What the “New Car Scent” Is Made Of

The “new car scent” isn’t a single perfume—it’s a mix of hundreds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) off‑gassing from fresh interior materials such as plastics, foams, adhesives, sealants, textiles, and leather. These include aldehydes (like formaldehyde), aromatic hydrocarbons (such as toluene and xylene), ketones, esters, siloxanes, and terpenes from cleaners or optional fragrance systems; the blend peaks in the first weeks and fades over months.

Where the Smell Comes From: Materials and Manufacturing

Automotive interiors combine many newly manufactured components. During production and early ownership, these materials release small amounts of residual solvents and additives into the cabin air, creating the characteristic scent.

• Plastics and polymers: dashboards, door panels, consoles (e.g., PVC, ABS, polycarbonate/ABS blends, polypropylene) that contain stabilizers and plasticizers.
• Foams: polyurethane seat cushions and headliners that can emit amines and other by-products from curing.
• Adhesives and sealants: used in trim, carpets, glass bonding, and sound deadening; often the largest source of early VOCs.
• Textiles and leather: seat covers, carpets, headliners; tanning, dyeing, and finishing agents contribute distinct odors.
• Coatings and paints: interior coatings, clear coats, and anti-squeak compounds that off-gas solvents and additives.
• Rubber and vinyl parts: weather seals, mats, grommets that can release hydrocarbons and plasticizers.
• Cleaners and protectants: factory-applied detailing products can add terpenes and other fragrance compounds.

Each category contributes a piece of the overall aroma; together they produce the signature profile that most people recognize as “new car.”

What’s In the Air: Common Chemical Classes

Scientists characterize the new car scent as a complex VOC mixture. The exact composition varies by make, model, supplier, region, and even the specific production batch, but it typically includes the following families of compounds.

• Aldehydes: formaldehyde and acetaldehyde from resins, textiles, and reactions with ozone.
• Aromatic hydrocarbons: toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene, and styrene from adhesives, plastics, and coatings.
• Ketones and alcohols: methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and isopropanol from paints and glues.
• Esters and glycol ethers: solvents and coalescents used in coatings and adhesives.
• Siloxanes: cyclic organosiloxanes (e.g., D4/D5) from lubricants, sealants, or surface treatments.
• Alkanes: light and mid-weight hydrocarbons from rubber parts and adhesives.
• Terpenes: limonene and pinene from cleaning agents or optional in-car fragrance systems.
• Plasticizers: legacy phthalates (now often restricted) and newer alternatives such as DOTP or DINCH in vinyl and soft plastics.

The proportions change quickly: lighter solvents tend to dissipate in days, while heavier “fogging” compounds can linger on surfaces and slowly evaporate, especially in warm conditions.

Is It Harmful? What Regulators and Automakers Do

Short-term exposure to elevated VOCs can cause headaches, throat and eye irritation, dizziness, or drowsiness in sensitive individuals, particularly in hot, enclosed cabins. Over the past decade, automakers have systematically reduced cabin VOCs, and several regions now test or limit them. China and South Korea enforce interior air quality standards for specific VOCs; the ISO 12219 series defines methods to measure vehicle interior air; and the German VDA 278 method is widely used to screen materials. Many manufacturers design to “low-VOC” targets globally and avoid high-odor chemistries, though acceptable levels and test methods vary by market.

How Long It Lasts—and What Affects It

The scent is strongest in the first days to weeks after production and decays over one to six months, depending on temperature, ventilation, and the materials used. Heat accelerates off-gassing, which is why a car parked in the sun may smell stronger after you open the door; regular ventilation speeds the decline.

How to Reduce Exposure in a New Car

If you find the scent unpleasant or experience irritation, practical steps can minimize VOC buildup and hasten the fade-in period.

1. Air it out: drive the first few minutes with windows down or use the HVAC on fresh-air mode, not recirculation.
2. Manage heat: park in shade or use sunshades; after hot soak, open all doors for a minute before driving.
3. Accelerate off-gassing safely: on a mild day, briefly warm the interior, then ventilate thoroughly to flush VOCs.
4. Clean surfaces: wipe hard plastics and vinyl with a damp microfiber cloth (unscented cleaners) to remove residue.
5. Upgrade filters: consider an activated-carbon or carbon+HEPA cabin filter compatible with your model.
6. Avoid add-ons: skip scented air fresheners and high-solvent detailing sprays during the initial months.
7. Choose low-VOC accessories: floor mats and seat covers labeled low-odor or low-VOC can help.

Most of the odor diminishes with routine use and ventilation; these steps mainly shorten the time it takes to reach a neutral-smelling cabin.

Do Automakers Add Fragrance on Purpose?

Generally, no. Manufacturers engineer interiors to be low-odor and consistent, not perfumed. The “new car scent” is an incidental by-product of materials and processes. Some premium brands offer optional in-car fragrance diffusers or select materials (like leather finishes) that carry a mild signature aroma, but the baseline smell in most cars is not an added perfume—and in some markets, brands work aggressively to suppress it.

Bottom Line

The new car scent is a transient blend of VOCs released from fresh interior materials—plastics, foams, adhesives, coatings, textiles, and leather. It’s not a single ingredient but a shifting chemical mix that’s most intense early on, fades with time, and can be reduced through ventilation, temperature management, and low-VOC choices. In parallel, automakers and standards bodies continue to push cabin VOCs lower for comfort and safety.

What do they put in cars to make them smell new?

The new car smell is typically the off-gassing of petroleum-based solvents that are used in car manufacturing that are in the non-metal parts of the car. Typically the cars have also been sitting in the sun for several days, which helps the off-gassing process.

What is the scent of a brand new car?

Regardless of which side you stand with (loving or hating that new car smell), research shows that the new car smell stems from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Around 50 or 60 of them off-gas from various points throughout a new car’s interior, with the most common VOCs including: Ethylbenzene. Xylene.

Is the new car’s smell artificial?

The smell is caused by gases emitted from various manufactured materials, such as leather, plastics and textiles.

What does the new car smell come from?

The new car smell comes from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are released as gases, or off-gassing, from the car’s interior materials, including plastics, vinyl, adhesives, paints, and textiles. These chemicals, such as formaldehyde and ethylbenzene, are present in many manufactured products used in vehicles and create the familiar odor, though they can also pose health risks.
 
How it happens:

• Off-gassing: The many synthetic materials and glues used in a car’s interior naturally release chemicals into the air over time. 
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): These released chemicals are a category of compounds that easily turn into vapor at room temperature, creating the distinctive scent. 
• Heat and Sun: The rate of off-gassing can increase with heat and sunlight, leading to the smell being more intense on hot days. 

Common VOCs and their sources:

• Plasticizers: These chemicals leach out of the car’s plastic and vinyl components. 
• Solvents: Used in paints and other finishes, these can also contribute to the smell. 
• Adhesives: Glues used in the car’s construction release VOCs. 
• Paints: The paints and sealants used on the car’s surfaces emit VOCs. 

Health Considerations:

• Potential Risks: Inhaling a high concentration of VOCs over time can cause health issues like headaches, dizziness, nausea, and allergic reactions. 
• Manufacturer Efforts: Automakers are working to reduce the use of these chemicals in their vehicles to make them less toxic and to eliminate the new car smell. 
• Ventilation: Driving with the windows open can help to disperse these gases from the car’s interior, according to Wikipedia and Capital Chevrolet GMC of Lexington NC.