Integra exhaust

[D.I.P.]

I 100% get what you’re saying and I wish the exhaust was as great as the rest of the car too, but this is a somewhat “unique” problem for a non-bespoke/ non-$$$ car. Many cars, as you site, are also built in the regions where they are sold. The ITS is a perfect example of this and is why its exhaust is so much better. The FL5 is built in 1 single plant in Japan. The logistics are far and away more complicated and not really comparable to other production cars in the FL5’s class/ performance/ price range.

I am sorry but i have a hard time believing that logistics is why Honda made the CTR sound the way it does. Most if not all of the other cars I have mentioned are also Manufactured in a single plant or possibly split into 2 different plants but are produced as a world wide product. For example a BMW M340i is produced in Germany & Mexico. Production is split to improve supply & delivery times based on geographic location and demand but the cars produced are 100% identical no matter what factory they come from. Germany isn't producing an M340i with a different exhaust than the Mexico plant. All GR Supras are manufactured in a single plant in Austria, the Audi RS3 is produced in as single plant in Germany etc... None of those cars a region specific. None of them are over $100K and many of them are built at a single location. The point is, Honda COULD have produced every single CTR with the same exact exhaust as the ITS without any added complexity or logistical issues but they chose to not do so and just decided to push the fake engine noise to get the masses ready for the EV future where no real exhaust note will be possible.

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[Clark_Kent]

I am sorry but i have a hard time believing that logistics is why Honda made the CTR sound the way it does. Most if not all of the other cars I have mentioned are also Manufactured in a single plant or possibly split into 2 different plants but are produced as a world wide product. For example a BMW M340i is produced in Germany & Mexico. Production is split to improve supply & delivery times based on geographic location and demand but the cars produced are 100% identical no matter what factory they come from. Germany isn't producing an M340i with a different exhaust than the Mexico plant. All GR Supras are manufactured in a single plant in Austria, the Audi RS3 is produced in as single plant in Germany etc... None of those cars a region specific. None of them are over $100K and many of them are built at a single location. The point is, Honda COULD have produced every single CTR with the same exact exhaust as the ITS without any added complexity or logistical issues but they chose to not do so and just decided to push the fake engine noise to get the masses ready for the EV future where no real exhaust note will be possible.

On its face it appears the exhaust note is a miss from Honda on the FL5. I'm fine with that, it is what it is. At this price point, it's difficult to get everything right. I won't get into legal and/or regulatory compliance because I, nor anyone here, knows what Honda did or did not have to contend with. You run down this rabbit hole of conjecture and that's a place I prefer to not live.

What I will say is, as you compare the FL5 exhaust, it's prudent to compare apples to apples. In other words, comparing the exhaust note from the M340i or GR Supra which has an inline 6, Subaru WRX which is a flat 4, or an RS3 which is a 5 cylinder motor, the basis for that argument starts to fall apart in short order.

 

[D.I.P.]

On its face it appears the exhaust note is a miss from Honda on the FL5. I'm fine with that, it is what it is. At this price point, it's difficult to get everything right. I won't get into legal and/or regulatory compliance because I, nor anyone here, knows what Honda did or did not have to contend with. You run down this rabbit hole of conjecture and that's a place I prefer to not live.

What I will say is, as you compare the FL5 exhaust, it's prudent to compare apples to apples. In other words, comparing the exhaust note from the M340i or GR Supra which has an inline 6, Subaru WRX which is a flat 4, or an RS3 which is a 5 cylinder motor, the basis for that argument starts to fall apart in short order.

I'm talking about VOLUME... not quality of the Exhaust note which is highly subjective and beside the point being discussed. The reasoning everybody provides for the CTR's (lack of) exhaust sound is noise restrictions in varying regions of the world. I call BS. I simply provided those cars as an example of cars which are currently being produced and sold worldwide in all the same regions the CTR is sold with all the same "noise restrictions" and all of those cars have exhausts that are verifiably and undeniably LOUDER than the CTR.

 

[Clark_Kent]

I'm talking about VOLUME... not quality of the Exhaust note which is highly subjective and beside the point being discussed. The reasoning everybody provides for the CTR's (lack of) exhaust sound is noise restrictions in varying regions of the world. I call BS. I simply provided those cars as an example of cars which are currently being produced and sold worldwide in all the same regions the CTR is sold with all the same "noise restrictions" and all of those cars have exhausts that are verifiably and undeniably LOUDER than the CTR.

Are you sure you're talking about volume? A few posts back you referred to the tone of the exhaust sounding like a "vacuum cleaner". So if it were a louder vacuum cleaner would it sound any better? It would not. It would still sound like shit. What I'm referring to is the exhaust note in totality, the tone and the volume. You cannot divorce tone from volume. They're inseparable parts of what makes an exhaust sound the way it does.

 

[D.I.P.]

I referred to it as a Vacuum cleaner because the volume is low and wimpy not because the car produces a sucking sound... Come on man this isn't that complicated, Honda F***ed up. We are going around in circles for no reason. We all agree on the basic fact that the car's sound is lacking. It's too muted and could have/should have been different. They could have made this car sound like the ITS and nobody would blink. If anybody ACTUALLY believes that a CTR with an "ITS like" sound wouldn't be able to be sold anywhere in the world outside of the USA because of "noise restrictions" I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.

 

[TypeRD]

Interesting and fair point @D.I.P. Thank you.

I admit I am not well-versed at all in how/where German cars are built for the global market. We know the Germans kind of like to (cough, cough) bend the rules a bit, though. Hahaha! Diesel-gate.

How does the M340i sound from the factory? Same with the S3? Looking online it appears that aftermarket exhausts are quite popular for these vehicles also. Despite that, I’m certain the Germans are not immune to the laws as much as they are better at toeing the line with respect to exhaust sound/volume than others (plus maybe bending rules a little). Regardless, I’m sure these cars are not as muted from the factory as the FL5. There’s just no way. I don’t even need to watch a YouTube vid to come to this conclusion…and that’s your point.

Perhaps this does simply boil down to Honda missing the mark. I wish there was more info available. Boiling it down, there has to be more reasoning for it. Maybe the head engineer’s family hates even slightly loud cars and he didn’t want to dishonor them?

Honda Japan - No need to make everyone listen to your FL5 across the whole countryside. We will provide sound just for the driver. This will be a great way to ready our performance-oriented customers for electric cars too! Countryside folks and drivers will be simultaneously happy! It’s a momentous day for all of Japan!

 

[urbo73]

Could also be they simply decided to leave it to the aftermarket for louder exhausts.

 

[albi]

Could also be they simply decided to leave it to the aftermarket for louder exhausts.

Tbh, even if it was different / closer to the ITS, I would still replace with aftermarket exhaust

 

[BigBird]

On its face it appears the exhaust note is a miss from Honda on the FL5. I'm fine with that, it is what it is. At this price point, it's difficult to get everything right. I won't get into legal and/or regulatory compliance because I, nor anyone here, knows what Honda did or did not have to contend with. You run down this rabbit hole of conjecture and that's a place I prefer to not live.

What I will say is, as you compare the FL5 exhaust, it's prudent to compare apples to apples. In other words, comparing the exhaust note from the M340i or GR Supra which has an inline 6, Subaru WRX which is a flat 4, or an RS3 which is a 5 cylinder motor, the basis for that argument starts to fall apart in short order.

I agree that everything with the FL5 is correct, Honda did a fantastic job, except the exhaust, and one can rectify that themselves or try to.

For the second part of the argument though...How about when the FL5 is compared to Elantra N or even the MK8 Golf R? Both of those cars have a much better factory note and both are 2.0T and are worldwide vehicles. Europe even gets an Akroprovic on the Golf R

 

[BigBird]

I hope Honda provides an update to simply be able to toggle the fake noise off, just like the rev matching. Surely that’d be a simple programming thing.

I unplugged it from the dash and can actually use the exhaust sound in sport/+r mode now. before the fake noise actually had drone to me. Now it's still quiet, but at least sport exhaust mode is usable now

 

[Clark_Kent]

I agree that everything with the FL5 is correct, Honda did a fantastic job, except the exhaust, and one can rectify that themselves or try to.

For the second part of the argument though...How about when the FL5 is compared to Elantra N or even the MK8 Golf R? Both of those cars have a much better factory note and both are 2.0T and are worldwide vehicles. Europe even gets an Akroprovic on the Golf R

The Elantra N and the MK8 Golf R have better exhaust notes when compared to the FL5. I completely agree and the comparison makes sense. The initial post I replied to made no mention of those vehicles. If you want to compare and contrast, let's talk about like for like and not bring in turbo 6s, 5 cylinders, 3 cylinders and everything else that isn't comparable.

 

[urbo73]

Fails of the FL5 for me are in this order:

1. Exhaust note & fake engine noise
2. Not just over dampened , but in a bad way with the front bouncing.
3. No active TMPS

I'll never understand #1 or #2.

 

[BLUFL5CTR]

is anyone taking on the challenge of deleting both?

Idk if anybody has uploaded about it yet but I deleted both resonators, just having the front delete didn’t make enough of a difference to me until I save enough money for a big boy exhaust system lol

I originally had the valve fuse always open but with both deleted now I put the fuse back in. It’s noticeably quieter as regard to drone and tone when in comfort mode. And I think it sounds exactly how I wanted it to sound in my individual mode with exhaust set to R+. Im at work now but I’ll try and post a video today of some revs and a cold start before I head to the gym.

PS: it does burble around 3K rpm and when changing gears also I raced a STI yesterday and redlined in 3rd gear and could’ve sworn a pop when I let off, my boy was in the car and heard the same thing

 

[jdOTFL5]

Idk if anybody has uploaded about it yet but I deleted both resonators, just having the front delete didn’t make enough of a difference to me until I save enough money for a big boy exhaust system lol

I originally had the valve fuse always open but with both deleted now I put the fuse back in. It’s noticeably quieter as regard to drone and tone when in comfort mode. And I think it sounds exactly how I wanted it to sound in my individual mode with exhaust set to R+. Im at work now but I’ll try and post a video today of some revs and a cold start before I head to the gym.

PS: it does burble around 3K rpm and when changing gears also I raced a STI yesterday and redlined in 3rd gear and could’ve sworn a pop when I let off, my boy was in the car and heard the same thing

Nice! Lets goo i was hoping that it worked out for one of us! Vid please!

 

[urbo73]

Which mode changes the exhaust sound - Engine or Engine Sound? I don't know if Engine is just a throttle map setting or if it also affects exhaust tone/valve opening/closing. Engine Sound is the fake noise pumped into the cabin, but does it also affect the exhaust?

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