White is overwhelming the most popular car color in North America, and the world, according to the latest BASF Color Report 2022. BASF designers say white, black and gray, continue to dominate when it comes to non-commercial vehicles. However, they also say colors like yellow, orange, green and violet are all gaining market share. (We happen to love the new, deeply saturated hue Mazda's just introduced for its new 2024 CX-90, Artisan Red, pictured above.)
BASF researchers say white remains the most popular car color around the world for its classic, timeless beauty, and high resale value. Globally, blue tied with silver in popularity last year, with red in 6th place.
Designers say other chromatic colors like yellow, orange, green, and violet are all gaining market share in most regions of the world - albeit a small percentage of it. They say it's evidence that automakers are embracing a wider range of diversity and breadth of color than before.
BASF says its report also shows that automakers produced more vehicles as they bounced back from the effects of the global pandemic and regional supply chain challenges.
North America: More chromatic colors showing up
In North America, BASF designers say car buyers don't have as many choices for chromatic colors, but that doesn’t mean they’re choosing fewer chromatic cars, trucks, or SUVs. Blue is the top chromatic color, widening its gap over red. While still overwhelmingly popular, BASF designers say achromatic colors like black, gray, and silver lost some market share, especially in larger vehicles. Buyers seem to be going for more earthy tones like beige, brown, and green. Even violet is gaining market share, they say, as car buyers’ tastes change.
“If you look at the heavy hitters among the chromatic colors, blue and red are on top. But with people turning more to nature, natural colors like green, yellow, violet, and beige are making their mark,” said Liz Hoffman, head of design, The Americas. “Car buyers are also looking for a vehicle color that conveys their positivity.”
Graphic credit: BASF
Europe, Middle East, Africa: Gains for its most popular colors, white and black, with losses in market share for gray and silver. Notably, blue and red also lost market share and orange started appearing in car buyers' preferences.
“White and black increased this year, but the bigger story is diversity in the chromatic colors,” said Mark Gutjahr, head of Automotive Color Design, EMEA. “When you add the market share of yellow, orange, brown, and green, you can see more hues and diversity, reflecting a more nuanced color palette and a depth and breadth of color that has developed in the last year or two.”
Asia Pacific: White is most popular but the real focus this year is the increase in gray shades, gaining at 6% points and taking market share from blue, red, gold and brown.
“Gray is more attractive and popular than ever. Users never give up pursuing uniqueness and individuality in achromatic colors,” said Chiharu Matsuhara, head of design, Asia Pacific. “Some gray shades with blue or violet undertones are working their way into the market, with solid-like effects and also added color pearl effects showing great diversity in the color space.”
South America: White, silver, and beige dominate this historically conservative market. For chromatic colors, red and blue were stable.
“South America is still a conservative region. Buying a vehicle in SA means you may not have the same variety of colors, but within each color space, there are some really exciting and different effects,” said Marcos Fernandes, Director Regional Business Management, Automotive Coatings South America.
The BASF Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings is a data analysis from BASF’s Coatings division based on global automotive production and paint application to non-commercial vehicles in 2022.
Photo Credit: Mazda. Artisan Red on the new 2024 CX-90.