The most popular car colours – and the least wanted
Choosing the right colour for your car is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when buying. But which are the most popular...
Black, white and grey make up more than six in ten new cars sold in the UK, according to official figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The data reveals that in 2023, more than a quarter of new cars left the factory with grey paint – the most popular car colour in the UK – followed by 20% in black and a further 17% in white.
Indeed, in the list of best-selling cars of 2023, all but one – the now-discontinued Ford Fiesta – were most popular in black, white or grey.
The figures lay bare the choice of paint colours offered by car manufacturers: the majority of palettes focus on monochrome hues. For instance, four out of the six colours available for the Ford Puma are black, white or grey.
One reason for this is to protect resale values. With the majority of buyers using some kind of finance, such as a personal contract purchase (PCP), it’s important to ensure the car is worth as much as possible when the finance comes to an end. Colours regarded as the ‘safer options’ help to preserve values because they’re easier to sell.
The UK’s most popular car colours
1. Grey
For the fifth year in a row, grey was the UK’s most popular new car colour, with a share of more than a quarter (25.7%) of the market – up 1.7% on the previous year. It was the top-selling colour in every region and county of the UK, save for only the Scottish Borders, where it was second to blue.
The country’s best-selling car – the Nissan Qashqai – sold more in grey than any other colour, as did five other models in the top 10 best-sellers, including the Ford Puma and Mini hatchback.
2. Black
While black has previously been a favourite among buyers, holding the top spot between 2009 and 2012, it has remained second-best since it was overtaken by grey in 2018.
Despite a 3.7% decline from the previous year, black-painted cars accounted for more than a fifth (20.1%) of the market, and was the most popular colour for executive cars and luxury saloons. It was also the top choice among Ford Kuga buyers, which was the UK’s ninth best-selling car.
3. White
Having occupied the number one spot between 2014 and 2017, it’s no surprise that white remains one of the most popular choices. In 2022, it accounted for 268,886 sales, and while this was a 4.8% decline on the previous year, it still put white on the podium with 16.7% of the market share.
White was the top pick among buyers of the UK’s second best-selling Vauxhall Corsa, as well as both the popular Tesla Model Y and the Model 3.
4. Blue
While blue cars dominated the market in the late 1990s, these numbers began to decline at the turn of the 21st century, with blue sitting consistently in either fourth or fifth since 2011.
With 259,950 registrations in 2022, it made up 16% of the market share, and it was the most popular colour among Ford Fiesta buyers, which squeezed into the 10th spot of the UK’s best-selling cars before it was taken off sale in 2023.
5. Red
Historically associated with sporty models from the likes of Alfa Romeo or Ferrari, red retained its place in fifth spot in 2022, despite recording a decline to reach its lowest market share since 2008, at only 8.5%.
Red has remained consistently popular, and has been in fifth place almost every year since 2004. Today, the classic blood red typically gives way to other darker, metallic shades.
6. Silver
Having topped the market share between 2001 and 2009, silver cars have suffered the most drastic decline with just 98,483 units sold (6.1% market share) in 2022 – 11.7% down on the previous year and the colour’s lowest level in more than two decades
Best of the rest
More than 95% of new cars sold were painted in each of the UK’s top six best-selling colours in 2022, although there were some funkier paint schemes that rounded out the top 10.
Green cars are the most popular they’ve been in the last 16 years, with a 74.2% spike in popularity since 2021. Green cars are most popular in Greater London, a region which, rather poetically, also has the highest percentage (24.1%) of electrified models.
Orange was eighth with 19,403 registrations, which might sound a bit out there, but this includes darker, burnt orange shades which are often very popular with some models. Yellow and bronze rounded out the top 10, with 10,662 and 7,800 registrations respectively.
Britain’s least-popular car colours
Cream, maroon and pink are the least popular colours among British new-car buyers. Combined, they recorded less than 1% of all new car hues. Pink models slumped to their lowest sales total since 2009, against other niche colours – orange, yellow, bronze, turquoise and mauve – which have all swelled in popularity, even if they make up no more than 3.4% of the car market combined.
Why are certain colours more popular than others?
Monochromatic shades like grey, black and white are more popular because they generally tend to hold their value. Over time, buyers have become more conservative, so unobtrusive shades are more appealing to a wider range of people. This means that a car in that colour will often be worth more second-hand because it’s likely to be easier to sell.
However, trends continue to change, illustrated by the decline of red and blue, which were among the best-selling colours in the late 1990s. Popularity is nothing if not cyclical – think of vinyl records and film cameras which have all made a comeback recently. So, who knows – we might even see mustard yellows and browns from the 60s and 70s back on our roads in the not so distant future.
Only some types of model can pull off certain colours, though. Read our guide on the best colours for car resale values for a full explanation.
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