Green has emerged as the fastest-growing automotive colour globally in 2025, while gray has gained strongly within the neutral palette, signalling a shift away from traditional favourites, according to BASF Coatings’ latest Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings.
The study shows consumers increasingly opting for nature-inspired and individual shades. Green has entered the global Top 3 chromatic colours, behind blue and red, even as both legacy hues continue to lose share. Blue slipped by one percentage point, while red dropped sharply to just three per cent of the market.
Among achromatic colours, gray recorded a two-percentage-point jump, strengthening its position as a modern and premium choice. White declined marginally and black remained stable, though the share of solid finishes fell to 18 per cent, reflecting growing preference for more expressive effects.
EMEA: green overtakes red
In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, green has overtaken red and is increasingly viewed as a marker of individuality and sophistication. Silver continued its long decline, while black and gray consolidated their positions.
“The green trend was already making waves in EMEA a few years ago. Different shades featured in our trend collections hinted at the huge variety we now see on the road,” said Florina Trost, Head of Design EMEA at BASF Coatings.
Americas: colour diversity returns
The Americas showed a modest revival in chromatic tones, with the share of coloured paints rising nearly two percentage points. Silver regained some ground, white softened further, and gray stayed well above 2023 levels. Alongside red and blue, shades such as green, beige, brown and violet gained momentum.
“Sales now validate early predictions and illustrate how long-term trends continue to shape the market,” said Mark Gutjahr, Global Head of Automotive Color Design.
Asia Pacific: neutrals still dominate
Asia Pacific remained largely achromatic, led by gray’s clear growth and stable demand for black and silver. Yet green continued to expand across lighter and more natural tones, reflecting a subtle move toward sustainability-linked aesthetics.
“Today, gray strengthens while green expands across the region,” said Chiharu Matsuhara, Head of Automotive Color Design for Asia Pacific.
BASF said the report is based on global vehicle production and paint application data and, together with its annual Automotive Color Trends forecast, offers a detailed view of evolving consumer preferences in automotive design.
