Why Are UTVs So Loud?

Thank you for reading our post, please rate this article at the end.

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Last Updated on July 21, 2025 by Paul Clayton

Why Are UTVs So Loud?

If you own a UTV, chances are you need noise-canceling headphones to reduce the vehicle’s loud noise. Even though UTVs offer us many benefits, the deafening noise is certainly not one of them.

Key Takeaways

• • Multiple Sources of UTV Loudness: UTVs are inherently loud due to a combination of factors, including:
    • Engine Noise: High-performance engines with moving parts (pistons, camshafts), gearboxes, clutches, and belts all generate significant noise. Large-bore cylinders, while improving performance, also increase sound.
    • Non-Insulated Engine Covers: Unlike cars, UTVs often utilize thin, non-insulated plastic or metal covers for their engines to minimize costs and weight. These covers act as sound reflectors, amplifying noise.
    • Roofs and Windshields: Thin plastic or metal roofs and panels can amplify sound and vibrations, effectively turning subtle movements into noticeable noise within the cab.
    • Dump Beds: Made of non-dampening materials (plastic/metal), dump beds contribute to vehicle vibrations and noise.
    • Exhaust System: UTV exhaust systems typically lack the noise-reducing features (such as resonators, catalytic converters, and mufflers) found in cars due to space limitations.
  • Solutions for Reducing UTV Noise: Several methods can help mitigate UTV noise:
    • Cab Noise Reduction: Line the roof with sound-dampening materials (e.g., Dynamat), replace thin roofs with thicker, more resilient ones, and add insulation to door panels and floorboards.
    • Dump Bed Noise Solutions: Paint the dump bed with a bed liner to reduce vibrations or, if not needed, remove it entirely to decrease both noise and weight.
    • Exhaust System Modification: Install an aftermarket silencer (muffler) to reduce exhaust noise by approximately 25%, though this is an investment (around $150-$200).
    • Tire Replacement: Switch from noisy all-terrain or mud tires to smoother, more balanced on-road tires or specialized noise-reducing tires made with unique rubber compounds.
    • Personal Hearing Protection: Use high-quality noise-canceling headsets, similar to those used by race car drivers, as a direct solution for the operator.
    • Consider an Electric UTV: As a last resort or for a future purchase, electric UTVs produce significantly less engine noise due to their different operating principles.

Even a good UTV model will leave you wondering why UTVs are so loud.

The good news is that, with this article, you will now understand why these vehicles make such a loud noise. More importantly, if you practice the suggested tips, then you won’t have to put up with a noisy UTV anymore.

Reasons Why UTVs Are So Loud

The following reasons significantly contribute to the loudness and noise of UTVs.

Engine noise

The high-performance engine of a UTV is remarkably complex in its operation. Multiple parts of the engine, including pistons and camshafts, generate heavy noise as they move. Additionally, the gearbox, external clutches, and belts contribute to the engine’s noise.

Most UTVs also have big-bore cylinders. These cheap, lightweight cylinders improve the performance of your vehicle. However, they also add to the overall noise of the engine.

Non-insulated Engine Covers

Plastic or metal covers protect the engine of a UTV. Additionally, these covers enhance the vehicle’s appearance and design.

What you may not know is that these covers are made from thin, non-insulated material. The boxed engine of UTVs is layered with covers, becoming a sound reflector.

You might wonder why the problem of noise doesn’t occur with a regular car. Well, the engine and various parts of cars are covered with sound insulation materials.

Why is this feature not replicated for UTVs? The answer is simple: manufacturers use non-insulated engine covers to keep the product cost and vehicle weight low.

Roof and Windscreen

Roofs and windscreens protect the drivers and passengers. Whether it is sunlight or dust particles, these parts come with the promise to keep you safe from everything.

Did you know that roofs and panels tend to amplify the sound of a UTV? Yes, you heard it right.

The roofs and other panels of these vehicles are designed with thin plastic sheets or metal. The textural quality of these parts eventually causes the sound and vibration to bounce back.

Even more annoying is the fact that the flexible panels change soft vibrations into actual noise.

In the end, you are just sitting in a vehicle that creates noise with every move.

Dump-bed

Dump beds are installed in UTVs for moving around heavy equipment. Generally, dump beds are a useful feature in any UTV.

Having said that, dump beds of plastic sheets or metal hardly dampen the noise of the UTV. In fact, they add noise to the vehicle’s vibrations.

Exhaust System

Nobody expects that the exhaust function of a four-stroke UTV engine will be quiet. However, it is surprising to see that these exhaust systems do not have a noise-canceling feature.

Other vehicles, such as regular cars, come equipped with resonators, catalytic converters, and mufflers. Such additional features significantly reduce the sound of a regular car’s exhaust.

In the case of UTVs, there is no extra space to accommodate all these additional components, which explains why UTVs are so loud.

How To Lower Down A UTV’s Noise?

Customers often believe that they are bound to noisy UTVs for life. This is not true. I have compiled some easy methods that you can follow to reduce the noise of your UTV.

Reduce Cab-Noise

Firstly, you have to invest some time and energy to make the cab a safe space.

You can start by lining up the roof with Dynamat. Dynamat or similar products will break the vicious cycle of sound reflection within the cab.

Similarly, you can replace the thin sheet roofs with soft roofs. Soft roofs are effective in allowing sound waves to escape the cab.

Also, add insulating material to the door panels and floorboards. Remember that while insulating materials reduce the noise of UTVs, they will add weight to their structure.

Solution for Dump-Bed Noise

Consumers like to buy UTVs with spacious dump beds. However, what they don’t want is a noisy dump bed. Fortunately, there are multiple solutions for a noisy dump-bed.

You can paint the dump bed with a bed liner. Once you have done this, you will notice a drastic reduction in its vibrations.

If the dump-bed is of no use to you, then you can remove it from the vehicle. This latter option will reduce both the weight and sound of the UTV.

Fix The Noisy Exhaust System

The performance of a UTV greatly depends on the function and capacity of its exhaust system.

You cannot entirely quiet the noisy exhaust system because it will impact the vehicle’s performance.

Nonetheless, you can install a silencer for the UTV’s exhaust system. The advantage of silencers is that they are easy to install. If you have basic mechanical skills, then you can easily install a silencer and save yourself from a trip to the mechanic.

The automobile market is full of aftermarket mufflers and silencers. Keep in mind that a decent-quality silencer is not inexpensive and costs around $150-$ 200. This investment is worth it because a silencer will bring down your vehicle’s noise by 25%.

Replace The Tires

Sometimes the noise of a UTV becomes unbearable because of its all-terrain or mud tires. Driving a UTV with off-road tires means compromising the peace of your surroundings with the noise these tires produce.

Luckily, many UTV tire companies now produce smooth and more balanced on-road tires. The benefit of such tires is that they allow you to drive without making any noise.

Additionally, consider that special noise-reducing tires are also available. Many companies design tires with a unique type of rubber that reduces noise once they hit the road.

Get A Headset

If you think the other suggested alternatives are not your cup of tea, then I have a creative solution for your noisy UTV. Drawing inspiration from race drivers, I recommend investing in a high-quality racing headset.

How will this solve the problem at hand? These headsets come equipped with a noise-canceling feature.

Even if your vehicle is roaring with all its power, you will still not be annoyed by the noise.

These headsets are expensive, but on the bright side, they save you from extra work and give you a professional look, similar to that of a race driver.

Buy An Electric UTV

As a last resort, you can choose to replace your current UTV with an electric one. An electric UTV works differently, which means its engine produces little to almost no noise.

To keep up with the changing demands of customers, many companies are now offering Hybrid and Electric UTVs.

Electric UTVs are just like gas-powered UTVs as far as switches, tires, and steering wheels are concerned. However, the horsepower and power delivery of an electric UTV are different from those of a gas-powered UTV.

Final Thoughts

UTVs are notably loud due to a combination of their high-performance, minimally insulated engines, sound-amplifying body panels (such as roofs and windshields), undamped dump beds, and simplified exhaust systems that lack the noise-reducing features found in passenger vehicles. While these design choices often prioritize cost-effectiveness and weight reduction, they result in a less comfortable acoustic experience.

Fortunately, owners are not without options; by strategically implementing sound-dampening materials in the cab, addressing dump bed vibrations, installing exhaust silencers, and selecting quieter tires, the noise level can be significantly reduced. For a truly quiet experience, investing in a high-quality noise-canceling headset or considering an electric UTV are viable long-term solutions, demonstrating that a quieter UTV experience is achievable with targeted efforts.

I hope the above-stated reasons can now help you understand why UTVs are so loud.

Home page
Back to the top of the page