I’ve changed jobs recently and drive about 25 miles further on different roads. I’ve noticed the roads seem a lot noiser (the radio is not understandable and road noise is a noticable distraction.
I thought it might be tires, but the noise level on other roads is not nearly as bad.
Can you suggest some steps to reduce the noise?
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What make model and year of car? How old are the tyres? Can you try to describe the noise? Does the noise change with the speed of the car? Do you have a CEL (Check Engine Light) on?
You might try looking your ties up on the consumer feedback sections of Tirerack.com and 1010Tires.com. If they’re listed as noisy you might consider changing them for ones listed as quieter.
If they’re not listed as generally noisy, road noise is almost impossible to quell. The isolation of it is designed into the vehicle with added bushings, isolators, and sound insulation. Adding these after manufacture is pretty tough. Some folks have had some success by spraying the underside of the floorpans, inside of the wheelwells (behind he liners) etc. with rubberized undercoating, but it’s pretty much a “might work, might not” situation.
undercoating makes a lot of difference in road noise.
How much money do you have to spend??
My wife turned 50 a couple of years ago…and when her 96 Accord reached 10 years old she told me she DESERVED a better car. Her #1 priority was Noise (or lack there of). The Accord was a GREAT RELIABLE VEHICLE…but it was a little noisy. She bought the Lexus ES-350. VERY VERY quite car. I can’t say enough on how quite this car is. Beautiful ride too…and so very EXTREMELY RELIABLE. If it’s any where near the reliability of her 96 Accord I’ll be EXTREMELY happy.
Undercoating done PROPERLY is GREAT…Undercoating NOT done PROPERLY can actually do damage to the vehicle. I’ve taken apart a friends door panel because his electric windows stopped working after a big rain. The inside door was filled with about 1/2 gallon of water. The IDIOT who did the undercoating/rustproofing plugged up the drain holes.
Some tires, especially high performance ones, are noisier than others. TireRack’s web site is good for research. To compare noise levels in different cars, study road test data tables in magazines like Road and Track or Car and Driver. Anything below 70 db is quiet. Anything above 75 db is loud.
The fact that the noise varies greatly with road type points directly at the tires. As others have said, research tires for your car (I use TireRack.com), and look for those tires rated highly for low noise. Lots cheaper than getting a new car! (but if you do, I second Mike’s ES350 recommendation)
You would hate both my cars 
On the Mustang I have an off-road H-pipe, and single chambered mufflers. On the Bronco I shorty headers with no mufflers or anything else, just straight pipes culminating in 4 inch tips. Either one will set off car alarms and wake the dead.