More than a quarter of drivers chose the same colour for their new car in 2024 as Brits avoid vibrant shades that could easily lose value on the used market.

16:26, Sat, Jan 18, 2025 | UPDATED: 16:27, Sat, Jan 18, 2025

Grey Hyundai Kona crossover in the countryside

The SMMT highlighted that grey was the most popular car colour for the seventh year running in 2024 (Image: Getty)

A new study has found the most popular colours for new cars during 2024, with the same shade holding on to the top spot for seven years running.

Whilst choosing the right model is of key importance to new car buyers, many Brits are equally as choosy about the colour they pick, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) stating that grey is the most common choice.

Paul Barker, editor of the motoring publication Auto Express, highlighted that one of the key reasons why so many drivers choose grey is to avoid the risk of losing value on the used market.

He explained: "The SMMT new car colour figures are out and reveal that Britain’s obsession with grey shows no signs of losing steam. With grey taking the top spot for the seventh year in a row and black holding steady in second, the chart reflects a national tendency to play it safe.

"But I don't think this monochrome obsession is because people don’t like bright cars; no, it is more down to the fact we are trapped in a vicious circle that stems from the used car market."

Aerial view of a light grey Ford Puma crossover

Drivers commonly choose monochrome colours to avoid higher depreciation rates (Image: Getty)

According to the SMMT, 27.8 percent of all new cars sold in the UK throughout 2024 were painted in some shade of grey, with other popular colours including black and white.

The most popular non-monochrome shade was blue, which accounted for 14.9 percent of new cars during the 12-month period, with red coming in fifth.

More exotic choices for new car colours, including green, orange, and yellow, also featured in the top 10, but only accounted for 4.7 percent of new cars combined.

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Three quarter view of green Renault 5 E-Tech

Fiat and Renault no longer sell new cars in grey, focusing on more vibrant colours (Image: Getty)

Whilst many drivers are scared to buy a car in a bold colour to protect its resale value, Paul highlighted that many cars often look their best in a daring shade.

He added: "Private buyers avoid bold colours like yellow, fearing poor resale value, while fleet managers stick to safe shades for the same reason.

"But do bright cars really struggle to sell? Models in standout hues like Skoda’s Dragon Green or BMW’s Sao Paulo Yellow are far more memorable than yet another metallic grey."

Top 10 most popular car colours of 2024 (market share):

  1. Grey - 27.8 percent
  2. Black - 21.7 percent
  3. Blue- 14.9 percent
  4. White - 14.9 percent
  5. Red - 7.0 percent
  6. Silver - 6.3 percent
  7. Green - 3.5 percent
  8. Orange - 0.6 percent
  9. Yellow - 0.6 percent
  10. Bronze - 0.3 percent