In a method for automatically controlling the temperature of the interior of motor vehicles via an electronically controlled air-conditioning system having an evaporator, devices for adjusting the fresh-air fraction and the circulating-air fraction in the vehicle interior, as well as devices for sensing the evaporator temperature, the interior temperature and the outside-air temperature, the recirculating-air fraction is increased when the following occurs: recirculating-air fraction is lower than 100%, the deviation of the actual interior temperature from the desired interior temperature exceeds a defined first threshold, the outside temperature remains essentially constant, and the evaporator temperature rises.