The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV that burst onto the scene in 1995. Since that time, it's grown into one of the best selling SUVs in the world. It's been around long enough that it's gone through quite a few generations and body upgrades, but one thing has been consistent across the decades - RAV4 road noise and engine noise can be a lot.

Let's talk shop on the most frequently asked questions about these loud cars and how to fix it up to luxury vehicle status!

is the rav4 really that noisy?

Much like everything on this big blue planet, loudness is subjective. To one driver, it may be totally fine, but another may storm the internet to complain and/or seek help. Here's what I'll say: in over 25 years of solving car soundproofing problems, the RAV4 is one of the most frequently complained about cars. Take that for what you will. But when hundreds of customers come begging for help, I think it's safe to say it's noisy.

why is the rav4 so loud?

A lot of our customers find the RAV4 to be too noisy relative to other vehicles in its class. The most common complaints we get are:

• Tire and Road Noise from Rear - both front and rear wheels generate a lot of noise, but RAV4s are prone to a lot of noise coming from the rear set
• Engine Noise - not enough deadening and insulation between the cabin and the engine compartment to keep it controllably quiet when reving
• Wind Noise - the doors don't have the insulation necessary to keep this quiet

We also run into quite a few customers who are upgrading the stereo systems in their RAV4, so we'll cover some car audio related treatments as well as road noise reduction.

How to make the Rav4 quieter: The RAV4 Sound Deadening TREATMENT

Whether you've already pulled off the lot or you really love the RAV4 for all its other great qualities and plan to buy one, using the Second Skin System in a targeted approach will allow your beloved Toyota RAV4 to experience the Second Skin difference. Bring quality sound deadening and quality sound insulation together to get the best sound reduction results known to cars.

Best Bang for Your Buck: RAV4 Tire Noise Reduction

If you’re looking for best bang for your buck and are dealing with road and tire noise, do a wheel well sound deadening treatment to reduce 3-5dB (20-30% quieter) right off the bat, and you don't have to dig into the vehicle to do it. Second Skin's Wheel Well Sound Deadening Kit comes with 2 gallons of Spectrum™ to be applied in (3) 1mm layers in all four wheel wells. It's the best way to reduce tire noise at the source, and it’s much cheaper than investing in quieter tires, which you can still do later to reduce the noise further. You are also chipping away at road noise by improving the barrier between the road and the cabin.

Quieting the Engine and the Floor: RAV4 Cabin Noise Reduction

Lets start with the engine. The rev of the engine is a frequent complaint that can be resolved in two ways. First, install Damplifier Pro™ and Luxury Liner Pro™ on the cabin-side firewall. Damplifier Pro™ is a sound deadening mat with a foil constraint layer that goes down first. This helps reduce structural noise generate by the moving metal parts. Luxury Liner Pro™ is installed over that, foam side down as your noise blocker/insulation to quiet down the sound into the cabin through the firewall.

This can reduce perceived engine noise by up to 40%. Do this same treatment all the way from the firewall across the entire floor of the car to reduce road noise too!

Second, you can upgrade your hood insulation to reduce noise in the engine compartment itself. Our Hood Insulation Kit comes with Damplifier Pro™ as your vibration damper and the insulator of your choosing. Either one will help to insulate your hood and reduce echoes inside the engine compartment for a healthier sounding engine.

Treat the Doors: RAV4 Wind Noise Reduction

Solving for wind noise can be a bit tricky because the nature of a car means it has to exist to some extent. But, a quality car door treatment can reduce wind-related noise. Apply Damplifier Pro™ to the outer sheet metal help cut down on the structural noise generated by wind. Next, apply Mega Zorbe™ hydrophobic melamnine foam on top of that to help absorb echoes inside the door cavity.

If you have aftermarket speakers and a sub in the trunk, you need to read these and give us a call to discuss getting the most out of your project:

• Sound deaden the Car Roof to Fight Roof Flex
• Upgrade Trunk Sound Deadening to Get the Most out of Your Subwoofer
• Do a Car Door Sound Treatment for Pro Audio

Do it All: Best Possible RAV4 Noise Reduction Treatment

If you’re looking to get the best possible road noise, wind noise, and engine noise reduction in one, get one of our Compact SUV Vehicle Packages. This package is the best of the Second Skin System, combining Damplifier Pro™ and Luxury Liner Pro™ to stop both types of noise in a vehicle: structural and airborne. By using Damplifier Pro™ and Luxury Liner Pro™ together, you can make your RAV4 anywhere from 50-60% quieter.

Damplifier Pro is our top-performing sound deadener mat. It combines butyl deadener with a rigid constraint layer to maximize returns. You only need 60% coverage for extreme vibration reduction and this kit has enough to apply to the floor, doors, roof, cabin-side firewall, trunk, and hood. Once you stop the vibrations, you'll stop the noise.

Luxury Liner Pro is your automotive sound barrier and your second layer. Install it with 100% coverage on the cabin side firewall and floor to create an unbroken noise barrier between you and the airborne noise (engine, tire, road noise) getting into your RAV4 cabin.

To get your RAV4 as quiet as possible, this is what we recommend: 

• Damplifier Pro - 120 sq ft (72 sheets) - Apply to cabin side firewall, floor, doors, roof, hood, and cargo area
• Luxury Liner Pro - 72 sq ft (8 sheets) - Apply as second layer on cabin side firewall, floor, and cargo floor
• Mega Zorbe - 60 sq ft (15 sheets) - Apply as a second layer in each door cavity and above the headliner
• Spectrum - 40 sq ft (2 gallons) - Apply (3) 1mm layers directly to the metal in all 4 wheel wells
• Mega Block - 16 sq ft (4 sheets) - Apply as a second layer to the hood on top of Damplifier Pro

Toyota Sound Deadening Projects

The Garage: Customer Projects