I definitely like a road hub with more engagement. If you climb out of saddle and you change gears and lay off the power for that one revolution so you don't jam gears/chain......it's nicer on a hub with more engagement. More fluid of a motion.
Also silly, but nice getting that perfect foot start position at a stop light/sign too.
The noise? You should be hammering it, not freewheeling. If you find yourself freewheeling in a paceline you're wrong also. You should lightly rotate the crank over so that when you do need to apply power there isn't a lag and consequential accordion in the line.
If on front downhill, hammer it and pull off just before the bottom and let the crew by. Then suck on at the end of the line as they're slowing going up. I absolutely hate group rides where someone freewheels all the downhills.
If you're worried about people running into people, see comment 1. Pull hard and pull off before the bottom.