Color matters. It sets the tone for your day and quickens, or not, your pulse. It hides dirt, or it doesn’t; it brightens—or not—your car’s cabin.
We are so intentional with the colors of our clothes, our houses, our bathrooms and our handbags. But car colors? Not always.
Car makers love to play with color but they don’t always get it right. Some colors leave me feeling like I can’t get away fast enough, or worse, for the gross images or icky memories a color can evoke. A lot of those are things are difficult to say out loud, so I’ll say it here, and also, share some awesome alternatives that car makers get right.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Car Buyers Don’t Always Pick the Color of Their New Car; Dealers Do
The most common car colors on the road are silver, black and gray, and the reason for this is a self-fulfilling prophecy: Dealers don’t like to take risks, so they order cars in colors that sold the most in prior years: silver, black and gray. It’s not that we like those colors, it’s that since dealers ordered those in the past and they sold, they order them again. Most buyers simply choose from what is available, which tend to be … silver, black and gray.
Same with interiors. Most are some form of black, gray or black and gray. Not just boring, but cold in winter and hot in summer. Unflattering. Hard to see the dirt and hard to clean.
But great car colors and interiors are out there; if you have a little patience you can order a car with the color and interior that makes you happy. If you’re persistent you can cruise the car shopping sites and find the combo that fits and flatters.
Read: 7 Best Luxury 3 Row SUVs
One Car Color I Wish Would Go Away: Blood Red Interiors
This color palette is at the top of my eww, no list. Red has long been the favored color for racing fans, creating an instant distinction between regular cars and sports cars.
But to the average woman, this color, especially when it’s a muted dark red, means something else: stains that can be impossible to clean, garments that are ruined, pain, cramps and inconvenience. We spend so much of our lives trying to get this color out of things, why would we want to loll around in it every day?
Read: 11 Best Luxury SUV Interiors On a Budget: Shouldn’t Every Day Feel Extra ?
Want to Feel Sporty? Go for Tone on Tone Gray
This color combo says “muscular.’ Thanks to the Athletas and LuluLemons of the world we have come to see gray spandex that moves with our every muscle, toned or not, as a sign of athleticism. It’ll do that for your car too, accentuating the right curves and hiding the lines you don’t want to look at.
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Chartreuse, or Yellow/Green Invoke ‘Oh, Nooooo’
This is another, er, human color that I can live without seeing. It can look like the grossest part of a bad cold, the type that leaves you shuddering in disgust from coughing or sneezing. It’s the color you have to reluctantly admit to the doctor you’re producing from your lungs so she’ll prescribe an antibiotic. The experience is so unpleasant I can’t imagine being reminded of it on the daily.
Read: Your New Car is Built For Off-Roading. But Does It Have What It Takes for Overlanding?
A Great Alternative: A Rich, Reflective Red
Amazing things can be done with red paint: it can be deeply reflective, rich, robust and satisfying. Mazda’s Crystal Soul Red is one of the best—just try looking away—but many carmakers have great reds. In addition to delivering a happy drive, reds have better resale value, too.
Don’t Drive a Boring Black Abyss
Black has had its day. There was a time that every car had to be black because it was the only way to be cool. No longer.
And while black may come back, it’s not back yet. Of course, not all black interiors are an abyss just waiting for pre-licked lollipops and juice-box puddles to surprise you; accent colors, wood tones, chrome and ambient lighting can really lighten up the interior.
And black exterior paints can have subtle sparkle, rainbow metallics and deep reflective gloss that allows shapes and spaces undulate. If black is your instinct, look closely to find deeper definition; you won’t regret it.
Go For: Blacked Out Details and Let the Color Shine
This is where black really shines: On grilles, wheels, badges, spoilers, mirror caps and other accent details. Black, either glossy or matte, can really set off a great color, or even a boring one. A white car with black accents is and has been one of my favorite palettes in automotive for just about forever.
Just Skip It: Car Colors in Silver or Gray Metallic
Do I have to really say this? Boring. Bland. Ubiquitous. Skip silver or gray metallic—I say as I glare at the silver SUV in my driveway; it was the only one I could find with all the wishlist details I wanted when I was car shopping.
Also, it shows dirt, it rarely looks clean and screams “I don’t care!”
Go for: Sharp, Ceramic Grays That Feel Born From the Landscape
I love ceramic grays, deep earth tones that look as if they were pulled from the layers of an Arizona canyon or a potter’s studio. They can be shiny (or not) they can have mirrored layers of reflection (or not) and they can feel substantial and grounding (always).
Are Rose Gold Cars Really a Thing?
Rose gold has its place: On your finger, dangling from your ears, framing a bathroom mirror designed for the now, not the forever. Its a trend that comes and goes, so do you really want it on your forever car?
I can get behind rose gold as an interior accent, maybe as a chrome color that mutes the shine inside the car and adds warmth, but for me, it stops there. Keep the exterior timeless and let the interior deliver the panache.
This is a trend we’ve seen as concepts, but rarely as an exterior paint choice, thankfully.
The Right White is Brilliant; the Wrong White is a Mess
White is a divisive color: I love it as an exterior color, but not when it’s flat, bland and basic. Add a pearl sheen? I’m in. A tri-coat gloss? Yes, please. A deep metallic glitter with a snowflake effect? Love it.
And then, there’s the white interior gone wrong. I’m all-in on white seats and door panels, but a dashboard, carpet and headliner in a darker contrasting color not only gives the interior a chic look, it adds dirt protection and balanced the white upholstery so it’s not overwhelming.
Want to Go Bold? Buy a Bland Car and Wrap It
If you’re crafty or willing to spend a few extra dollars, you can turn that barf-green exterior paint into a glowing red metallic overnight with a vinyl wrap These are available as do-it-yourself kits or take your car to an expert and voilá, you won’t be able to stop looking at your car.
An Interior Makeover Leads to True Happiness
Your car’s interior can get a makeover, too: new carpeting, a new headliner and new upholstery can make all the difference Companies like Katzkin sell leather seat covers, as well as arm rest covers, door panel covers and more, for pretty much every car on the road. Pick a great color and then, enjoy a posh new feel in your old jalopy.
Life is too short to live with boring or depressing paint colors and interiors. Pick well and let your ride fit and flatter your life.
