[Trixstar]

I remember my mazda 3 being awfully noisy. There was a lot of wind noise and the road noise was really awful. I had to sound deaden all the doors, hatch lid, trunk floor and around the wheel wells. It didn't make much of a difference. So I've heard that the new cx-3 was designed with weight savings in mind so the engineers were able to squeeze in some more sound deadening materials. Apart from that, there just isn't any proof of this being the case. Has anyone removed their door panels recently or any other panels that may have sound deadening materials underneath? Underneath the door panels should be a fibrous door material like this found in my hyundai sonata. Thanks!

 

[anchorman]

I haven’t had the side door panels off (yet) but I know there is a lot of insulation inside the back door, around the bulkhead (I think you call it the firewall) and even in the most unlikely of places like the A pillar trim.

The insulation is not only there for noise but it also stops the transfer of temperature to the inside of the metal panels which would otherwise get dripping wet through with condensation. Its why the door cards on old 70s cars used to blister and delaminate. Even heavily waxed exteriors would rust from the inside. Its the same effect as putting a cold beer out in the sun on barbie days!

All modern cars have a polythene membrane stuck to the bare inner metal of the doors. That is a vapour barrier and should always be stuck back on if any work is done inside the door.

 

[mainemanx]

From a Japanese site, here is the inside of a door panel.

However, on another thread, there did not appear to be anything on the inside of the outer panel. Access appeared limited, but I think that's where you could make a difference.

 

[JPA]

All modern cars have a polythene membrane stuck to the bare inner metal of the doors. That is a vapour barrier and should always be stuck back on if any work is done inside the door.

Didn't find such thing on my car.

 

[JPA]

From a Japanese site, here is the inside of a door panel.

However, on another thread, there did not appear to be anything on the inside of the outer panel. Access appeared limited, but I think that's where you could make a difference.

I don't remember exactly but I think my EU spec car didn't have as much insulation on the upper part of the door panel.

I did add some Silent Coat everywhere I easily could.

 

[mainemanx]

I don't remember exactly but I think my EU spec car didn't have as much insulation on the upper part of the door panel.

I did add some Silent Coat everywhere I easily could.

Looks good ... could you hear any difference?

What's on the back of the panel you took off ... anything?
P.S. Dealer says my CX-3 is here early ... now supposed to be delivered tomorrow ... yea

 

[JPA]

Looks good ... could you hear any difference?

What's on the back of the panel you took off ... anything?
P.S. Dealer says my CX-3 is here early ... now supposed to be delivered tomorrow ... yea

You can hear the difference especially when driving on wet roads. Much less humming coming through the door.
It also improves the low frequency sound reproduction of the speakers.

On back of the door panel there was that white fleecy stuff that is shown on picture that mainemanx posted.

 

[anchorman]

Didn't find such thing on my car.

It doesn’t need it on that door as there is a complete closure of the door (very unusual). The back of that plastic clamshell is the barrier.

 

[mainemanx]

It doesn’t need it on that door as there is a complete closure of the door (very unusual). The back of that plastic clamshell is the barrier.

Agree on unusual complete closure ... very impressive, "all bolted up."
Also, delivery today

 

[greaseman85]

The CX-3 has sound deadening material? Where? LOL

 

[DJ9999]

Sound deadening is expensive and often heavy. This is clearly an area that Mazda sacrifices to lower weight and increase MPG. I don't think its really louder than anything else in its class. The Buick Encore is quieter but weighs 300 lbs more and has lower MPG.

 

[mainemanx]

The CX-3 has sound deadening material? Where? LOL

The sound deadening is all in the muffler/silencer ... that's why the exhaust is so ... silent >

Seriously, I thought I saw, but now cannot locate, a CX-3 jpg with the front speaker removed. My thinking is a some sort of butyl, elastomeric, etc. sound deadening on the inside of the outer door panel would help both speaker performance and quiet the cabin ... albeit DJ9999 is not gonna' like the extra weight.

BTW, I hope the Bose set-up doesn't have those whizzer cones shown in JPA's first post.

 

[greaseman85]

The CX-3 is the first Mazda I've owned/driven. Does the CX-5 or Mazda 6 for example have a quieter more comfortable cabin? Or has the "skyactive" nonsense been liberally applied to them as well? I realize the extra sound deadening material costs money, but it's not like Mazdas are cheap as they are. I recently went with my mom to buy a new car, she got a fully loaded 2016 VW Passat SEL for $23,500.....made me a little jealous and angry to be honest, not that I like the car so much even though it is a nice sedan, but mad at how cheap it was. I was trying to get her to go with a Mazda 6 but honestly could not justify the $30,000 "sale" price for the GT.

 

[DJ9999]

Road noise is similar to my last Mazda, 2006 Mazda3 (prior to skyactive). Its only slightly louder than my last car, 2013 BMW x1. Seattle has crappy roads and I've taken several road trips, me or my passengers have not complained about road noise even tho it is apparent. Its just not that much of a nuisance.

C&D noted 71 dBA @ 70mph which is on par with the class.

 

[mainemanx]

In my possession now for almost two hours, it is quieter than the HR-V ... faint praise

 

[rockposer]

Can't say I've an issue with road noise etc. Mind you I've generally got my music cranked up >

 

[funambulistic]

I have had my share of quiet and LOUD cars and the CX-3, though not luxury car quiet, does not bother me and, like rockposer above me, I usually have the music pretty loud. My first Mazda, a 2002 Protege5 had, it seemed, no insulation whatever (I am sure there was some...). I could not use my cell phone whilst driving, it was so loud (cost me a first date one time, but this is neither the time or place...). Anyway, I like the sandwich design that was discussed and I am sure it helps quite a bit (goodness knows, I have spent quite a bit on sound damping materials when I was doing my own stereo installations).

 

[anchorman]

I think the transmission of road noise is very dependent on the tires and these days, low rolling resistance Eco tires are potentially counterproductive in this respect. I've avoided saying this as I really did enjoy my CX-3 with a 1.5 liter diesel but the CX-5 with a 2.2 liter diesel is considerably quieter. They improved the sound deadening on the CX-5 for the 2016 model and I'm hopeful that the next serious revision of the CX-3 will include some of the revisions that niggle this super little car.

 

[greaseman85]

I think the transmission of road noise is very dependent on the tires and these days, low rolling resistance Eco tires are potentially counterproductive in this respect. I've avoided saying this as I really did enjoy my CX-3 with a 1.5 liter diesel but the CX-5 with a 2.2 liter diesel is considerably quieter. They improved the sound deadening on the CX-5 for the 2016 model and I'm hopeful that the next serious revision of the CX-3 will include some of the revisions that niggle this super little car.

Actually I had been meaning to ask you how quiet the cabin of the CX-5 was compared to the CX-3. I'm happy to hear you say it is quieter as the CX-5 (whenever they redesign it) will most likely be my next car.

 

[Edward J in Vancouver]

Road noise is an issue that I’m becoming more aware of. From my understanding 2019 and newer have “improved “ sound deadening improvements. While I’ve never had the panels off of the doors, I understand that the rear wheel wells have a mesh like layer on the outside,there is a “donut ” shaped piece of carpet under the spare tire, and there are pieces of styrofoam surrounding the tire-which maybe are for supporting the false floor.

I still have the oem Yoko’s installed, and on great highways the noise is load. So today I shot a can of rubberized undercoating on the two front wheelwells, which are just very thin ribbed plastic. With a half can leftover, I decided to remove the rear cargo trim. Nothing around the rear wheel wellls. A bit of padding on the plastic panel that holds the jack, a bit of padding one one or two trim pieces. So I shot the remains can on the wheel wells and steel floor. Don’t have great expectations, but I hope it’ll make a difference.

That said, next spring I’ll “ be on the market” for new tires—16””s, any suggestion for a quieter tire?