Walk through any dealership forecourt and it’s a sea of white, grey and black. That’s not just your eyes: the vast majority of new cars are “achromatic” (white/grey/black) across most markets. Global color suppliers say white has remained the world’s most popular car color for years, with grey and black steadily gaining share, and regional preferences converging toward neutrals.
The numbers: what people actually buy
- Australia (WA as a case study, FY2024): 82% of new cars were monochrome; white alone was 44%. Vibrant colors (red, yellow, green, blue, purple) collectively made up just 10%. Industry figures blamed fleet buying and conservative consumer tastes.
- United Kingdom (2024 full year): Grey was 27.8% of all new registrations—No.1 for the seventh straight year—with black second and blue third.
- Global picture: Color leader Axalta reports white remains No.1 worldwide, with grey and black rising, and regional palettes continuing to cluster around neutrals. BASF’s OEM coatings report likewise finds achromatic colors dominate across all regions.
How we got here
1) Fleets buy a lot of cars—and they buy safe colours
Large fleet purchasers (rentals, government, corporate) prioritise easy remarketing and brand neutrality, which heavily skews orders to white and greyscale. In WA’s 2024 data (a good proxy for Australia’s tastes), the tilt to white/achromatic is stark (see above). Fleet mix has outsized influence because fleets turn over cars quickly, feeding the used market and reinforcing the cycle.
2) Resale value pressures private buyers to pick “safe”
Used-car analytics consistently show that unconventional colours can either help or hurt resale depending on the segment and rarity, but the perception that neutrals are safer for resale is powerful. (In fact, iSeeCars’ long-running studies in the U.S. often find rare brights like yellow or orange can depreciate least precisely because they’re scarce; yet shoppers still default to greyscale.)
3) Manufacturers trimmed complexity—and colour counts are an easy lever
Every extra paint code adds inventory, quality control, and paint-shop changeovers. Car makers have been simplifying build combinations in recent years; limiting paint palettes is a fast way to cut complexity and waste—and it helps when demand already skews neutral. (Paint lines are among the highest energy users and emission sources in final assembly, so fewer changeovers matter for both cost and sustainability.)
4) Supply shocks taught manufacturers to standardise
After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, a global shortage of Merck’s Xirallic effect pigments forced many OEMs to pull certain colours (notably shimmering silvers, blacks and reds) from order books. That episode underscored how fragile speciality pigments can be and nudged palettes toward more robust, easier-to-source choices.
5) Safety, maintenance and practicality nudge buyers to white/grey
Monash University’s landmark study of crash risk found black cars had a ~12% higher crash risk than white (after controlling for road, light and weather conditions), with other dark hues also worse than white in some conditions. Add in the perception that white/grey stay looking cleaner and hide scratches better, and the practical case for neutrals gets stronger.
What this looks like on the ground: concrete examples
- Australia: “premium paint” charges push many shoppers to neutrals.
Toyota’s mainstream models typically add ~A$675 for optional metallic/mica paint; many buyers simply skip the upcharge and choose white. - Tesla’s tight palettes (and pricing) reinforce the trend.
In Australia, Model 3/Model Y palettes are just five–six colours, and most non-white paints cost extra (e.g., A$2,400 for Solid Black, A$2,900 for Stealth Grey or Deep Blue Metallic, A$3,900 for Ultra Red, A$2,900 for Quicksilver). Minimal palettes + surcharges = more white/grey on the road. - Even when bold colours arrive, they’re limited and premium-priced.
Tesla’s Berlin plant introduced multi-layer “Quicksilver” and “Midnight Cherry Red” using an advanced paint shop (up to ~13 layers, per Tesla-watching coverage). They’re exclusive to Giga Berlin markets and cost extra, illustrating how the most interesting colours are often restricted and premiumised. - UK: greys dominate across segments.
With 27.8% market share in 2024, grey led every UK nation and most body styles; black and white rounded out the podium, echoing buyer conservatism across the board.
The paint-shop economics you don’t see
- Energy & emissions: Automotive paint shops are typically the biggest energy users at assembly plants and a major source of CO₂. Less variety means fewer colour changeovers, shorter purges, and lower waste/solvent use.
- Changeover waste: Every switch from, say, blue to red requires flushing lines; suppliers stress that cutting colour changeovers materially reduces solvent and material waste.
Will colour come back?
There are green shoots. UK data shows blue moved back into the top three in 2024 for the first time since 2010, and BASF’s trend books keep spotlighting rich greens and complex effect pigments. But until incentives change—resale norms, fleet preferences, option pricing, and factory efficiency—the default will stay neutral.
TL;DR (with receipts)
- Monochrome dominance: 82% of new cars in WA (FY2024) were white/grey/black; white alone 44%.
- UK: Grey 27.8% (No.1 for the 7th year) in 2024; black 2nd, blue 3rd.
- Global: White still No.1; grey/black rising; achromatics dominate in all regions.
- Pricing nudges: Toyota metallic ~A$675; Tesla Australia charges A$2.4k–A$3.9k for most paints beyond white.
- Factory realities: Paint shops = biggest energy users; fewer colours = fewer changeovers and less waste.
- History lesson: 2011 pigment shock forced OEMs to delete certain colours, reinforcing standardised palettes.
- Safety perception: Black cars show ~12% higher crash risk vs white in MUARC’s study; buyers equate lighter neutrals with visibility and low hassle.
Comparison: Australian new car colour popularity in 2024*
| Rank | Colour | Approx. market share* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | White | 35% |
| 2 | Grey | 25% |
| 3 | Black | 15% |
| 4 | Silver | 10% |
| 5 | Blue | 7% |
| 6 | Red | 6% |
| 7 | Other (green, yellow, etc.) | 2% |
*Based on industry estimates.
