Axalta: Analysis of global popularity of vehicle colors in 2025

Axalta's Global Automotive Color Popularity Report 2025 shows a steady trend rather than dramatic changes, with neutral colors continuing to dominate the market. White remains the leading color at 29 percent, followed by black at 23 percent and gray at 22 percent, highlighting the continued preference for clean, timeless design. Silver lost momentum with 7 percent, while blue maintained its position as the strongest chromatic color with 6 percent, signaling the continued interest in subtle, chromatic tones. Red, brown/beige, green and yellow/gold continue to make smaller but steady contributions to the global color palette. "This year's report shows how neutral colors continue to dominate the global palette, even as interest increases in paint finishes that add depth, movement and individuality to vehicle design," said Dr. Lei Qiao, Vice President - Technology, Mobility Coatings at Axalta. "Overall, the landscape for 2025 reflects a market that is focused on simplicity, but increasingly open to sophisticated color accents and contemporary paint finishes."

Global Automotive Color Popularity Report by Region

The report also captures slight changes in the popularity of colors by geographic location. North America: White leads the way at 31 percent, a slight decrease from 2024, as chromatic colors gain popularity. Drivers in North America are increasingly opting for bolder colors, with blue at 10 percent and red at 7 percent, reflecting a broader cultural shift towards customization and eye-catching design. South America: White leads the way at 35 percent and is prized for its practicality and performance in warmer climates. Silver rose to 14 percent and blue to 7 percent, indicating a continued growing interest in modern, sophisticated hues. Gray at 23 percent and red at 4 percent round out a palette that is trending towards brighter, fresher expressions. Europe: Grey dominates with 26%, a slight increase on 2024, as the region continues to favor refined, understated design. White at 25 percent and black at 22 percent maintain their strong presence, creating a palette based on sophistication that harmonizes with Europe's sleek, modern vehicle design. Asia: Asia continues to move towards expressive colors, with yellow/gold rising to 4 percent and green to 3 percent, and eye-catching hues such as orange and purple increasing to 2 percent. In a fast-growing electric vehicle market, bold, rich hues are helping brands strengthen their identity and stand out, even as black increases to 26 percent across the region.

Axalta analyzes the vehicle color market annually

"Thanks to our proprietary resin chemistry, Axalta is able to develop and offer a comprehensive palette that meets the diverse color needs of different customers, cultures and climates while ensuring coating durability, performance and sustainability," said Dr. Robert Roop, SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Axalta. Each year, Axalta analyzes vehicle manufacturing data from leading vehicle production regions and major markets worldwide to produce global rankings of paint popularity, regional trends and an indicator of current market preferences. The report highlights the 10 most popular automotive color spaces and provides insights into the evolution of color preferences in global markets.