New Car “Smelling Notes” Launched as New Car Smell Named One of Nation’s Favourite Unusual Smells
Maître-de and First Dates star Fred Siriex has put his discerning nose to a slightly different test as he has crafted a range of bespoke ‘smelling notes’ for a range of new cars, as new research shows that the scent of a brand new car is amongst Brit’s favourite unusual smells.
The poll[1] found Brits’ other favourite unusual smells include nail polish, tarmac – and tennis balls with other popular aromas including the scent of rain, newspapers, shoe polish and TCP antiseptic cream.
To celebrate the uniquely popular scent of ‘new car’, Fred has teamed up with the UK’s largest automotive platform for new and used cars Auto Trader, who commissioned the research, to create the list of distinctive scent profiles for various car brands.
These smelling notes capture the essence of each brand, from the earthy richness of Land Rover, to the nostalgic blend of British oak and tobacco leaf in Vauxhall.
The research, also found 21 per cent would also like the ‘new car smell’ to last for the entire time they owned their new vehicle.
Additionally, a quarter of those surveyed said they would specifically opt for an electric car so they can avoid fuel smells with an additional 14 per cent also wanting to go electric to have the ‘new car smell’ last longer.
However, there is some coyness about people’s love of weird smells, a fifth confess they’re sometimes embarrassed about the unusual smells they like, which also includes chlorine and wet dog.
In terms of the unusual smells that people like the most, Brits are more likely to prefer natural scents to those made synthetically (68 per cent compared to just five per cent). In fact, citrus scents were voted the best smell category by 34 per cent, followed by woody (33 per cent) and floral (32 per cent) aromas.
Many of these preferred scents correspond with the scents Fred picked out when compiling the new car smelling notes. The full list of smelling notes are:
Fred Siriex said: “Some people might not like to admit that they enjoy unusual scents. But taste is subjective, and one person’s rose might be another’s seaweed – we don’t like to judge. If people are getting their joy from the aroma of a brand new car, who are we to say they are wrong?”
“People often find themselves drawn to unusual scents because they evoke strong emotions or memories. “When you hear the term ‘new car smell’, you can instantly imagine what that smells like. It’s a very evocative smell that can bring joy, pride and relief the moment you step into your new vehicle and we had a lot of fun trying to pinpoint exactly what those smells are with the help of Fred’s discerning nose.
Whilst the new car smell is loved, it isn’t the only reason people end up choosing a new car over a used car. The biggest perceived benefit is knowing that everything is new and therefore less likely to need replacing (43 per cent).
For those looking to purchase a brand new car, there are thousands available to buy now from Auto Trader at every budget with no wait time, so you can have them immediately. Visit the Auto Trader website for more information.
[1] Research carried out by OnePoll.com polling 2,000 adults in the UK in September 2024
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