Where once drivers had to shout to make themselves heard above certain speeds, modern day cars are comparative oases of calm where conversations and music are clearly audible, even at low volumes.
Ford engineers spent two years testing more than 70 different tyres over surfaces from smooth Tarmac to rough concrete and cobbles, in wet and dry conditions and at a range of speeds to find the exact specification that kept road noise to a minimum while still delivering high levels of comfort and grip.
Electric refinement
The ability to drive without a petrol or diesel engine enables quieter journeys. The Kuga Plug-In Hybrid combines a petrol engine, electric motor and generator, and 14.4 kWh lithium-ion battery for zero-emission pure-electric driving capability.
Using the EV Now selectable drive mode switches off the petrol engine and powers the vehicle using battery and electric motor alone, achieving interior road noise levels of just 52 dB(A) in controlled tests – equivalent to gentle rainfall.
The Kuga Plug-In Hybrid Vignale also features Active Noise Cancellation technology. The system works just like popular noise-cancelling headphones – detecting unwanted low-frequency cabin sounds through strategically-placed microphones and counteracting them with an opposing soundwave from the B&O Sound System.
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." Glen Goold, Ford Kuga chief programme engineer