Whisper Strategy is Making Cars Quieter

Modern day cars are much quieter than those our parents and grandparents grew up with. And with new hybrid cars making it possible to drive using just electric power, they’re growing even more refined.

To find out just how much quieter today’s cars have become, we conducted a simple test. We drove our new Kuga Plug-In Hybrid SUV and a selection of our classic cars dating back to 1966 on a typically rough road surface. Then we measured the highest noise level in decibels.

Using its pure-electric mode, the Kuga recorded a peak noise level of 69 decibels -- no louder than the gentle thrum of a dishwasher. By comparison, the 89 decibels measured inside a 1966 Anglia was equivalent to the racket of a kitchen blender.

A 10 decibel increase is perceived by most people to be twice as loud, meaning occupants in the Kuga experience noise levels roughly one quarter of those in the Anglia. That makes it much easier to hold conversations or listen to music – and can make journeys less tiring.

Our new “whisper strategy” is helping to find ways of making lots of small improvements that can add up to a big difference. For example, some Kugas feature leather seats with perforations designed to absorb sound.

Careful design prevents too much air flowing freely inside the body, and more than 70 types of tyre were tested to find the right mixture of performance and refinement.

Glen Goold, chief programme engineer for Kuga.

“Our ‘whisper strategy’ is designed to make journeys as quiet as they can possibly be – from absorbing sound through perforated seats to testing that involves listening carefully to the different sound patterns created by dozens of different tyres."

More Ford Kuga stories, or explore Ford Kuga.

Follow @FordEU