What hue is universally associated with refrigerators, is virtually impossible to keep clean consistently, and just topped the popularity charts for car colors for the 10th year in a row? If you chose the color white then you won the grand prize with the typically unassuming shade being named the most popular car color for new vehicles for the 10th year in a row according to Axalta.
Running away with the vote
The report was put together by the folks at Axalta (a firm specializing in industrial paint coatings) with the goal of helping automakers understand and predict color trends. According to the report, one in three cars built during 2020 was white which represents the lions share of the data with that figure translating to a whopping 38%. If that result looks familiar it’s because it’s the third year in a row that white has held on to that particular figure.
As for the remaining field of hues black came in second at 19% followed by gray at 15% and silver at 9%. We’ll admit its not the most exciting paint roster on the planet and at first glance you wouldn’t be criticized for forgetting it. However, Axalta reps are quick to point out the importance of the report claiming “We’re pleased to share this data … to work with our customers to bring dynamic colors to life.”
The tide is changing
While white is still the undisputed front runner in the color popularity charts, a closer look does appear to reveal that change is coming to other spots on the list and that dynamic colors could make a roaring comeback. For example, Axalta claims that the color blue has seen a recent uptick in popularity while silver’s demand has been sliding downward. This fact of life can be seen in Axalta’s own color of the year choice, with the firm picking Sea Glass as its 2020 color of the year. Sea Glass is a greenish-blue hue that’s supposed to be inspired by various bodies of water. Sea Glass has not been used in any production models as of yet, but it already made its first real world debut in NASCAR, with the hue being used to adorn the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 racer that was driven by William Byron earlier this year.
We suspect that more of this shift in demand will be visible in Axalta’s 2021 report but in the meantime look for white to still be the pre-dominant hue when you cruise through the parking lots of malls everywhere. Thankfully there are welcome exceptions like the GT350 Heritage Edition that Ford released a short while ago.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.