Almost HALF of new cars are grey or black, reflecting buyers’ view of the economy

New information from SMMT reveals Grey is the number one choice for new cars, followed by black and white, together making 63 per cent of new cars in 2023.

We may have bought more cars in 2023 than we have since before Covid, but with long-running turmoil in the state of the nation over the last six years, colour options have stayed very muted.

From all the Brexit shenanigans through Covid, inflation, war, rising interest rates, ever-shifting PMs and more, the national mood has been sombre for some time, illustrated by the colour choice we make when we buy a new car.

Just as it has been for the last six years, the number one colour choice was grey (26.8 per cent) followed by Black (20.2 per cent) and white (16.5 per cent), closely followed by blue (15.1 per cent).

Top-selling grey cars included the Ford Puma, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage, with the best-selling models by colour grey Nissan Qashqai, black Vauxhall Corsa and white Tesla Model Y.

Once you churn through the top four colours, colour choices are in single digits with Red (7.5 per cent), silver (6.5 per cent) and green (2.8 per cent), with orange, yellow, bronze and others all below 1.0 per cent.

Mike Hawes, SMMT CEO, said:

2023 was a bumper year for the British new car market, as buyers continued to gravitate towards familiar monochrome hues for another year – even as ever more motorists embrace new technologies. Car manufacturers have diligently expanded their offerings, with a huge selection of colour options available across hundreds of models and thousands of specification options. The extensive variety allows drivers flexibility in choosing a tint that embodies their individuality and style.