It just might not be so good for you. The reason the smell is so intoxicating is that it is made of several volatile organic compounds (voc’s) that are produced in the manufacturing process.

“It’s a chemical cocktail made up of lots of toxins,” says Jeff Gearhart, Research Director of the Ecology Center in the US state of Michigan. The Ecology Center has been monitoring and testing chemical levels in car interiors for years, and has noted some improvement. But Gearhart says there is still work to be done. “There are over 200 chemical compounds found in vehicles,” he said.

Auto manufacturers, GM, Ford, Chrysler and Honda all say they’ve taken steps to reduce VOC levels in their vehicles, along with other substances of concern (SOCs). They say they’ve accomplished this primarily by using different materials, coatings and adhesives in manufacturing, and all say they are continuing to look for ways to reduce the use of potentially harmful substances in their cars.

Experts recommend keeping your new car windows open as much as possible for the first six months after a new purchase in order to air the vocs out. I guess I had it all wrong, I’ve been keeping my windows intentionally closed in order to keep the smell in!