Best car colours?
Discussion
The standard features on even the most basic car in 2025 boggles the mind, as do the array of extra cost options available, particularly on premium cars but the one thing that consistently disappoints is the palette of exterior paint colours available. Typically, the choice is black, silver, white or grey and maybe a dark blue or burgundy colour if you're lucky. Even so called "fun" cars like MINIs and Fiat 500s have a pretty dreary colour pallete these days. This wasn't always the case, I remember working in the motor trade in the early 2000s and the manufacturers that I worked for (Mercedes/MG Rover/Volkswagen) had a great choice of colours available. 4 different shades of blue for example wasn't unheard of, so I'm not sure exactly what happened in the interim.
I have owned cars of most colours myself (including gold) but never an orange, yellow or grey car (although I did have a mk5 Golf company car in grey). I usually buy my cars used, so paint colour is secondary to spec for me. For instance, my current vehicle is white but given the choice, I would probably never choose black, silver, grey or white as my first choice. Having said that, some cars look quite good in those colours. I quite like Land Rover Carpathian grey and some pearlescent whites look quite nice like the one that was available on the Alfa 147 GTA for example but given the choice, I would tend to pick blue, red (or green) if available, which is a privilege that often comes with buying new I guess. My parents are quite particular about colour though and would never own a black, silver or white car, even at the expense of an optimum spec car.
I have only owned 3 cars new, so got to pick the colour twice (red and blue) but my first new car purchase was a bit disappointing, as I had to pick from stock and they only had black or silver available (I picked black). I guess the only time that I have chosen my car based on colour was my laser green 205 GTi and when we bought my wife's used Mazda CX5 last year, they had a crystal blue one and a black one in and we chose the crystal blue (but would have probably gone with the soul red had there been one available). However when I think of my "dream" cars that I would like to own, I often picture them in a specific colour.
So whether it be colours available on new or older cars, what are your favourite car colours? Just a few of mine.
Mazda soul red
Renault liquid yellow
Ford spirit/RS blue. I think the metallic blue on the Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo ST and the mk1/2 Focus RS was the same colour but I might be wrong. Nevertheless, a great Fast Ford colour and I didn't like the wishy washy blue that they replaced it with on the newer Fiesta/Focus STs nearly as much.
Alfa Romeo Montreal Green. I like the green available on the current BMW M3/M4 too but minus points as it's only available on a fugly car!
I have owned cars of most colours myself (including gold) but never an orange, yellow or grey car (although I did have a mk5 Golf company car in grey). I usually buy my cars used, so paint colour is secondary to spec for me. For instance, my current vehicle is white but given the choice, I would probably never choose black, silver, grey or white as my first choice. Having said that, some cars look quite good in those colours. I quite like Land Rover Carpathian grey and some pearlescent whites look quite nice like the one that was available on the Alfa 147 GTA for example but given the choice, I would tend to pick blue, red (or green) if available, which is a privilege that often comes with buying new I guess. My parents are quite particular about colour though and would never own a black, silver or white car, even at the expense of an optimum spec car.
I have only owned 3 cars new, so got to pick the colour twice (red and blue) but my first new car purchase was a bit disappointing, as I had to pick from stock and they only had black or silver available (I picked black). I guess the only time that I have chosen my car based on colour was my laser green 205 GTi and when we bought my wife's used Mazda CX5 last year, they had a crystal blue one and a black one in and we chose the crystal blue (but would have probably gone with the soul red had there been one available). However when I think of my "dream" cars that I would like to own, I often picture them in a specific colour.
So whether it be colours available on new or older cars, what are your favourite car colours? Just a few of mine.
Mazda soul red
Renault liquid yellow
Ford spirit/RS blue. I think the metallic blue on the Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo ST and the mk1/2 Focus RS was the same colour but I might be wrong. Nevertheless, a great Fast Ford colour and I didn't like the wishy washy blue that they replaced it with on the newer Fiesta/Focus STs nearly as much.
Alfa Romeo Montreal Green. I like the green available on the current BMW M3/M4 too but minus points as it's only available on a fugly car!
Edited by white_goodman on Friday 31st January 15:52
It's a sad state of affairs that for many cars white is now the most "interesting" colour you can get!!
It's interesting only really in the sense that you can accurately describe it unlike the many different tones of grey metallic......
It really is about time some bright normal colours made a comeback, like the bright "Postman Pat" red or that bright metallic blue they made loads of Citroen Saxos in 25 years ago.
I think half of the problem though is that so many cars are bulbous and ugly these days, and anything other than road grime grey really just makes that more obvious than ever. You can get a Qashqai in a fairly similar blue to that Saxo colour, but instead of looking good, it just really accentuates how ugly and pointlessly big the car is
It's interesting only really in the sense that you can accurately describe it unlike the many different tones of grey metallic......
It really is about time some bright normal colours made a comeback, like the bright "Postman Pat" red or that bright metallic blue they made loads of Citroen Saxos in 25 years ago.
I think half of the problem though is that so many cars are bulbous and ugly these days, and anything other than road grime grey really just makes that more obvious than ever. You can get a Qashqai in a fairly similar blue to that Saxo colour, but instead of looking good, it just really accentuates how ugly and pointlessly big the car is
That Mazda red metallic is lovely, chap round the corner had a 6 (until the Diesel engine shat itself as they do) he kept it polished really well, was a pleasure to lay eyes on.
My favourite colour is Merc's GreenBlack from the nineties/noughties, or any decent shade of very dark metallic green, but then i lke seeing a nicely dressed woman in a dark green dress so maybe thats just my quirk.
Quite like Ford's Burnt Orange as found on sporty Focci, and a bright yellow can be fun on the right car.
Seen some Skodas in what can only be described as flat primer grey, brand new they look 10 years old, a dark metallic grey or anthracite is one thing but base primer grey? what were they thinking, some Aldis too.
My favourite colour is Merc's GreenBlack from the nineties/noughties, or any decent shade of very dark metallic green, but then i lke seeing a nicely dressed woman in a dark green dress so maybe thats just my quirk.
Quite like Ford's Burnt Orange as found on sporty Focci, and a bright yellow can be fun on the right car.
Seen some Skodas in what can only be described as flat primer grey, brand new they look 10 years old, a dark metallic grey or anthracite is one thing but base primer grey? what were they thinking, some Aldis too.
Smint said:
That Mazda red metallic is lovely, chap round the corner had a 6 (until the Diesel engine shat itself as they do) he kept it polished really well, was a pleasure to lay eyes on.
It seems to be a universally well regarded colour. My parents have had a couple of soul red Mazdas now. I'll give a shout out to the Cerion silver that was the colour of my NB MX5 too. I wasn't sure about it at first but I came to love it. Had a very thick lustre and a greenish sheen to it in the sunlight. Worked well with the dark blue hood and leather too.Lots of great shouts, even for this colourblind fool.
I'll also add in one I've owned - Mazda Montego Blue on a NB MX5. Lovely colour shifting colour in different lights, from deep blue to a bluey-green.
And one I haven't - Mercedes Brilliant Blue. The depth of colour is just stunning.
I'll also add in one I've owned - Mazda Montego Blue on a NB MX5. Lovely colour shifting colour in different lights, from deep blue to a bluey-green.
And one I haven't - Mercedes Brilliant Blue. The depth of colour is just stunning.
Colour options tend to be very limited and boring on current mainstream cars.
As well as the previously mentioned Mazda Soul Red, I also really like the Toyota Scarlet Flare that I have on my Corolla (seen here on a GR Yaris). It pops beautifully in strong sunlight.
Another current colour I love is Lotus Autumn Bronze.
As well as the previously mentioned Mazda Soul Red, I also really like the Toyota Scarlet Flare that I have on my Corolla (seen here on a GR Yaris). It pops beautifully in strong sunlight.
Another current colour I love is Lotus Autumn Bronze.
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