agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Car Color Palette Warms

2024 saw shift in consumer preferences toward individuality, desire for stability.

January 9, 2025
Car Color Palette Warms

Green is one of the less-traditional colors that are gaining traction among consumers seeking individuality.

Credit:

Ford

2 min to read


When it comes to car colors, consumer preferences are becoming less white-and-black.

A report by pigment producer BASF Coatings indicates many drivers are gravitating to less traditional hues and buying fewer black, white and silver vehicles, though white is still the most popular choice.

Ad Loading...

Worldwide, more consumers are buying cars in brighter colors or warm neutrals, the company said in its Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings.

Warm yellows and beiges, along with greens, are more common on today’s roads, for instance, along with grays. In fact, gray tones make up nearly 20% of the U.S. market share, according to the report.

In the meantime, black fell two percentage points last year while white fell five percentage points.

“Gray is redefining automotive style, gaining popularity for its versatile sophistication as preferences shift away from traditional white and black,” said Senior Design Manager Victoria Fislage in a press release on the report.

In the Europe-Middle East-Africa region, or EMEA, gray is second only to white, though beige nearly doubled in popularity last year.

Ad Loading...

“Beige and neutral colors evoke a sense of calm and sophistication, reflecting the desire for stability in a fast-paced world,” said BASF Global Head of Automotive Color Design Mark Gutjahr.

The Asia-Pacific region was an outlier where black gained two percentage points as white fell at the same rate. Yellow, though, is gaining steam, especially soft tones.

“Earthy and pastel yellows capture today’s values – functionality, sustainability, and coexistence with nature,” said BASF Head of Automotive Color Design for Asia Pacific Chiharu Matsuhara.

LEARN MORE: A Muted Rainbow on the Road

 

Originally posted on F&I and Showroom

More Product & Technology

Photo of a woman's hand gripping a steering wheel with the dashboard display in the background
Product & Technologyby Hannah MitchellAugust 20, 2026

A Lingering Auto Tech Divide

Automakers still struggle to hit consumers’ sweet spot, hanging onto the despised touchscreen and adding other complex systems while simple, effective details hit the mark.

Read More →
Aerial view of China
Product & TechnologyJuly 24, 2026

AI, China and the Next Wave of Auto Retail Innovation

F&I sits at the center of the changes expected to sweep the industry in just the new few years as new players change the game.

Read More →
Three men and one woman sitting on a green backlit stage talking

That Bot Can Do a Lot

Artificial intelligence was all the buzz at the 2026 Agent Summit. A panel of tech specialists broke through the noise to give agents guidance on steering dealer clients.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of man working under the hood of a car with a tool

Cyber F&I

Your dealer clients could only benefit from showcasing products on their websites along with vehicle inventory. Modern consumers expect to be informed and are more likely to buy products when they are.

Read More →
Audi Q9 headlight graphic.

Road Glare to Drop a Notch?

Audi is preparing two SUV models for the American market with the automaker’s adaptive LED headlights. Its technology is designed to reduce brightness for other drivers, a growing complaint among U.S. motorists.

Read More →
Man in blue suit smiling for photo.
Product & Technologyby StaffMay 29, 2026

AppOne Partners With RouteOne for E-Contracting Solution

By digitizing the entire contracting and funding process, the company says auto dealers can eliminate frustrating and disorganized manual processes.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
hand signing paperwork on a clipboard on top of a desk with a gavel to the side

Senators Propose Chinese Connected Car Ban

Just weeks before President Trump is set to meet with the Chinese president, two U.S. senators proposed a bill with the aim of protecting Americans’ data.

Read More →
blue Subaru car, windy road graphic, ADAS Upgrades

Subaru Upgrades Safety Tech

Amid increasing regulation and consumer demand, the automaker has partnered with Infineon to update its advanced driver-assistance systems with the aim of greater safety and security.

Read More →
Product & Technologyby StaffFebruary 4, 2026

AAMS Training and Mosaic Compliance Services Merge

The strategic combination is intended to expand technology-driven compliance solutions for the automotive industry.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Product & Technologyby Lauren LawrenceJanuary 16, 2026

Dealership AI Use on the Rise

The most common artificial intelligence applications in automotive retail include customer communications, scheduling, reporting, marketing content and handling of online leads.

Read More →
Ad Loading...