Grey makes it four years in a row as UK’s favourite new car colour

Grey was the UK’s most popular new car colour for a fourth consecutive year in 2022, accounting for more than a quarter of all new models registered.

Data revealed today by automotive trade association the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that 415,199 new cars registered in 2022 were painted in grey, taking a 25.7 per cent market share.

UK buyers generally still choose monochrome finishes, with black (324,993 registrations) the second most popular choice followed by white (268,886) – a 20.1 and 16.7 per cent market share respectively. Combined with grey, the colours made up 62.5 per cent of all models registered in 2022.

The top five shades mirrored the previous year, with blue cars (259,950) accounting for 16 per cent of new cars sold in 2022, followed by red (136,793) at 8.5 per cent.

However, there’s a sign that buyers are choosing more colourful shades, with green cars seeing a resurgence in 2022 – sales were up by 74.2 per cent to 31,220 units. Orange and yellow car registrations also increased, accounting for 19,403 and 10,662 sales respectively.

The least popular colours in the year were maroon, pink and cream, which together accounted for less than one per cent of new vehicles.

Grey was the most popular colour in every region and county in the UK, with the exception of the Scottish Borders, where blue was favoured. The most popular grey car in the year was the Nissan Qashqai, which was also the UK’s best-selling car overall in 2022.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, said: “Car colour choice theoretically proclaims something about who we are as drivers, and buying a car today comes with many possibilities to customise your vehicle to match.

“After choosing from the market’s ever-growing choice of makes, models, powertrains, wheel trims and in-car tech, picking out the perfect paint is an exciting decision to make.

“While the most popular shades remained unchanged for 2022, for those looking to ensure their vehicle stands out from the crowd, there remains a huge variety of colour choices from across the rainbow available to suit every character.”