As you can easily see on the streets: Germans prefer gray and silver-colored cars. The tastes of new cars are similar around the world, but slightly different. The most popular color in the international ranking is represented twice as often as in Germany.
Last year, white was again by far the most popular color for new cars worldwide. According to the “Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings” by the chemical company BASF, 39 percent of the vehicles produced in 2022 were painted in this color. Black (18 percent) follows in second place in the international color ranking, followed by gray (16 percent) and silver (8 percent). Overall, these achromatic colors can be found on around 80 percent of new cars worldwide.
In terms of chromatic tones, blue (8 percent) and red (5 percent) were popular in 2022, but each declined by 1 percent from the previous year. Green, brown, orange, yellow, beige and violet each have a market share of 1 percent.
For comparison: In Germany, according to data from the Federal Motor Transport Authority in 2022, the most popular color was grey/silver with 30.8 percent of newly registered vehicles. Black came second with 26.3 percent, followed by white cars with 20.2 percent. The most popular car color was blue with a share of 9.9 percent, followed by red with 5.8 percent.
In the Asia-Pacific region, white dominated with a share of 45 percent. Here, however, shades of gray are on the rise. Compared to 2021, they were able to increase from 10 to 15 percent. Black cars were still often represented (18 percent). Silver (6 percent) was less in demand. Overall, the achromatic colors come to 84 percent in new cars. But it could also be a little colourful: blue (6 percent) and red (4 percent) were quite common; Brown, green, orange, yellow, beige and violet (1 percent each) vehicles loosened up the color spectrum.
Car buyers in South America also love white cars. 39 percent of new cars rolled out of the factory buildings painted white. Gray (20 percent), silver (16 percent) and black (11 percent) also featured strongly. Red (6 percent) and blue (5 percent) brought a bit of color to the South American automotive world. South American new car buyers also opted for beige (2 percent) and brown (1 percent).
The choice of colors for new cars in North America in 2022 was also dominated by white (33 percent) and black (22 percent). After gray (15 percent), blue was the fourth most popular color with 10 percent, ahead of silver (8 percent). They were joined by red (7 percent) and green (2 percent). The colors violet, beige and yellow (each 1 percent) provided variety in the white-black-grey dominance.
In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), the four achromatic shades account for 77 percent. Here, too, white dominated (29 percent) ahead of gray and black (19 percent each) and silver (10 percent). Blue (11 percent) led the chromatic tones ahead of red (5 percent). Orange was able to improve its market share to 2 percent, putting it on par with green. Yellow, brown and beige (1 percent each) are also on the rise.
