Gray is gaining in popularity among car buyers, although white still leads the way with regard to the most popular automotive paint colors.
Axalta recently released its 2021 Global Automotive Color Popularity Report, an annual study that tracks the most and least popular automotive paint colors, along with the colors that are gaining consumer sentiment.
According to Axalta, gray is rapidly growing in popularity among new car buyers, rising four percentage points this year to account for 19 percent of all new vehicle builds. White paint colors led the way with regard to popularity, accounting for 35 percent of all new vehicle builds. White vehicles “have been found in the most abundance on the roads since 2011 worldwide with Asia leading in white vehicle builds,” Axalta says. Black, meanwhile, was tied with gray at 19 percent.
Europe had the highest concentration of new grey vehicle builds last year at 27 percent. Similarly, silver was the most popular automotive paint color in South America, accounting for 23 percent of new vehicle builds. North America has the most amount of new red cars on the road this year at eight percent.
Less popular vehicle colors include blue at eight percent of global vehicle sales and red at 5 percent. The least popular vehicle colors are brown/beige (three percent), green (one percent), and yellow/gold (one percent). Less than one percent of new vehicle builds were finished in ‘other’ colors, such as orange, purple or pink, for example.
Earlier this year, Axalta announced its new Global Automotive Color of the Year: Electrolight. This ultra-bright hue “ evokes a blend of customized, modern style with sporty performance,” Axalta says, and appears similar to the Shock color that General Motors previously offered on the Chevy Camaro and Chevy Bolt EV. We’re eager to see what color Axalta picks as its Global Automotive Color of Year for 2022.
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Comments
Hyundai owners prefer gray. Duct tape repairs don’t stick out as much.
I bought a metallic orange Bolt in 2017 and love being able to easily find it in giant parking lots full of various shades of silvers, whites and grey.
Even thought I like dark grey color, as you said, there are just too many in similar shade, hence I bought a 2002 yellow C5, and 2003 dark grey Pontiac Vibe, still have both.
Drab gray. I’ll take anything other than white or gray.
Interior of that C8 doesn’t look at to be adrenaline red… seems more like morello…
Chevrolet got rid of the most beautiful gray. They discontinued Shadow gray for the corvette. It is gorgeous, it has a blue tint to it. It looks great.
In my opinion, In GM, the SUV colors beyond the most popular ones really suck! You need a flashlight to see what color they really are! I will save my money and wait until I find a color I can appreciate!
GM needs to blend more colors to so that they are unique to the consumer.
I have a white Stingray, Sting Ray, Silverado, Yaris, and a White water truck. So I guess white is right.
Of the 18 new Cadillacs I’ve bought or leased over the past 41 years, 14 of them were white. And all 3 three of my Corvettes, including my current 2011 Grand Sport have been Torch Red. I love white Cadillacs and red corvettes. I had a white 91 Seville with a dark red leather interior and it was stunning. I wish Cadillac still offered red leather interior… white CT6 with red leather would be outstanding !!!
Dealer said I can have 2021 Equinox in white or gray, they’re the only colors coming in.
Color is a matter of taste. But I hate white cars, white seems to do nothing to accentuate the shape and designs of most cars. All the folds, seams, and interesting details get lost in the blob of white. My Buick Encore GX is chili red and I love it!
I think there are 50 shades of gray out there from all dealers. None of which I would ever buy.