[dennersten]

Hi i am in the process of buying a Kuga. I have read a lot of reviews at the net. Everybody loves it. But out of the 15 reviews i've read 3 are complaing at wind and tire noise at higher speeds.

And i kind of agree. The noise is about equal of my 2000 Land Rover Discovery, but noiser than my Saab 9-5. I find it OK anyway so i am buying it.

But my question is. One factor is of course the tires. Which one should i order? Are there more factors?

 

[Raptor]

I have a Std. Kuga Zetec and I personally do not find the Wind or Tyre Noice intrusive at all. I was in a colleagues X-Trail yesterday and the road noise was so loud I kept looking for where the Lorry was... Aslo the Kuga Engine sounds sweet compared to the X-Trail.

 

[dennersten]

Sounds good maybe i am spoiled with the Saab 9-5. Which tires are you using?

 

[amser]

I've only test driven a Zetec and didnt particularly notice wind or tyre noise. I think you should expect a bit from an SUV?

 

[quatroxquatro]

Definitely not a noisy car, especially wind noise is not intrusive at 'normal' motorway speeds. In Spain, as I commented in earlier threads, the Kuga 18 inch wheels came with Goodyear Excellence 235/50 18's, a road tyre. They are very quiet, I only notice them on the roughest sections of motorway, and any tyre would be noisy. They also make the car super-smooth on the curves and I am very happy with them. I plan to get a set of winter tyres later this year though, and swap them back when the wintersport season is finished.


Cheers.

 

[Raptor]

Sounds good maybe i am spoiled with the Saab 9-5. Which tires are you using?

They are Goodyear Wrangler All Weather tyres on Std. Zetec Spec. 17" rims

 

[amser]

Anyone have an opinion on the Contis?

 

[Filthy]

17" conti's here and there isnt that much noise, not much worse than any other car I've driven

you dont have to have the radio very loud to drown out the road and wind noise put it that way

 

[joe90]

18 inch goodyear excellence on mine. I had an X-trail for 2 1/2 years and I've now binned the ear plugs.

 

[dennersten]

Great two for
18 inch goodyear excellence. Are they the standard tyre?

 

[Palder]

I have 18" alloys fitted. Today I have driven 200 miles on the motorway, the first long run since getting the Kuga.I have to say the car is far quieter than the Mazda 6 I just replaced. I kept to 70 mph but no wind or road noise to speak of.

 

[Titanium]

18" on Goodyear Excellence here and much quieter than ST! I am very pleasently surprised by the LACK of road and wind noise

 

[dennersten]

Is anybody driving mud and snow tyres?

 

[cumbriakuga]

I'm on the 17 inch conti contact 4x4 tyres (Mud & Snow), having previously driven a saab 9-5 estate which latterly had goodyear excellence tyres fitted.

It is slightly more noisy at speed that the saab with the excellence tyres, but after a week I don't notice it. I wouldn't worry about the noise.

The conti contact 4x4 M&S tyres are not full off road ones, they are designed for 90% on road use and 10% off. They are also all year round ones and don't have the mountain / snowflake symbol that full winter tyres have.

Conti have them on their website here,
http://www.conti-online.com/generat.../conti_four_x_four_contact/4x4contact_en.html

For me in rural cumbria they are ideal, no complaints.

 

[Palder]

My 18" are fitted with the Continentals!