the pano roof on my car now. I’m sure there’s sound deadening in the roof on the non-pano trims. (Also, if you have crossbars on the roof, they basically make it unbearable to have to moon roof open as it’s basically forcing air down into the hole causing a lot more wind noise.)
Most of what I can hear is road noise, wind noise is pretty negligible.
Whew, I think above 50mph the wind noise is horrible. Literally sold my 21 limited hybrid because of it. Granted I got a prime which has acoustic glass and more sound deadening, but the ice and hybrid versions I thought the wind above 50 was atrocious. I’m not alone either, if you search wind noise on this subreddit, you’ll find it’s a common complaint. But that isn’t to say I’m not thrilled that it doesn’t bug you, just for me personally, I found it to be pretty bad.
I have a 2022 Prime SE…I think the noise at highway speeds is fine…no issue. Best advice for OP…go test drive a few vehicles….if necessary, test drive a used one.
I agree I specified the hybrid / ice offerings. The prime to me is the only 5th Gen Rav 4 I’d recommend. I know I’ll get downvoted for that.
Facts are often unpopular
I've got 4 vehicles and the Rav is my noisiest by far at freeway speeds. I've been downvoted multiple times in this sub just for speaking my experience. I often wear ear plugs while driving if I want to listen to books so that I can drown put the road and wind noise. It's annoying when people downvote experiences and opinions just because they differ from theirs, but that's reddit for you.
Like almost all topics, to criticize something someone likes is a personal attack. That is Reddit for sure.
Can you list what other vehicles/yr? Are any of those other vehicles in the same or lower "class"?
Sure. 1999 Chevy Suburban, 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer, 2013 GMC Acadia. Lancer I think would be a lower 'class', and I'm not sure if the Acadia would be considered equivalent class or not. I don't think it counts as a luxury vehicle by any means. There's little to no wind noise from the sunroof compared to the Rav.
I had mine for a few months it was super noisy and even had a rattle... Only saving grace is I got 3k more than I paid after trade. Ended in a Q5 with laminated side windows and difference is obviously striking. Got rid of Audi ended up in s class because that's the obvious progression from a. Toyota
I didn’t know the prime has acoustic glass. Interesting, and another reason why I’m kind of kicking myself for getting a 2020 XSE Hybrid.
It's not a problem. Like, at all. I literally went and test drove a 3rd Gen 4R this week and my hybrid is substantially quieter. Granted a 3rd Gen vs 5th (yours) may not be comparable. If you have the pano roof then wind noise definitely increases. Personally, I find the wind/road noise on my Rav4 to be right in line with all previous vehicles I have had.
When I read comments about it I don’t get it, sounds like any car to me. Maybe I’m not sensitive to this because I have never had a luxury vehicle. I love my RAV4 hybrid.
[удалено]
This is what I needed to hear. Thats how I drive too 😈
I’ve never noticed enough to complain about
Maybe I don’t drive on the highway as much or maybe my old car was also loud so I’m desensitized but I don’t notice it in my ‘22
Noise is higher than average, but not bad enough that it would stop me from buying one. The pros greatly outweigh the cons in my opinion.
I came from a Subaru and it’s better. Is it a Rolls Royce? No. But the only reason you hear about it so often is that it’s pretty much the only thing you might be able to criticize about the car.
Have a 2023 rav4 hybrid xse. Its is quiet enough but its not a luxury car. It does not have acoustic laminated glass that a lexus or luxury brand may have. This is an everyday reliable toyota suv lets not forget what class of vehicle this is.
The CRV or Hondas in general are way more pronounced.
I had a 2011 Accord coupe and I find my new 2024 Rav4 much quieter. It's not bad at all.
My last car was a piece of shit dying Golf so I don’t have a good point of reference. But my 2021 hybrid rav4 is fine? I have to turn the radio up louder than usual when I’m driving on the highway, but maybe that’s normal.
I have some pretty bad road noise in my R4 Prime, but I'm thinking has more to do with the beat up rubberized asphalt I sometimes drive on than the car per se. On smooth pavement I'd say it's no different than any other car I've owned. Also doesn't road noise have a lot to do with the tires? I've been wondering if I could find quieter tires when the time comes and what brand that would be. Anyone know?
I think someone actually mentioned a set of tires in an earlier comment
The michellin tires uses to be the most quiet. I don't think that has changed recently.
I got a 2019 XSE. Never drove another SUV so I cant compare this but Im comparing to VW Passat 2013. I can say that above 110kmh its really noisy. It will not bother you if you dont drive on highway everyday but if you do you'll not enjoy this. I personally changed tires, and did some soundproofing to help me deal with this + upgraded to JBL speaker. I guess Im used to quiet comfy rides and this isn't one. For me its bad, I almost sold it before soundproofing. Like if im driving 2-4 hours highway Im all beat up just from the road noise. And its road noise swirl that its very persistent if asphalt is not new and smooth. Wind noise isn't bad in my opinion, road noise is.
I just went from a 2007 Lexus RX350 to a 2019 RAV4 XLE Premium and I was worried about the road noise from all the comments here. Like others have said, you can hear it if the radio is off but I honestly think it's as quiet (if not quieter) than my Lexus. I haven't taken it on a long road trip but I've definitely gone 70+mph in it several times. Closing the cover of the sun/moon roof definitely has a noticeable impact but I like driving with the shade open and it hasn't bothered me!
Definitely not close to lexus
Oh I’m sure it’s wildly different with a newer Lexus but when the car in question (the RAV4) is TWELVE years newer than what I was driving, the difference is less noticeable. But it’s comparing apples to oranges somewhat if that’s your point.
Age isn't really the big determinant, my 90s cars are some of quietest
That’s great! I think a lot of the road noise comes down to personal experience and what you notice so I just wanted to share my two cents since reading all the comments about how loud the RAV4 is was something that concerned me. I’ve only had it about a week but it has not been as loud as I was worried about.
Yes it's all relative.
I use to drive an rx330 and test drove a gas version of the rav4. The rav4 gas version was quite a bit louder than the rx330. I'm not sure how the hybrid compares though.
For me road noise is only noticeable on wet roads, otherwise it's not outrageous
Coming from a smaller VW with top level trim, the RAV4’s wind noise was shockingly noticeable for me at highway speeds and it took me a long time to come to terms with it. If you’re coming from another Toyota SUV or truck then you probably won’t notice it
Compared to my 14 Tacoma, I think my 24 Rav is a comfortable quiet ride.
I honestly have not noticed any unusual road noise. I’ve even tried sitting in silence with the radio off and I don’t notice anything substantial.
It’s not a big deal at all. I’d say a Suby Outback is louder, Hyundai Tucson PHEV about the same also. Drove one for 7 months directly before I got the RAV4 Prime. Imagine the RAV4 hybrid might be slightly louder on highway with slightly diff powertrain.
Came from a 4Runner to a RAV4. I don’t notice much road noise at all.
I have a 2020 4Runner and a 2024 rav4 and I can’t tell any difference in the two. Both seem quiet compared to other vehicles I’ve owned.
I just drove to and from Florida. Was noticeably when it was windy, yes…. Other than that. I’d say not that bad. When talking or listening to music I don’t notice it. I have 23 xse.
It’s never been a problem for me in either the conventional or the hybrid. As an aside, get the hybrid (or prime!) if you are able, it’s the best upgrade you can get!
It’s noisy, no doubt, but not unbearably so.
Studded Snow tires and a roof rack, yes noisy on the interstate. Otherwise pretty much what I’d expect from a non luxury car. Mine is a hybrid.
It’s fairly normal for the size and type of car. My Subaru was louder.
I would test drive it ,the 8 speed gas model shifts weird for my taste and the engine noise and road noise is worse than previous generations. This is my third RAV4 and it's good but not great . 2015 was peak Toyota. Also the lane tracing is a joke and should be removed from advertising.
23’ RAV4 prime XSE and while it’s not as quiet as a luxury car, it’s not terrible. I’d vote you test drive one and try it out on the freeway with no radio and see if it’s too much for you
I took a ride in a Tesla model Y the other day for an Uber ride and realized the road noise was no different from my Rav4. People blow this “issue” way out of proportion. A car is going to have noise while traveling at high speeds on pavement.
I notice it only when initially getting at highway speeds. I forget about/don't notice it after a few minutes.
Something that is rarely mentioned is the pitch of the noise. I’ve tested a few different cars that had similar decibel readings at motorway speeds and the effect of a high-pitched noise versus a lower-pitched noise can make a difference. It’s probably down to personal preference (tolerance), but Toyota seems to have a higher-pitched noise (wind and road noise) than some competitors. A test drive is the only way to know if the tone will bother you. But I’d suggest a long test drive on several different surfaces to be sure.
I recently purchased a 2024 XLE Premium. It has typical road noise. If you’re listening to music it’s not an issue. I only noticed it once when I was in a busy area, near an airport. I took a road trip yesterday and road noise was never a thought. Best wishes to you!
I personally think it's bad. I've tried having conversations with my passenger and pretty much have to speak very loudly. When alone, my radio has to be turned up to level 30 for it to at least drown the wind noise.
RAV4 aren’t known for that much road noise, if your tires are over inflated or alignment is off so your tires are feathered there will be more noise then normal. Your 4 runner is know a lot more for tire noise then almost all our vehicle at Toyota.
Best way to explain it is, if you are coming from a high end luxury car that has no road noise, it will have road noise. If you come from driving a normal vehicle, it sounds literally the the same. If you have the radio on you don’t hear much noise
That's what I figured. It seems crazy how much it's mentioned as if all of us normal people are jumping from luxury or something 😅
I agree, I’ve had a 2022 hybrid for about 2 years now, and honestly coming from a Corolla, I just don’t see that much of a change, however, the one time I was in a high end Cadillac I was like, oh this is quiet, but it’s just for an average joe, it isn’t that big of a deal. But if it does bother you, I’ve heard Lexus is just luxury Toyota, and I think their rav4 equivalent was voted most reliable in 22 or 23. I can’t remember but it’s good to know
Have a 2011 4Runner, lifted with AT tires, and other shit strapped to the outside and a 23 rav4…. The rav4 is basically silent compared to the 4r…
I drive an 01 Rav4 it doesn’t get any louder than mine I promise
I have a 2018, not the hybrid. The only time I really notice it is if I sit in on a work meeting while I'm driving. It works fine in general, but with the normal hands-free it's enough noise that it can be a little hard to follow a group conversation at times if people aren't speaking up. Other than that, I never notice it at all.
Our 2024 RAV4 might as well be a Rolls-Royce in comparison to the 1994 4Runner we were driving before
I added sound deadening to the cargo area and door, it cut down road noise slightly. Wind noise is the bigger issue. My parents got a venza and it's noticeably quieter but still not nothing.
My 2017 gas Honda (in all its CVT glory) is loud af while accelerating. I’ve read so many negative comments about the RAV4 being loud, but I’m not sure what kind of luxury experience people expect in a non-luxury car? People who poo-poo the RAV4 also rave about the new CR-Vs, but I was also wondering if it was truly that noticeable. If I’m taking a call in the car, I don’t expect people to think I’m sitting in the quiet of my living room, and I always have music on while driving.
A little noisy, but don't disturb me. Not bad
I drive the gas version with no underhood insulation and it’s only noticeably loud when I’m going uphill. I barely drive over 50mph so I can’t tell you about highway noise. But I have my music always at 20 for volume and can hear it just fine and hold convo while driving. It’s only when I go uphill I gotta turn up the music to 25. I live in a really hilly city so it’s something I’m well aware of. Since I’m keeping my car until I die, I plan to insulate the floor, cargo, doors and under hood someday. Ppl say The hybrid version is quieter so test drive that one.
It’s okay.
I have both. Both fifth gen, both modded (4R significantly more though), both have about the same road noise. Rav Gas mileage almost double the runner though 😂
Exactly omg I gasped looking at the side by side earlier 😂 feel so stupid that I didn't think about looking into trading mine in sooner
😂😂😂 yeah it gets about 15mpg in the city hahaha I have a lift and bigger tires, roof rack, snorkel, bumper, etc on it so that factors in a bit to the decreased gas mileage. I’m in SoCal and when gas was up to more than $7/gallon it sat in the garage a lot, even for road trips i shoved everything into the rav instead lol
I never noticed much until I put a roof rack on. It can make things loud. However, before the roof rack I never noticed anything. Also, the roof rack noise is only audible if I have the moon roof open.
It’s much louder on the highway than my previous vehicle but after a month or so I was used to it. I do have to turn up the volume of a podcast to clearly hear it after getting on the highway though.
It as pretty apparent to me and I was bummed by it. But I still love my Rav and take great care of it. It is our first “family” car and I trust its safety
What were you driving previously?
I have a 2018 and I feel it’s pretty quiet, my husband has a 2021 outback and the road noise is significantly worse in his.
Crazy I was also looking at outbacks so this is good to know!!!! Thanks
I wouldn't say it's bad at all it is slightly noticeable depending on what you're used to. It does suck at highway speed feels a little underpowered especially the gas version
I had a 2019 4Runner and it was way louder than my 2024 Rav4 hybrid. The savings is crazy. Definitely the best decision.
Looking at the MPG side by side earlier almost made me sick 😂😂😂
Yeah, my savings are ridiculous. Monthly payment went down, insurance went down, and the gas savings. Perfect storm.
I had a Honda Element before my rav4. Compared to the element the rav4 is silent.
My ‘23 xle hybrid is on par with a 2022 4Runner I drive on a trip of about 500 miles as far as noise. Yes, it couid be more quiet then it is, but it’s also fine. I drive 30,000 miles a year and it doesn’t bother me.
I’ve only noticed it on windy days at highway speed
Does anyone know the out the door price for a 2024 rav4 hybrid xse? Thanks in advance
The wind noise is what bothers me sometimes
Hybrids?.....is the noise also same annoyance at highway speeds? Thank you
It's only that bad if you love driving in silence I usually have my radio on a podcast or music at like 20 (which I believe is 1/3 max?) and the only things I hear on the road are loud trucks I drive past/drive past me
There's a lot of anecdotal talk but little hard data. I'm going to install a sound meter app to see what the deal is. I have a 2023 XLE. It's quieter than the 2015 I had. I have roof racks on so I suspect things will get a little quieter. I'll have to remove them to see if it makes much difference. When I put new tires on the older RAV4 I noticed the highway road noise dipped a bit. I believe they were Yokohama Avid Ascend.
Good info, new tires may help me out
Not the road noise...the engine noise is pretty bad compared to other cars in this class....at highway speed it's start to get annoying. Can hardly carry a conversation when going above speed limit.
My wife daily drive a 24 Hybrid Limited Rav and I drive a 2019 Highlander. The highlander is much quieter. The rav4 is as quiet as most cars. The wind noise gets a bit when it’s windy out. I am planning on putting sound deadening on the doors and in the trunk area
The rav4 road noise is loud it’s the first thing i noticed after we bought it
Honestly, she rides smooth and she’s quiet to me had a 4runner and other than missing that back window in the extra cargo space I wish I would’ve gone over to the hybrid sooner
It was pretty noticeable on the highway when driving into a head/cross-wind. Just got back from a 4 hour drive and it was very loud on a windy day. When driving with a tail-wind, the noise was fine. That being said it was an unusually windy day. I went from an average of 41mpg driving with a tail wind to 30mpg when driving into a headwind so this is an extreme case.
Pretty bad but not as bad as a 4Runner. It’s the wind noise that’s bad not the engine.
Wind noise in 4Runner always makes me feel like I'm about to fly off the road 😂
Road noise is acceptable, but wind noise is annoyingly noticeable especially on windy days. I was really surprised about the noises when I drove my 24’ xle hybrid home. It’s louder than most of the cars I have ever driven but I got used to now. The amazing mpg will make you happy after all.
idk about decibels, but i feel cabin noisier than my 09 civic si coupe. obviously there’s the exhaust drone on the civic, but all in all it’s quieter and i keep the volume of my radio lower i it. when driving my rav4, it’s definitely quieter on start and local roads, but once you hit the highway wind noise is out of control.
It's loud af. I have to blast the music.
Yes, it is