Quietest SUVs of 2025

Quiet SUVs make for better SUVs, and these are the quietest we've tested in recent years. But before we get into our list, it's important to talk about how we measure cabin noise and what actual decibel numbers mean because it's not as simple as you'd think.

First, our cabin noise test is conducted at 70 mph with the microphone placed as close to the same point in the vehicle as possible because that makes a huge difference. Next, decibels don't increase in a linear fashion. They increase logarithmically, so going from 10 dB to 20 dB doesn't mean it's twice as loud. It's 10 times louder. Thirty dB is 100 times louder, and 40 dB would be 1,000 times louder. So while our measured numbers seem close together, the difference in cabin volume between the quietest and the loudest is significant.

Here are the quietest SUVs on sale in 2025.

Quietest small SUVs

2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4Matic PHEV: 64.5 dB

As a leading luxury brand, it's no surprise that Mercedes-Benz has made our list with its plug-in hybrid GLC. While the ability to run in pure electric mode has no real bearing noise levels at 70 mph — and so has no effect on this particular test — it is extremely nice when cruising in town.

Shop all new Mercedes GLC-Class vehicles for sale
Read our 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC review

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5: 60.4 dB

The Ioniq 5 is one of our favorite compact SUVs thanks to its great price-to-performance ratio, funky styling and quiet interior. If you automatically assume that an EV will be whisper-quiet at speed, you may be surprised, but the Hyundai pulls off a very respectable figure. It betters much more expensive EVs like the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680, which only manages 62.6 dB.

Shop all new Ioniq 5s for sale
Read our 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 review

2025 BMW X4: 57.5 dB

The relatively aerodynamic BMW X4 comes in as our quietest compact SUV, and does so through a combination of sound insulation, good build quality and relatively low-noise tires. In fact, it does so well that it even beats the Bentley Bentayga at 70 mph. "Quieter than a Bentley" is definitely a bragging right.

Shop all new BMW X4s for sale
Read our 2025 BMW X4 review

Quietest midsize SUVs

2025 BMW X5 xDrive50e: 59.4 dB

The hybrid variant of BMW's perennially popular midsize SUV clocks in as the quietest plug-in hybrid model that we've tested, which is impressive considering its low-profile tires and larger aerodynamic footprint. Like most luxury cars, it benefits from increased sound deadening, which also helps to quiet the cabin considerably when at speed.

Shop all new BMW X5s for sale
Read our 2025 BMW X5 review

2025 BMW iX: 59.1 dB

BMW's all-electric iX is just 0.3 decibels quieter at 70 mph than its cousin the X5, even though the EV is slightly sleeker, smaller and lower to the ground. Still, it's the quietest EV we've tested, and any SUV that manages sub-60 decibels is whisper-quiet by most standards.

Shop all new BMW iXs for sale
Read our 2025 BMW iX review

2025 Audi Q8: 56.2 dB

The Q8 is Audi's flagship SUV and also the model that gives a buyer the most choice of configurations. If you want it powerful and rowdy, get the RS Q8. Want it quiet and comfy? Get the base model. The Audi Q8 Quattro Prestige is our quietest SUV on this list, with a may-as-well-be-silent 56.2 dB at 70 mph. If it's an SUV and it has an internal combustion engine, it doesn't get quieter than this.

Shop all new Audi Q8s for sale
Read our 2025 Audi Q8 review

Quietest large SUVs

2025 Audi Q7: 59.5 dB

The Q7 may be getting a little long in the tooth, with its last major refresh in 2020, but it's still a lovely place to spend time. This is in no small part due to the quiet, if somewhat austere, cabin that Audi has created. Given that it's based on the same global platform as other high-performing models like the Bentley Bentayga, it's no surprise that we've heard ASMR videos that are louder.

Shop all new Audi Q7s for sale
Read our 2025 Audi Q7 review

2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS: 59.4 dB

Mercedes' flagship SUV is a master class in luxury and refinement done at a large scale, and this translates into a very quiet cabin and a very smooth, comfortable ride. You may be surprised to find, however, that it's not the opulent Maybach version that comes in as quieter but the GLS 450 4Matic mild hybrid. We suspect that the inherent smoothness of an inline six-cylinder engine coupled with a huge amount of sound-insulating materials used in the construction gives the GLS its conversation-friendly interior.

Shop all new Mercedes-Benz GLS SUVs for sale
Read our 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLS review

2025 BMW X7: 58.5 dB

BMW's biggest SUV is also among its best when it comes to comfort, and we now know that it's among the quietest on sale right now. One of the secrets to the X7's serene interior seems to be its smooth ride, even when compared to other BMWs. A comparative lack of sporting pretense means a more comfort-oriented suspension and tires. They seem to be doing it a world of good, alongside the usual suspects like double-pane glass and lots of sound insulation.

Shop all new BMW X7s for sale
Read our 2025 BMW X7 review

2025 Bentley Bentayga: 58.1 dB

With a price tag coming in at just over $200,000 and a luxury pedigree matched by few other brands, it shouldn't be any kind of surprise that the Bentayga ends up on this list once again with a smooth, serene ride. The excellent build quality, top-shelf materials, and oodles of sound deadening may make for a tank-like curb weight, but it also makes it tough for sound to get into the cabin at speed. The folks in Crewe spared no expense in keeping the Bentayga as serene and sedate as a countryside estate.

Shop all Bentley Bentaygas for sale
Read our 2025 Bentley Bentayga review