Advice

What Are the Best Car Colors to Buy?

By 11/12/2024 9:08am
White cars at a traffic signal, lined up in California.

Quick Facts About Car Colors

  • White is the most popular color choice for car buying, and experts say it’s the safest. Also, they’re among those getting stolen the most.
  • Consumers still choose neutral colors, with silver gaining in popularity.
  • Like many vehicle features, color plays a role in determining the resale value of your car.

White, black, silver, and gray continue to top the list of best colors for cars, and in the world of best car colors, you can count on the old standards. They never go out of style. Based on consumer choice, these car colors jockey for position like a herd of thoroughbreds. Does color matter?

Kelley Blue Book takes a look. We ask the experts about the best car colors and examine resale value more closely. We also explore what futurists say about car colors for the next few years. Use the jump links below to skip ahead.

Top Car Colors

The BASF 2024-2025 Automotive Color Trends report shows that white is the most popular car color in North America. Achromatic colors, such as white, black, silver, and gray, gained two percentage points overall.

The report found that consumers choose lighter colors, often shades of silver, after automakers retired several gray shades. The BASF analysis is based on automotive production and paint color application. 

“The old standard color palette no longer applies. Lighter shades are getting more popular, taking market share from gray. More and more choices have effects pigments to give them intensity and excitement,” says BASF’s Elizabeth Hoffmann, color designer for North America. 

Car Color Percent
White 34%
Black 22%
Silver 14%
Gray 10%
Blue 9%
Red 8%
Green 1%
Violet 1%
Beige 1%

Source: BASF

Serban Boldea, Volkswagen’s director of product planning, says resale value is the top reason that 80% of car consumers still buy white, black, silver, and gray.

“They’re the most simple and safe colors,” Boldea says.

Some Car Shoppers Seek Bolder Colors

The 2025 Volkswagen Taos seen in profile

 

Even though the car-buying market sticks to neutrals, a growing number of consumers want color. Car paint experts say car shoppers increasingly ask for broader, more colorful choices, even finishes like two-tone and matte. 

RELATED: Matte Car Paint: Is the Look Worth the Hassle?

Carmakers are responding. For 2025, there’s Neoteric Yellow (Hyundai Kona), Molten Magenta Metallic (Ford Mustang) and Bright Moss Green (Volkswagen Taos), among the colorful car models.

Pittsburgh paint maker PPG Industries recently proclaimed Purple Basil its 2025 color of the year for everything from cars to home interiors. The car paint creators describe the hue as a “dusty violet with mauve undertones.”

“We have been predicting that consumers will be ready now and in the next decade for color … and move away from all gray and beige,” says Misty Yeomans, manager of color styling for automotive at PPG.

BASF "Holding Sway" is its Car Color for 2024-2-25

Looking ahead, BASF sees bolder colors in its palette. They unveiled a purple shade with a blue effect they call Holding Sway. BASF describes it as “the merging of dual hues and cooperative energies.”

Car Colors and Resale Value

So, you might ask, “Does color matter?” Like many vehicle features, color plays a role in determining the residual value of your car.

Today’s popular car color will probably make your vehicle more popular to buyers in five years. But as color trends change, there is a chance the color you select today might not remain at the top of the charts. Blame that on changing trends, the current economy, and other factors. But playing it safe regarding color choice could help your bottom line when it comes time to sell your car.

Sometimes, choosing the “wrong” color could cause your vehicle’s depreciation. How much depreciation will your car see? That depends on several factors ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

RELATED: How to Buy a Used Car in 10 Steps

For instance, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 was introduced in 2020 in a bright orange metallic color known as “Sebring Orange Tintcoat.” It will likely retain value as a color denoting the debut of a new Corvette generation. On the other hand, the 2021 Hyundai Sonata featured “Glowing Yellow” as one of its colors. Brighter than bright, it may not find favor on the new and even the pre-owned market if you are not a “look-at-me” type of driver.

Sticking to neutral colors is the safest bet. But if you feel inclined to expand your palette, remember that bright blue, yellow, orange, or purple vehicles could put you at a disadvantage when selling or trading in your car.

TIP: Use Our Car Finder for Your Search  

Popular Colors for SUVs, Minivans, and Trucks

2022 Subaru Crosstrek near barn in white

In the latest PPG study, gray overtook white (which includes pearl and metallic) as the most popular color for SUVs. White is still the first choice of most shoppers buying a minivan or light truck, as it has been for over 10 years, but gray is surging in all three categories.

SUVs

  1. Gray (25%)
  2. White (24%)
  3. Black (18.5%)
  4. Silver (11%)
  5. Blue (10%)
  6. Red (7.5%)
  7. Green (2.5%)
  8. Gold/Beige, Orange, and Brown (tied at 0.5%)

Minivans

  1. White (34%)
  2. Gray (23.5%)
  3. Silver (14.5%)
  4. Black (11%)
  5. Red (7.5%)
  6. Blue (7%)
  7. Green (2%)
  8. Brown (0.5%)

Pickup Trucks

  1. White (27%)
  2. Gray (21.5%)
  3. Black (17%)
  4. Silver (12.5%)
  5. Red (9.5%)
  6. Blue (6%)
  7. Brown (1%)
  8. Orange (tied at 0.5%)

Two years ago, white pearl and metallic overtook black as the color of choice for luxury vehicles, and that hasn’t changed this year. According to PPG’s report, white is so popular that it is seen on nearly one-third (or 31.5%) of the new luxury cars on the road today. Brown and orange are now rare enough that they don’t even make the chart.

  1. White (31.5%)
  2. Black (25%)
  3. Gray (14%)
  4. Blue (11%)
  5. Silver (10.5%)
  6. Red (5%)
  7. Gold/Beige, Green (tied at 1%)

The same colors dominate in midsize passenger vehicles, including sedans, wagons, and hatchbacks. In this category, white, in both solid and metallic, accounts for the most buyers at 21.5% in the report.

  1. White (21.5%)
  2. Gray (20.5%)
  3. Black, Blue (17%)
  4. Silver (16.5%)
  5. Red (5%)
  6. Beige/Gold (2%)
  7. Orange (0.5%)

Buyers tend to be more playful with the least expensive cars on the market. White still wins this category, but candy-colored blues and reds are more common among small cars than in any other segment.

  1. White (25%)
  2. Blue (21.5%)
  3. Gray (18.5%)
  4. Black (13%)
  5. Red, Silver (tied at 10%)
  6. Brown, Orange (tied at 1%)

Popular Colors for Convertibles and Coupes

The 2025 Mini John Cooper Works hardtop and convertible models side by side, seen from a rear quarter angle

Convertibles, coupes, and sports cars encompass everything from the Camaro, Mustang, and Challenger to European luxury models and beyond. According to PPG statistics, black takes the lead in this category. White, dominant in other categories, slips among sportier cars. And while an orange sports car may sound strange, the Dodge Charger King Daytona hue has won over some buyers in the last call edition.

  1. Black (21%)
  2. Gray (tied at 19.5%)
  3. Blue (16%)
  4. White (14.5%)
  5. Red (12%)
  6. Silver (7%)
  7. Orange (4.5%)
  8. Green (3%)
  9. Brown (2%)
  10. Beige/Gold (0.5%)

As in fashion, some colors work better on certain vehicles than others. For example, a small yellow convertible is much more desirable than a bright yellow or orange minivan.

Car Colors That Are Hard and Easy to Maintain

Some cars look amazing in specific colors. However, this is the list to pay attention to and why some colors stay cleaner longer than others.

  • Black: Sleek black looks fantastic on almost any car. But the color is a double-edged sword. It looks best when fresh from the car wash. Give it a few minutes; it will likely be covered with pollen, dirt, and dust.
  • Gray: This color is easiest to clean, according to various studies. Dirt and dust can hide nicely on these surfaces and look cleaner for longer.
  • Silver: Like gray, silver hides dust and dirt longer. They also tend to hide mud buildup near the rocker panels of cars.
  • White: White is also in the easy-to-care-for group. However, this color shows mud and splashes more easily than gray and silver. White, however, does hide swirl marks that result from automatic car washes, and this car color tends to look newer for longer.
  • Green: Who knew that green is easy to keep so clean? But the color shows imperfections more readily than gray, silver, and white.
  • Orange: This bright color commands attention. It’s not as easy to keep clean.
  • Yellow: This car color stands out on highways and other roads but not dust and pollen. Yellows easily hide those elements. However, yellows emphasize mud splashes when you drive in the rain.
  • Red: This flashy car color hides mud easier than other colors but becomes dull if dirty.
  • Blue: This color may be rising in popularity. It’s just harder to keep clean. Blues tend to show water spots easily. Scratches and swirl marks also appear quickly with this color.

What Color Car Looks the Cleanest?

Gray and silver are the easiest colors to keep clean. These colors hide dust and dirt and can give the appearance of looking clean, even when they’re not.

Safest Car Colors

Some colors may be safer than others. Australia’s Monash University Research Centre once studied the relationship between color and crash risk. Its data come from Australian crashes, so they may not translate perfectly to the conditions of American roads. But their conclusions make sense. Their most recent report says white is the safest color.

Consider these safe car colors when buying your next car.

1. White: In a white vehicle, you would have a 12% lesser chance of accident involvement than a black vehicle in all types of weather and lighting.

2. Yellow: Drive in a yellow vehicle, and the car makes it easier for other drivers to spot them quickly. Yellow, though, doesn’t look good on all vehicles.

3. Orange: Driving in an orange vehicle reduces your accident risk. Since the color is not used on many cars, it stands out for its rarity as much as its high visibility.

4. Gold: Go for the gold because these vehicles also keep you safer. They tend to stand out for the same reason as orange.

What Color Gets Stolen the Most?

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, black, silver, white, green, and gold cars are the most stolen. Many of those car colors blend in better than others. Imported vehicles, like Hyundai and Kia models, were the most often stolen. NICB reports that more than 85% of reported stolen vehicles were recovered, with 34% recovered within a day of the vehicle being reported stolen.

TIP: Find the car using our list of the Safest New Cars

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its publication.