Gray and silver are most popular in New York and Los Angeles. San Franciscans like white and Bostonians like black.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the U.S., customers have different preferences. Red is popular in the Midwest. Drivers in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh like green. And Phoenix and Miami customers like warm colors—orange and gold.
Across the ocean, tastes tend to be equally as diverse: French and Italian motorists like cream-colored vehicles, not a surprise given their café cultures. The Irish like silver. Customers in Denmark prefer black, while those in Belgium like gray.
Only one country in Europe has a top color other than white, black or silver: The Czech Republic chooses blue.
“The trend continues to be toward core colors—the classics,” said Susan Swek, Ford’s group chief designer for color and materials. “We strive to achieve the best black, silver, white and gray. We’re always working to make them even more appealing.”
Vehicle owners everywhere use color choice to convey messages about themselves, but color choices are also influenced by culture and fashion trends.
These findings are from Ford’s annual look at U.S. car-buying preferences as well as an international color study by DuPont.
Research also shows that white is the new red; dark grays, blacks and blues are also popular, mirroring fashion trends. Also, new paint technologies, such as tricoat pearl technology and tinted clear coats, keep colors fresh by adding a modern twist to classic hues.
