How can Hyundai get it so right, and Honda so wrong?

I just don't get how Honda could get the exhaust note of the Type R so wrong, and Hyundai who are new to the hot hatch segment get it so right?
If Hyundai can do it this well first try, Honda can do much better.
The Civic Type R is a very special car, I could feel it when I test drove one, but the exhaust note left me so disappointed. It sounds more like a vacuum cleaner than a sports hot hatch.
Doesn't Honda get it, we want a sports exhaust to match the great driving dynamics of the Type R.
Honda if you are listening, please address the exhaust note and improve it for the 2019 model year.
Also Honda if you're listening, I'd like an "individual" setting for the driving modes to be able to adjust everything the way I like it....suspension, throttle, steering, active exhaust etc like in the Hyundai I30N, and Golf R.
Give us the control we want.
Fast forward to the 3:00 minute mark.

Heck, even the Peugeot sounds better than the Type R.
Honda really dropped the ball here.

Honda I want pops and bangs in race mode, not a vacuum cleaner or I would have bought a Hoover.

Yeah...Hyundai...the car for people who don't know what a good car should feel like. They can keep their "good" noise, I'll keep my superior handling, braking, powertrain, reliability, build quality...really, everything over a Hyundai.

I like the way my car sounds. The less it sounds like a 1L w/ a coffee can fart muffler, the happier I am. The less time and resources they spend tuning a sound, the happier I am. That's why I'm OK with the looks of this car - it's largely functional. I don't need non-functional engineering, like how to make a exhaust noise "cooler."

If they add a new free flowing exhaust that unlocks some ponies and it happens to sound "better", then that's fine. But otherwise, leave it alone.

Hyundai built-in anti-lag in N mode, that's where the exhaust excitement mostly comes from. It's a cool feature but not one that would make or break a decision for me, nor is it something I'd want on a daily driven car, though obviously they must have put the research in to ensure the parts involved are safe.

Maverick1 said:

I just don't get how Honda could get the exhaust note of the Type R so wrong, and Hyundai who are new to the hot hatch segment get it so right?

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Hire/poach some German engineers over from Audi, BMW, etc. The Type R is the godzilla car, ie. very Japanese engineering/design.

This is one of the reasons why I don't want a Focus RS.
There's nothing I hate more than starting a loud car in the morning or parking it at night with that unpleasant feeling of irritating my neighbours.
Even though I am yet to hear one, the CTR sounds perfectly fine to me according to the reviews.
In saying that however, Honda's design team were very confused.
Why make such an aggressive looking boy racer sound so quiet?

It's funny. The Hyundai i30N looks kind of boring but sounds like a boy racer. The Type R has boy racer looks and a boring exhaust note. Odd.

xcivic said:

This is one of the reasons why I don't want a Focus RS.
There's nothing I hate more than starting a loud car early in the morning or parking it late at night with such an abnoxious noise.
Even though I am yet to hear one, they sound perfectly fine to me according to the reviews.
In saying that however, Honda's design team were completely confused.
Why make sure an aggressive looking boy racer sound so quiet?

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You should drive one. And, it’s not that loud.

That Hyundai sounds like an early 2000s ricer exhaust to me. How is that better than the Type R? I love the way the exhaust on the R sounds. It has a nice rumble at idle and isn't obnoxious under any circumstances. People that want their car to sound..."better"...are welcome to put a different exhaust on.

Everyone has different taste. That's all.
I personally prefer the one's that you can turn on/off in certain modes like the i30N or FoRS.
I mean, it doesn't even have to be that extreme. I would like to have something just for the +R mode.

Driveitlikeuboughtit said:

Yeah...Hyundai...the car for people who don't know what a good car should feel like. They can keep their "good" noise, I'll keep my superior handling, braking, powertrain, reliability, build quality...really, everything over a Hyundai.

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But the N is one of the best performers in its class. Being good at exactly those.
Yes, CTR does everything better but it's not really the N's direct competitor so yeah...

IMO exhaust sound on the CTR is spot on. If you want loud, get an RS or get an after market exhaust that's loud. The sound from the stock exhaust is perfect for what the CTR stands for.

Marty123 said:

IMO exhaust sound on the CTR is spot on. If you want loud, get an RS or get an after market exhaust that's loud. The sound from the stock exhaust is perfect for what the CTR stands for.

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Exactly. I’m confused why anyone would want to rip out the stock exhaust. Not only did Honda engineers spend wayyyyy more time making sure everything about the exhaust adds to the performance of the car, but it also sounds great to boot. I’ve messed with the exhaust on every cat i’ve Owned prior to this one, and i’ll
Never touch my CTR exhaust. That being said, I totally get the “I need to hear more” crowd.

I also thought pops and bang was cool.... When I was 20.
Now I like the CTR sound as it is, just added the mishimoto airbox. Perfect!

I don't see why some people think that popcorn popping is a "great" sound. It's not. That Stage 2 Golf sounds like shit. It sounds like something is just flat out wrong with a car. Since I'm a function over form type of guy, I think the sound should align the same way. If you can get both great, but in the end function first. I will agree with Honda making the option available though. If it was my exhaust I would have made it selectable, with R mode being that throated aggressive sound I am looking for (NO POPPING).

Yeah I couldn't disagree with the OP more - I think the CTR exhaust is perfect the way it is. I'll echo the comments on making my neighbors upset late nights & early morning as well as caring more about the volume knob haha.

I want it to sound good (which it does), but I just don't believe a 4 cylinder can possibly sound "impressive" - at least I've never heard one and gone "Wow!" Leave that to engines with between 8-16 cylinders. I'd rather be able to drive it around my neighborhood and not feel like a high school kid who wishes he had a V8 under the hood haha.

But +1:

KoukiVAB said:

Everyone has different taste. That's all.

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