In the past two decades, cars have gotten a lot less colorful.
In 2004, 40% of cars sported colors other than grayscale (white, black, gray and silver). Today, just 20% of cars are non-grayscale, according to a new iSeeCars analysis.
Recently, the website looked at more than 20 million used cars from model years 2004-2023 that were sold between January 2023 and April 2024. Then, iSeeCars calculated the change in the popularity of specific colors over two decades.
In a summary of the findings, iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer says:
“Colorful cars appear to be an endangered species. Despite a diverse palette being offered by automakers, there are far fewer non-grayscale cars sold today. They’ve lost half their market share over the past 20 years, and they could become even rarer in another 20 years.”
Here are the most — and least — popular car colors, along with how their popularity has changed since 2004.
1. White
This color accounted for:
- 15.6% of used cars from the 2004 model year
- 27.6% of used cars from the 2023 model year — an increase of 77.4% since 2004
White has become much more popular since 2004. It earned the title of most popular color about a decade ago and has held that spot ever since.
In a summary of the findings, Brauer says white and other grayscale colors continue to grow in popularity:
“Whether driven by dealers ‘playing it safe’ by ordering only popular colors, or consumers wanting to ensure maximum interest when it’s time to sell or trade in their vehicle, grayscale colors play the dominant role in the car world.”
2. Black
This color accounted for:
- 14% of used cars from the 2004 model year
- 22% of used cars from the 2023 model year — an increase of 56.5% since 2004
Black was the most popular color until white took the crown 10 years ago. Despite no longer being the most beloved color, black’s popularity overall has continued to climb over the years.
However, black might not be your best choice if safety is your prime concern. To find out more, read “5 Car Features That Can Make Driving More Dangerous.”
3. Gray
This color accounted for:
- 11.7% of used cars from the 2004 model year
- 21.3% of used cars from the 2023 model year — an increase of 81.9% since 2004
Over the past decade, gray has seen “massive” gains in popularity, according to iSeeCars. It has almost caught up to black in terms of popularity.
4. Silver
This color accounted for:
- 19% of used cars from the 2004 model year
- 9.1% of used cars from the 2023 model year — a decrease of 52.2% since 2004
Silver is the one grayscale color that has seen its desirability fall since 2004. In fact, iSeeCars notes that it has consistently declined in popularity over the past two decades.
5. Blue
This color accounted for:
- 10.8% of used cars from the 2004 model year
- 8.9% of used cars from the 2023 model year — a decrease of 18% since 2004
The popularity of blue has taken an especially steep hit among drivers of SUVs, according to iSeeCars. The percentage of blue SUVs has declined by 24.5% since 2004.
6. Red
This color accounted for:
- 11.9% of used cars from the 2004 model year
- 7.3% of used cars from the 2023 model year — a decrease of 38.1% since 2004
Those who drive trucks have turned their backs on red in a big way. The percentage of red trucks has plunged by 57% since 2004.
The most uncommon car colors
These were the most uncommon colors in 2023:
- Green: 2%
- Orange: 0.5%
- Beige: 0.5%
- Brown: 0.4%
- Yellow: 0.2%
- Gold: 0.1%
- Purple: 0.1%
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