“This year’s report reveals how enduring neutrals continue to anchor the global palette, even as interest rises in finishes that bring greater depth, movement and individuality to vehicle styling,” said Dr. Lei Qiao, Vice President – Technology, Mobility Coatings at Axalta. “Overall, the 2025 landscape reflects a market anchored in simplicity yet increasingly open to refined color expression and contemporary finishes.”

Regional data highlighted nuanced differences in color adoption. In North America, white led at 31% though chromatic colors gained share, with blue reaching 10% and red 7%. South America saw white at 35% with increased adoption of silver at 14% and blue at 7%. Europe continued favoring understated palettes, with gray leading at 26% followed by white at 25% and black at 22%. In Asia, increased adoption of expressive hues such as yellow or gold, green, orange and purple reflected broader diversification, particularly within electric vehicle segments, while black rose to 26%.

“Our proprietary resin chemistry enables Axalta to develop and deliver an expansive palette that meets the wide variety of colors demanded by different customers, cultures and climates, while at the same time ensuring the durability, performance and sustainability of the coating,” said Dr. Robert Roop, SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Axalta.

Axalta’s automotive color report has been published annually since 1953 and remains one of the longest-running global analyses of vehicle color trends, providing insight into evolving consumer preferences and regional market dynamics.

This report reflects ongoing trends shaping global automotive design within the broader paint and coatings industry, particularly across automotive coatings applications worldwide.