Noise levels in interior?

What kind of noise are you used to on the expressway in an ICE-powered car? If you've driven a MINI Cooper S on the expressway, you'll definitely be in a quieter environment in an SE. However, the road- and wind-noise are still there. I don't believe there is a ton of sound-deadening insulation in any MINI Cooper, so it's noisier than driving a luxo ICE-powered car--or even a Honda Accord.

Some long-time MINI fanatics rue the SE's loss of the exhaust note. I see it as a big advantage--but more for in-town driving than on the e-way. I love how I can accelerate so quickly without the attendant audio-drama a red-lined engine broadcasts. Short bursts of speed don't cause people (especially people wearing badges) to turn their heads and take notice. People interpret the sound of an engine winding out as an attempt by a rude driver to show off how loud and powerful his car is.

 

I bet I'll be able to be heard on the phone, unlike in my jeep.

 

I've driven a few hundred miles on the interstate so far. The only wind noise comes from my Mini cross bars. No squeaks or rattles after 1,200 miles. The majority of the noise comes from the quality of the highway condition/material. Smoothly paved roads = very quiet ride. Concrete blocks or poor paving conditions = more noise. It's not a luxury, noise-dampened ride, like Insightman said.

 

I concur with the other reports.

This car appears to be well-built, with no squeaks or rattles (though I only have just over 2000 miles on mine). Wind noise is present at highway speeds, but not bothersome.

In my opinion, the combination of tires and road surface are the biggest source for noise. The stock Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 tires transmit more sound into the cabin than the aftermarket Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires I got. Smoother roads make for a more quiet journey.

 

I mostly hear the noises from other vehicles in my SE. It's a very quiet ride, even on freeways. Especially when quickly accelerating, since there's no additional noise from revving an engine like ICE.

It's not silent, but I prefer hearing cues around me from the environment. Probably why I never use ear buds to listen to music when outdoors.

 

I would agree with this, and note that while I can only compare to my Tesla model 3, I would say that the road noise is similar, however rattles etc are much reduced, presumably owed to the better fit and finish of the Mini.

 

Talk to me about those Michelins. I have the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ on my 328i but they are not good in the MD winters. The stock Goodyear Eagle F1s are very harsh and will need to be replaced once we get deep into Fall.

Thx - mike



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I don't have experience with the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ so can't draw a comparison. These Pilot Sport A/S 4 tires have definitely met or exceeded my expectations. I had them on October through April and they were quiet, predictable, and offered confidence-inspiring grip throughout the fall/winter/spring weather here in the midwest.

Temperatures from the teens up through 80s (Fahrenheit) had no ill effects--just had to adjust the pressures to account for the change. Excellent grip and handling on both dry and wet roads. I did NOT try them in any "real" snow, as I have been working from home and didn't have to get out when inches had accumulated. A light dusting to slushy roads were quite manageable, though. Next winter, I'll have a set of winter wheels with proper winter tires, leaving these as my "spring and fall" shoes.

I have 225/45/17 Michelins mounted on 17x7.5" Neuspeed/NM Engineering RSe05 wheels, so they're quite meaty compared to the stock 205/45/17s and the wider stance likely helped boost handling. (See the Aftermarket Wheels thread for pics.) Once the Hankooks are reasonably worn (assuming I can wait that long), I'll replace them with Pilot Sport A/S 4 tires in the stock size. Then I can put some sticky summer tires on the RSe05 wheels.

 

so dam right, my se is due soon and cant wait to be accelerating briskly yet staying anonymous

 

Running Ventus EVO3 on 16" wheels. Wind noise is a little better than a Tesla Model 3. Not bad, but not amazing. The BMW i3 is slightly quieter, if you're driven that.
The suspension is pretty stiff too, stiffer than the gasoline Cooper S. The Model 3 might get the edge for road noise.

Good to hear! I ran these in the Model 3, great tires. How is efficiency? (225 is a huge tire for a Mini..)

 

I need to perform a back-to-back tests in similar weather conditions to draw any conclusions. My SE's efficiency is way up after swapping back to the narrower stock wheel+tire setup, but the weather has also been consistently warmer.

Multiple variables changed at about the same time (tire width & model, weight of wheels + tires, weather), so I can't say for certain which one had the most impact. I'll have to pick a weekend when my curiosity and energy align so I can see how both sets perform over the same course on the same day--so I can at least factor out the weather variable. It would then be interesting to compare those results with Michelins on the stock wheels.