The use of semantic‐differential (SD) procedure allows sound designers to compare interior car sounds on the basis of polarity profiles. In order to get representative information, SD designs have to be based on car‐sound‐specific verbal spaces. Due to the peculiarities of languages and conceptions of car culture in different countries, it is, moreover, not sufficient to use translated lists as they are available in the literature. In this contribution, the development of a representative verbal space for German subjects is presented. Two different approaches are used which are finally combined in order to get an intermediate list of adjective pairs. A representative and usable set of adjective pairs is established by reducing this list on the basis of SD tests with car sounds presented at the same loudness. The different steps and drawbacks in the development of the SD design are described and discussed. The components as well as the underlying dimensions of the verbal space are presented.