K&N first offered air intake systems in the late 1980s. These intakes consisted of rotationally-molded plastic intake tubes and a conical, cotton gauze air filter. In the late 90s intake manufacturers such as Injen, AEM, AFE, BullyDog, and others entered the market, spurring many advancements and improvements.

All cold air intake systems operate on the principle of increasing the amount of oxygen available for combustion with fuel. Cooler air has more density for a given volume, and cold air intakes generally work by introducing cooler air from outside the hot engine bay. The term "cold air intake", however, is often used to describe other methods of increasing oxygen to an engine, which may even increase the temperature of the air coming into an engine.

Strategies used in designing cold-air intakes are:

• Increasing the diameter of the air intake, allowing increased airflow.
• Smoothing the interior of the intake to reduce air resistance.
• Providing a more direct route to the air intake.
• Tuning the length of the intake to provide maximum airflow at certain engine speeds (RPM).
• Using a more efficient, less restricting air filter
• Intake systems come in many different styles and can be constructed from metal, plastic, rubber, or composite materials. Due to the limited time, air actually remains inside the intake tubing, the materials often do not impact a kit's ability to deliver cool air.

The most basic cold air intake systems replace the stock airbox with a short tube leading to a conical air filter, called a "Short Ram" air intake. The placement of the filter is directly in the engine compartment. Power may be lost at certain engine speeds, and gained at others. Because of the increased airflow and reduced covering, intake noise is usually increased. This effect is amplified on applications where a resonator, a part intended to reduce intake noise on some vehicles is replaced by the intake.