There's a reason for the classic new-car smell as car makers have several people who monitor their scents

You’re probably familiar with the new-car smell – a fresh and clean scent that is hard to describe but impossible to miss.

You might have even picked up an air freshener in the hopes of replicating it when your car isn’t so new anymore. 

And it turns out that it’s just as important to carmakers as it is to car owners. 

So much so that some marques even enlist people to help them monitor the new-car smell in their new cars.

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Carmakers are monitoring new-car smell

It goes without saying that a whole lot of work goes into creating a car. 

From customizations and specification options at high-end marques like Ferrari, to the use of AI at BMW, which is able to carry out quality checks every 57 seconds.

Not only that, but some manufacturers are even going the extra mile to check that the new-car smell is spot on. 

We all know the joyful aroma of a brand-new vehicle, right? But did you know where it comes from?

Your classic new-car smell is a byproduct known as off-gassing that’s caused by the various plastics, adhesives, and other materials used to make a car’s interior. 

While that might not sound too delicious, most of us agree it’s a pretty wonderful smell. 

Making an effort to ensure that the smell stays delicious without becoming cloying or headache-inducing is actually part of the process over at Stellantis.

“We think long and hard about [a car’s scent],” spokesperson Eric Mayne told Car and Driver. “We have a panel of people who monitor new-car smell.” 

The carmaker selects the panel from throughout the company. 

To make the grade, employees need to be able to rate the scent by its strength as well as differentiate between the various smells that might be emitted from inside a car. 

Using input from this panel, Stellantis tones down the scent if it becomes too strong. How clever is that?

Stellantis isn’t the only company sniff-testing its motors

It isn’t just vehicles created by Stellantis’ brands that put their new cars through a sniff test, either. 

Nissan uses a similar system at its technical center in Farmington Hills, Michigan. 

Materials engineer Tori Keerl told CNN back in 2022 that Nissan uses a team of ‘certified smellers’. 

“Every time we launch a vehicle, we have to test the odor of it,” she said.

“We sit in the vehicle and we make sure that, as we’re sitting in the driver’s seat and as you’re sitting in the back seat, you’re smelling that good new-car smell.”

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