I drove it with my 5 year old daughter and my 8 year old son....one at a time of course...., and both did not feel it was too loud. My son said he liked the sound better. I was in the same situation you are in a couple weeks ago, with people saying it was not too loud...and then it was too loud....I think at idle it is not much louder than stock. In stop and go driving, as long as you don't go above 2500 rpm, it will be ok. Above that, and it gets SIGNIFICANTLY louder....in a good and mean way though. There is some droning at around 2500-3000 rpm. I use to have a mustange GT convertible with cat back exhaust that was actually louder at highway cruising speed.