There's just nothing like that "new car smell," many people believe. There is a health angle to consider, though. A recent study by the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, found that the cabin of a new vehicle contained 20 common "volatile organic compounds" (VOCs), which could potentially contain cancer-causing agents. The Environmental Protection Agency defines VOCs as "compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility," which are found in paints, pharmaceuticals and petroleum fuels. In particular, the study found high levels of formaldehyde (34.9%) and acetaldehyde (60.5%) inside a new car.