I'm looking for a quiet used Karoq so I can listen to music (all types) on long trips on some poorly surfaced roads (A303/A30). My guess is that SE L trim might be quietest. I'm a bit confused because some used Karoqs appear to have 'acoustic glass' fitted, but I can't find out which ones and whether that comes as standard or with an option pack. Also, opinions vary on whether the expensive audio upgrade (which is said to have active noise cancelling) sounds better or worse than standard. What do you think?

Edited 12 July, 20241 yr by Maxr

Trim is one factor,  but then it is not just which engines or wheel size it can be which tyres are on any of them.

 

Best go test driving various and see what you think / hear. 

Yes, all that's true - but our problem is that adaptive cruise is an essential for us but it seems to be rare in used cars, so we might have to get one from a remote Skoda dealer.

If ACC is particularly important to you, a retrofit is usually possible and may be worth considering.

4 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

If ACC is particularly important to you, a retrofit is usually possible and may be worth considering.

There are members on this forum who can decode what options are factory fitted from the VIN.

Interesting thanks - I didn't know that. I assume that would involve fitting a new steering wheel stalk to allow for the different ACC functions over standard CC. Does anyone know what else is needed? I guess that's the kind of function that might be built into the standard engine management system but not activated as standard, or not. I'll ask my local Skoda garage service department, see if they do a sharp intake of breath...

5 minutes ago, Maxr said:

Interesting thanks - I didn't know that. I assume that would involve fitting a new steering wheel stalk to allow for the different ACC functions over standard CC. Does anyone know what else is needed? I guess that's the kind of function that might be built into the standard engine management system but not activated as standard, or not. I'll ask my local Skoda garage service department, see if they do a sharp intake of breath...

Try a search on the forum - ACC retrofit.

If my 1.5 SEL is anything to go by then tyre noise is far louder than anything else, especially with the standard bridgestone ones fitted.

38 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

Try a search on the forum - ACC retrofit.

OH well - worth a go, but no results. I've asked Skoda UK, we'll see if they know...

@Maxr  looking forward to that reply.

Why would Skoda Customer Services or their contractor know anything about Skodas?

 

 

1 hour ago, Maxr said:

OH well - worth a go, but no results. I've asked Skoda UK, we'll see if they know...

Try a PM to @East_Yorkshire_Retrofits for feasibility and cost.

1 hour ago, Ootohere said:

@Maxr  looking forward to that reply.

Why would Skoda Customer Services or their contractor know anything about Skodas?

 

 

I got a surprisingly quick reply from Skoda, they said 'go ask your local dealer' - oh well.

 

24 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

Try a PM to @East_Yorkshire_Retrofits for feasibility and cost.

Thanks - after thinking about it I realised it may be unfeasible. On my current Citroen, the adaptive CC not only sets the car speed the same as the one in front using a laser fitted behind the windscreen, but it controls the brake system so if the car in front brakes hard, yours does too. I'll check it out with E.Y.R in case it's feasible, but I'm not hopeful.

Edited 12 July, 20241 yr by Maxr

1 minute ago, Maxr said:

Well, I got a quick reply from

 

Thanks - after thinking about it I realised it's probably unfeasible. On my Citroen, the adaptive CC not only sets the car speed the same as the one in front using a laser fitted behind the windscreen, but it controls the brake system so if the car in front brakes hard, yours does too. I'll check it out with EYR in case all the control set is already built into regular type CC cars and the laser unit is retrofittable, but I'm not hopeful as the standard CC system doesn't interact with the brakes.

No, but the front assist does.

AFAIK, ACC uses the front assist radar to operate it - I'm not certain if ACC retrofit also requires a certain model of front camera (A5) but I have seen references to ACC being successfully retrofitted.

Retrofits - try Richter Sport in Bletchley or HazzyDayz in Markyate.

 

My Karoq Sportline 4x4 Cross Climate 2 tyres is the best ride I have ha din any car. 

 

By the "expensive audio upgrade" do you mean the Canton Speakers? 

Go for an SEL on 18's and stick some  quiet tyres on it like Cross Climate 2's.

 

Chose the 1.5TSi, it's significantly quieter than the diesel and less grumbly than the 3 cylinder 1.0

46 minutes ago, PedalBin said:

My Karoq Sportline 4x4 Cross Climate 2 tyres is the best ride I have ha din any car. 

 

By the "expensive audio upgrade" do you mean the Canton Speakers? 

Yes, Canton's the one that appears to have different reviews. It appears to have ambient noise deadening, but I guess that only works wqhen you're listening to something?

34 minutes ago, logiclee said:

Go for an SEL on 18's and stick some  quiet tyres on it like Cross Climate 2's.

 

Chose the 1.5TSi, it's significantly quieter than the diesel and less grumbly than the 3 cylinder 1.0

Most used Karoq's appear to have the 1.5 petrol anyway, but thanks for thst.

5 hours ago, Maxr said:

Yes, Canton's the one that appears to have different reviews. It appears to have ambient noise deadening, but I guess that only works wqhen you're listening to something?

Most used Karoq's appear to have the 1.5 petrol anyway, but thanks for thst.

I have Canton in my Karoq and its pretty good as far as I am concerned. However, you need to remember in Hi-Fi terms it is not an "expensive" uprade. It's an £800 upgrade so in Hi-Fi terms, it is a budget upgrade - it is not a £3500 proper upgrade.

 

I have no idea if it has "ambient noise deadening" as there is not a lot of info about the Canton system in the manual. But I am more than happy with it on my journeys up and down the A303. I have not 'run out of volume' with it as I did on my Octavia and Yeti. It took me a little while to find the right settings that suited my personal tastes the only fault I have with it is it plays sound files as single tracks on albums so you have gaps in live albums and song that seque into one another.  

In my experience, road noise will always be the most prominent noise inmmost cars, except on smooth asphalte road surfaces, where slight wind noise then begins to redominate on motorways in my Karoq.  I significantly reduced road noise on my MY19 1.0SE tech DSG a year ago, by amongst other things, going for AW tyres, switching to 16" wheels at the same time.

 

SELs may not be the quietest option as they have removeable rear seats which means they have the roll top boot cover.  Fixed rear seats on cheaper models come with a more solid rear shelf which reduces road noise to some extent and I found that there was further mileage in damping down that shelf with wooden stiffening battens fixed to the shelf underside and putting some heavyish matts on top of the shelf.  A bit extreme I know but I'm fussy and I do find road noise wearing in any car, even though I don't listen to the car radio much.

 

CAR magazine in early tests noted that the 1.0 was the quietest of all the engine options and I must say I find engine noise is almost undetectable in most driving, including motorways at up to 90mph, even after my road noise reduction efforts.  There is a very slight roughness at idling when cold and a minor drone between 1500-2000rpm, when the engine is working hard say on uphills.  With the DSG it is easy to change to Sport mode and increase the revs outside this range, not that it is a big issue really.  4cyl engines will have some sort of minor drone too, somewhere in the rev range, but you may find the 1.5 much easier to get hold of.

 

The SE tech came with ACC and I love it despite it's foibles.  It was one of the few versions to be so equipped as standard.  It's even better working in combination with the DSG.  You'll be lucky to find a second hand 1.0 DSG though, as they stopped making them in 2019 and I was very lucky to find the SE tech version when I bought mine.  I preferred the equipment supplied on the SE tech to the SEL option.

Thanks Croquemonsieur, that's very useful. I'll see if I can find one of those. ACC isn't for everyone, but I think it's great for what I want to do with it.

On 13/07/2024 at 06:44, croquemonsieur said:

Fixed rear seats on cheaper models come with a more solid rear shelf which reduces road noise to some extent.

Sportline models also have the solid rear shelf.

My workmate has a 23 Sportline and I have a 23 SEL. 

 

The differences in parcelshelf doesn't mask the increase in tyre noise from the wider lower profile tyres in my opinion.  Both are on Bridgestones.

 

Not tried an SE Drive though.

 

Also worth noting that NEW MY24 SEL's don't have varioflex seats.

Edited 15 July, 20241 yr by logiclee

44 minutes ago, logiclee said:

The differences in parcelshelf doesn't mask the increase in tyre noise from the wider lower profile tyres in my opinion.  Both are on Bridgestones.

 

 

The Bridgestone tyres do seem to be noisy tyres. quite a few on here mention changing to Cross Climate improves the ride and reduces road noise.  

2 hours ago, PedalBin said:

The Bridgestone tyres do seem to be noisy tyres. quite a few on here mention changing to Cross Climate improves the ride and reduces road noise.  

Most Eco biased summer tyres will be noisier and firmer, and are really designed for use in +15c and above (the official economy tests are done at these temperatures nearer +22c so that is why they fit them) With hard eco tyres It is not uncommon for wet grip to fall off rapidly below about +11c either (and in UK we get rain below this temperature about 9 months per year).

 

Change the tyres and will grip better in wet, and be quieter when not a warm day.   Depending on what size you need (and price and availability) look at Michelin cross climate 2, Bridgestone Turanza all season 6, Continental all season contact 2, Pirelli Cinturato all season SF3 (or +), Goodyear vector 4season gen3.     Possibly also Nexen N'blue 4season 2, Falken euroallseason AS220, Kleber Quadraxer 3

 

 

So all season tyres are quieter than summer tyres?