What is the UK's most popular car colour?

Would you be surprised to know that over 30% of people in the UK choose to buy a car purely based on its colour? As a driver, is colour a big factor for you? Or does car colour have no bearing whatsoever?   

Well, when it comes to car colour, it seems the British public isn’t all that adventurous! Read on to find out which colour car comes out on top, which colour sits at the bottom of the pile, and which colour car retains its value the most… 

What is the UK’s most popular car colour in 2023?

You may or may not be surprised at what colour tops the charts for drivers here in Great Britain; for the fifth year in a row, it is in fact GREY that proves to be our preferred shade.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) announced the nation’s favourite colour from data which shows over 25% of car buyers chose grey. Over the course of the past 12 months, us Brits demonstrated that grey was top choice when 415,199 new grey cars were registered in 2022 (an increase of 1.7% compared to 2021).

Dominating roads up and down the country, grey colour cars were the choice for drivers in every region of the UK, except the Scottish Borders, where blue was the hue of choice - followed by grey of course! 

What are the top 10 most popular car colours in the UK?

It seems we’re not all too keen to move away from monochrome shades; the SMMT’s report reveals over 62% of drivers in the UK chose cars that are painted grey, black or white. So, are we boring or just know what we like? Where silver was once our shade of choice, only 6.1% of buyers chose a shade of silver car in 2022.

Without further ado, here are the top 10 most popular car colours in the UK in 2023:

1. GREY: 25.7% - accounting for 415,199 new cars sold
2. BLACK: 20.1% - accounting for 324,993 new cars sold
3. WHITE: 16.7% - accounting for 268,886 new cars sold
4. BLUE: 16% - accounting for 259,950 new cars sold
5. RED: 8.5% - accounting for 136,793 new cars sold
6. SILVER: 6.1% - accounting for 98,549 news cars sold
7. GREEN: 1.9% - accounting for 31,220 new cars sold
8. ORANGE: 1.2% - accounting for 19,403 new cars sold
9. YELLOW: 0.7% - accounting for 10,662 new cars sold
10. BRONZE: 0.5% - accounting for 7,800 new cars sold

What is the least popular car colour in the UK in 2023?

At the opposite end of scale, the least popular car colours in the UK are:

• Maroon

• Pink

• Cream

These colours accounted for less than 1% of all cars sold in 2022, so let’s see if the stats on these will improve by the end of 2023…   

What is the most expensive car colour in the UK?

The most expensive colour of car tends to be gold, which is probably why the shade didn’t make it into the top 10 list! 

If you’re tempted by a golden hue, then you may want to think twice; gold-coloured cars are less likely to retain their value, due to being less desirable than other shades. But, on the other hand, gold cars came up top for looking the least dirtiest! 

What colour car retains its value the most?

When it comes to the value of your car, colour can play a big part. Muted colours such as white, grey and silver tend to have the biggest resale value in comparison to bolder hues. Maybe this is why grey has become the most popular colour car in the UK for the fifth year in a row.

What is the safest colour car in the UK?

The car colour least likely to be involved in an accident or collision is in fact white. In a worldwide study conducted by the Monash University Accident Research Centre, it found that white colour cars are 12% less likely to be involved in a road traffic incident.  

By comparison, the car colour most likely to be involved in an accident is red. Often considered a colour of danger, maybe there is quite literally a reason to be wary of the colour red.  

What colour is most or least likely to get pulled over by the police?

Although it seems absurd, there is actually data to show that the colour of your car can affect if and how often you could get pulled over by the police. While red is often considered the colour most likely to get pulled over, this isn’t necessarily true.

Contrary to popular belief, it is in fact white cars that are more prone to being pulled over by the police. There is a 3% higher chance that a white car will get pulled over compared to a red car.

Does car colour affect vehicle insurance?

The colour of car you choose can affect how much you pay for vehicle insurance, but not necessarily for the reasons you may think…

Instead, the likelihood of your car insurance premium proving more costly is due to the type of paint used on your vehicle. Metallic paint is more expensive than standard matte colours, so it will of course cost more to fix if your car was to be involved in an accident. 

Here is a visual summary of what we’ve covered in the article - which colour car will you choose… 

Find your favourite colour car at Wilsons Epsom

Whether grey is the shade for you or if you prefer a car that is a much more vibrant colour, then make Wilsons Epsom your first choice.

Our dealership is the largest family-run new and used car and van supermarket in the South of England, and our Surrey-based multi-franchise showroom stocks hundreds of vehicles all in one place. 

If the nation’s favourite colour car is the hue for you, then discover over 150 shades of brand new grey cars for sale, or why not explore the variety of white-coloured new cars on sale - considered to be the ‘safest’ colour choice for drivers in the UK.

All of our new cars and used cars can be found online, where you can filter the results by colour to find the perfect hue for you!