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The Four Common Car Colors and Why They’re So Popular

ByTsukasa Azuma-January 28, 2022

Have you ever wondered why most cars are painted in only four colors? White, black, silver, and gray are the colors that dominate the automotive market. But why is this? What is the reason behind these color choices?

These four colors account for over three-quarters of all new car sales. So what’s the reason behind this trend? Let’s take a look at the reasons for the popularity of these colors.

Why Are Most Cars Painted in Only Four Colors?

We know that automobiles come in all sorts of colors. But if you look around, you will find most of them in four colors: black, white, silver, and gray. White color dominates the market with over 35% of all cars produced among all four options.

Let’s explore the reasons behind this widespread popularity.

The fragility of vehicle paints

When the automotive industry started its journey at the beginning of the 1900s, the technology of long-lasting and quick-drying paints was still unavailable. Black was the only quick-drying car paint at that time.

For this reason, Henry Ford chose the color black during the mass production of the Ford Model T.

Mode T was available in black only. (Credit: Piqsels)

The economic status of the consumers

Throughout history, people’s economic conditions also have influenced their choice of car colors. The dire situation of WWI discouraged people from showing off, making black the most-favorite paint choice of that time.

Thanks to new technology that produced quicker drying and more enduring paints, different car colors became popular after the war. But that trend only lasted until the 1929 Wall Street Crash that led to the Great Depression.

Until the beginning of the 21st century, mass people’s choice of car colors fluctuated according to the overall economic conditions.

The advent of modernity

Achromatic colors, primarily white and silver, perfectly capture the sleek, high-tech look of the modern era. Think about the super stylish Apple products that are perfect examples of displaying the essence.

Car companies also followed this trend and pushed the production of plenty of silver ad white vehicles. Silver has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially among luxury car brands. This might be because silver is seen as a classy and sophisticated color.

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The versatility of achromatic colors

These colors are neutral and go well with almost everything. Whether it’s an SUV, truck, or supercar, none of these options looks out of place. Such versatility also works very well in matching the branding of most companies. So, you will mostly see one of these colors in fleet vehicles.

Also, achromatic colors are not boring at all. Various shades and palettes of these colors make them visually more attractive.

Conclusion

There are a few good reasons behind the popularity of white, black, silver, and gray cars. These colors are primarily neutral and easy to maintain. They also appeal to a wide range of consumers and are seen as elegant and sophisticated colors. So, which colors will you choose when buying a car? Share your thoughts with us!

Tsukasa Azuma is an awesome car blogger of Car From Japan. He owns a car repair shop at downtown Osaka, and he put all that experience to good use in his sharing posts. Tsukasa’s blog is one of the best resources for information about keeping your favorite imported car running smoothly. Moreover, because of being passionate to learn about the recent happenings in auto industry, he doesn’t only provide great car maintenance tips, he also always updates latest trends in among car brands and share them in his own interesting viewpoint.

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