Noise, vibration and harshness – usually shortened to NVH – is a term used by engineers relating to the refinement of a vehicle.
First coined by Ford engineers in the 1950s, NVH is now a generic term to describe the main elements contributing to the refinement of a vehicle. This includes:
- engine, wind and road noise
- engine vibration characteristics
- resonance within the cabin (which is related to the size of the cabin, its construction and the use of anti-resonance measures on specific panels)
- suspension springing and damping
- noise insulation
