Few things in life has the same sensory experience as that of a new car. That "new car smell" is so popular state side that there are even air fresheners and candles doing their best to emulate it. But this inisn't an international interest. That smell is so unwelcome in China that car companies are actively looking for ways to eliminate it.

According to the 2018 J.D. Power China Initial Quality Study, 10 percent of new car buyers complain about the smell. This makes it the biggest issue on record. Brent Gruber, senior director, global automotive, at J.D. Power, made teh following statement.

"Unpleasant interior smell/odor remains the top industry problem in that market. To put that in context, it is nearly double the problem rate of the second-most prevalent problem, excessive fuel consumption."


One concern by the industry is that the smell itself isn't good for you. That new car smell is the result of fabrics, adhesives, and several other volitile organic copounds. To try and fix this problem, Ford has developed what they are calling a "vehicle odor remediation" system. According to a recent submission to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, this method will "cook" the smell out of the car.

Fortunately for those who dislike the smell, it doesnt last long. Studies show taht the scent diminishes at and aproximate rate of 20 percent a week. So a bit over a month after purchase, the smell will be gone.