Axalta Releases 2025 Global Automotive Color Popularity Report

Axalta (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global coatings company, today released its 73rd Global Automotive Color Popularity Report. This latest report, which examines the automotive body color landscape for 2025, once again revealed that white, gray, and black have become the mainstream body colors. Axalta's report on body color popularity was first published in 1953, making it the longest-running and most comprehensive survey of automotive body colors in the industry.

Axalta's 2025 Global Automotive Color Popularity Report revealed steady movement rather than dramatic shifts, with achromatic colors continuing to dominate the market. White maintained its top position at 29%, followed by black (23%) and gray (22%), indicating the enduring popularity of timeless, clean designs.

Silver lost momentum, dropping to 7%. Meanwhile, blue maintained 6%, solidifying its position as the most popular chromatic color. This high popularity of blue also indicates continued interest in subtle shades of chromatic colors. Red, brown/beige, green, and yellow/gold contribute to global body colors with smaller shares.

Dr. Ray Chao, Axalta's Vice President of Technology for Mobility Coatings, stated: "This year's report reveals the continued dominance of achromatic colors in global body colors, while also highlighting a growing interest in paint finishes that bring depth, movement, and individuality to vehicle styling. Overall, the 2025 landscape reflects a market that, while rooted in simplicity, is increasingly embracing sophisticated color expression and modern paint finishes."

The report also indicates subtle regional differences in color popularity.

North America: White leads at 31%, but with a slight decrease compared to 2024. This is due to the growing popularity of chromatic colors, with North American drivers showing an increasing tendency to choose bolder colors, with blue at 10% and red at 7%. This reflects a broader cultural shift towards customization and distinctive styling.

Europe: In this region, gray accounted for a significant proportion at 26%, a slight increase from 2024, as elegant and understated designs continue to be favored. White at 25% and black at 22% maintained a strong presence, creating a range of body colors rooted in sophistication that harmonize with Europe's smart and modern vehicle styling.

Asia: In Asia, black increased to 26% across the region, but there is also a continued shift towards expressive colors, with yellow/gold increasing to 4%, green to 3%, and noticeable colors like orange and purple to 2%. In the rapidly expanding electric vehicle (EV) market, bold and saturated hues help brands establish uniqueness and differentiate themselves from competitors.

"Axalta's unique resin chemistry enables us to develop and provide a diverse range of body colors that meet the varied demands of different customers, cultures, and climates, while also ensuring the durability, performance, and sustainability of our coatings," said Dr. Robert Roop, Axalta's Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.

Each year, Axalta analyzes automotive manufacturing data from major global automotive production regions and key markets to publish global color popularity rankings, regional trends, and indicators of current market preferences. The report showcases the 10 most popular body color families, providing insights into the constantly evolving color preferences in the global market.

About Axalta Coating Systems

Axalta provides a wide range of high-performance coatings worldwide, including paints for light vehicles and commercial vehicles for OEM manufacturers, and repair paint pretreatment systems and painting systems for body shops, as well as for various industrial applications. Our team serves over 100,000 customers in more than 140 countries. With over 150 years of experience and influence, Axalta innovates and creates smarter coating surface solutions for a better life and a sustainable future.