by Popularity of Neutral Colors
If you drive a brightly colored car in Europe, you belong to a shrinking minority. The prevailing trend on continental roads leans towards restraint, with a vast majority of new cars painted in shades of gray, white, or black. Of course, there are exceptions, and models like the Fiat 500 or the new Renault 5 more confidently wear color than most.
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A recent analysis by Jato Dynamics showed that in the five largest European markets, almost 70% of new cars are painted white, gray, or black. Gray is the most common among them, accounting for 27.3% of sales, followed by white with 22% and black with 18%.
Numerical Advantages of Colors
After black, the fourth most popular color is blue, which accounts for 12.1% of new car sales. This places it above red with a share of 7.4%, silver with 5.4%, and green with 2.8%. Jato notes that even for cars advertised with bright colors, such as the Renault Clio, most buyers choose restrained and neutral tones rather than fancy colors.
Exceptions to the Rules
The Fiat 500 and the new Renault 5 are a bit different. Sales data shows that while 14% of new 500 sales are black cars, 12% are yellow, and another 12% are gold. Furthermore, red exceeds the industry average, accounting for 8% of sales, blue for 7%, green for 3%, and pink for 3%. Perhaps most surprisingly, while gray accounts for 27.3% of all new car sales in Europe, only 2% of new Fiat 500s are painted gray.
Interior Choice
The study also examined how buyers choose their car interiors, and the results varied greatly by country. German and British buyers tend to prefer premium finishes, with 57% of Germans and 53% of Brits paying 500–1000 euros ($580–$1160) for leather interiors. In contrast, fabric remains king in Southern Europe, with 85% of Spanish buyers, along with three-quarters of Italians and French, choosing the more affordable option.
Car colors may not define you, but they definitely say something. So, are you joining the gray army, or are you bold enough to drive up in something loud enough to annoy the neighbors?
Interestingly, even within the overall trend towards neutral colors, certain models continue to attract buyers with bright options, which may indicate that the car market remains diverse in tastes. Color choice can also affect resale value, as some shades retain popularity longer, making them more practical for those planning to change cars in a few years.
