What is the most popular car colour in the UK?
When it comes to the UK's popular car colours, it's a bit of grey area unfortunately.
Of the UK's bestselling car colours, grey topped the list of car colours nationwide in 2025. Grey cars accounted for 27.6% of new cars, followed by black (23%) and blue (15.2%).
Monochrome Car Colours Dominate UK Roads
Whilst the most common car colours in the UK are made up of a medley of monochrome, just how popular are these three car colours?
Well, a whopping 65.8% of new cars in 2025 were painted in these three rather austere shades, according to data from the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
“UK car buyers’ preferences remain pretty consistent, with monochrome continuing to lead in popularity. The surge in green, however, matches the growing popularity of electrified cars as the new car market decarbonises. As ever, manufacturers are responding by expanding model ranges, colours and finishes, giving UK drivers more opportunities to personalise their vehicles – even if grey matters most.” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.
What are the 10 most popular car colours in the UK?
2025 marked a standout year for green, reflected in both colour preference and powertrain given the shift towards electrification.
At the bottom of the popularity palette, maroon, pink and turquoise counted just 342 registrations between them, highlighting Britain’s enduring preference for more understated tones.
1. Grey - The Timeless Choice
Grey, the go-to for 27.6% of UK car owners, grey is usually associated with stability and reliability and results in a sleek and modern aesthetic. It's the James Bond of colours—timeless, sophisticated, and appropriate for any occasion. Despite the mundane appearance grey cars easily hide dirt, ensuring your car stays effortlessly polished.
2. Black – Luxury and Elegance
Black was the second-most chosen car colour for new car buyers in the UK. 23% of new cars in the UK in 2025 were black and this was the favoured shade among executive cars and luxury saloons. It confirms that black is synonymous with luxury cars like Mercedes-Benz and Lexus, which often highlight black as their signature colour.
Did you know? Black absorbs more heat than the lighter hues—talk about being hot!
3. Blue – Calm, Cool and Classic
Fourth on the list pf popular car colours is blue. Rolling with 15.2%, blue is the cool colour of choice. Calm and collected. A Ford Mustang and Subaru Impreza usually strut their stuff in bold blues, adding that extra pop of colour on UK roads.
Blue, often associated with "open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, inspiration, and sensitivity", has fallen out of favour since 1999, when it was the most popular car colour.
4. White – Clean and Modern
The desired pick for 13.1% of the country’s cars, and the rising popularity of white has been connected to the "Apple effect", and the clean, tasteful elegance of the Californian computer giant.
5. Silver – Sleek and Futuristic
Silver, the silver screen star for 6.3%, is the future-forward colour. It's not just a shade to be confused with grey cars; silver cars make for a high-tech, stylish vibe, making you feel like you're driving a spaceship.
The choice of silver is a staple colour for future-proof cars like the Tesla Model X and BMW i8 and goes beyond mere aesthetics; it symbolizes a sense of sophistication, modernity, and a timeless appeal.
6. Red – Bold but Less Common
Red, the fiery pick for 5.8% of fearless drivers, is all about making a statement. Red ("life, health, vigour, war, courage, anger, love") is often considerably behind blue cars percentage wise.
Despite being heavily associated with Ferrari, this statement colour did not make a statement in the top 5, reaching 6th in the UK’s most popular car colours.
7. Green – A Green Revolution
A bumper year for green, as the sustainable choice is up at 4.9%, reaching its highest volume since 2005. The county with the biggest sale of green cars was Berkshire.
It may be assumed that the increase in popularity is due to the increasing number of zero-emission vehicles on the road, as the bestselling green car was, in fact, the Kia Sportage
8. Yellow – Bright and Cheerful
Yellow, the sunny pick for 0.5%, is all about spreading joy on the road. Bright, cheerful, and impossible to miss, yellow cars are the real stars. Chevrolet Corvettes are best known to flaunt those sunny shades of yellow.
8. Orange – Energetic and Fun
Orange, the rebel choice for 0.5%, is here to turn heads. Energetic, vibrant, and a little bit cheeky—orange cars are like the life of the party. Commonly orange cars such as the Dodge Challenger and McLaren 720S are almost unrecognisable without their eye-catching orange hues.
10. Mauve – Rare and Elegant
Mauve, the rare gem at 0.3%, is the vintage feel you didn't know you needed. Warm, earthy, and a touch of old-school class—bronze cars are for those who appreciate the finer things. However, you’ll be shocked to learn that one of the most common Mauve cars in the UK is actually the BMW 1 Series.
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Why are red cars not as popular as they once were?
With red cars, the paint is more likely to appear faded faster than some other choices of paint colour, which could be part of the reason red cars have waned in popularity over the last few years.
Why do red cars fade?
Most experts agree that the fading of the red paint of a car, depends largely on how much the individual vehicle is exposed to sunlight and damaging UV rays.
Although this is an issue usually associated with cars in hotter climates, it can be an issue in the UK.
What factors may influence preferred car colour?
Many factors can influence a motorist’s choice of favourite car colour, these can include:
- Will it show the dirt?
- Will it be seen in the dark?
- Will it affect resale value?
- Does it express my personality?
In addition, those in warmer climates tend to choose lighter coloured cars, possibly to reflect the heat.
Perhaps it's no surprise that Brits, plagued by such changeable weather, have chosen the ultimate middle-ground shade - of grey.
How do electric vehicles influence car colour trends?
The rise of zero-emission vehicles has driven the popularity of green and other vibrant colours, as manufacturers seek to differentiate models and appeal to eco-conscious buyers.
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