Where’s the new car smell gone?

Nathan penney

Active member
Jul 8, 2017
686
789
Liverpool
I know this might seem a daft question but does anyone know why new cars don’t have that ‘new car smell’ anymore even when brand new?
I personally haven’t had a brand new car since 2006 but I’ve been in a few new car dealers over the years to get cars serviced etc and always have a sit in whatever’s in the showroom. I first noticed at Seat a couple of years ago that the Leon I was in didn’t smell new, then the same at Skoda and today in a ford dealer.
Only the odd car with leather seats had any sort of new smell with it but even that was nothing like when I bought my last new car.
It was always one of the things I looked forward to most when getting a new car.
Anyone with new cars noticed this?
 

Jimbobcook

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Staff member
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Nov 24, 2012
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I know this might seem a daft question but does anyone know why new cars don’t have that ‘new car smell’ anymore even when brand new?
I personally haven’t had a brand new car since 2006 but I’ve been in a few new car dealers over the years to get cars serviced etc and always have a sit in whatever’s in the showroom. I first noticed at Seat a couple of years ago that the Leon I was in didn’t smell new, then the same at Skoda and today in a ford dealer.
Only the odd car with leather seats had any sort of new smell with it but even that was nothing like when I bought my last new car.
It was always one of the things I looked forward to most when getting a new car.
Anyone with new cars noticed this?
I'll let you know tomorrow when I'm at a SEAT garage lol
 

bgb

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
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316
It’s the glues, chemicals and alike. They’ve become less obnoxious so don’t linger as long.

plus the quality of materials has degraded over time, which I guess would be less smells, ie leather and natural fibre.

I gave my car a winter wash yesterday, use AG Leather balm and now my car smells like a leather shop :happy:
 

Yern

Active Member
Apr 25, 2019
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311
I still have (lingering) the new car smell at 6 months - no use of smelly mirror hangers or anything else though.
 

Nathan penney

Active member
Jul 8, 2017
686
789
Liverpool
Today been looking at new cars with my sister in law. ( she wants an electric car, so nothing exiting) so I asked the Nissan dealer we were in about the new car smell and he said I wasn’t the first one to mention it. As bgb says above, apparently it is to do with the glues and materials used that aren’t as strong anymore.
The leather in the X trail in the showroom made that car smell nice but all the others didn’t smell of anything.
Seems like I wasn’t imagining it. Lol
 

bgb

Active Member
Jan 22, 2019
600
316
I still have (lingering) the new car smell at 6 months - no use of smelly mirror hangers or anything else though.

This is also key, don't introduce smells or use heavily scented/harsh interior cleaners for a while!
 

BadBoy03

A Mk1 Is For Life, Not Just For Fun
Sep 6, 2016
588
294
Somerset
Changing the subject slightly...anyone recommend car coconut products?
When we bought our car it smelt amazing with coconut for about 6 months. I've tried many products such as Xtreme Coconut by California scents, sex wax etc, but no lasting effect. I loathe magic trees etc & won't have anything dangling in my car so if anyone can recommend a subtle but nice car smell/product, I'd be grateful. Sorry to hijack your thread btw!
 

The Daily Meme

Insta: @thatredcupra
Jan 3, 2018
912
466
Cambridge
Changing the subject slightly...anyone recommend car coconut products?
When we bought our car it smelt amazing with coconut for about 6 months. I've tried many products such as Xtreme Coconut by California scents, sex wax etc, but no lasting effect. I loathe magic trees etc & won't have anything dangling in my car so if anyone can recommend a subtle but nice car smell/product, I'd be grateful. Sorry to hijack your thread btw!
"Yankee Candle" actually do air freshners that clip on to the air vents in the car.

They do offer a "new car smell" flavour but my favourite is "Midnight Summer"

There are other brans that i have seen in halfords that offer what looks like a tin of tuna that is designed to sit in the bottom of a cup holder. I've had one of these before and it didnt last very long at all. The yankee candle ones i've had tend to be the best.
 
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Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
I just had a 2019 Leon courtesy car and it still had new car smell. Maybe not as strong as it used to be but still there.