UK’s favourite car colour revealed – and what yours says about you

Has it got rear-reversing cameras? A great entertainment system? Good horsepower under the bonnet?

All great questions to ask yourself when you’re buying a new car but there’s another, equally important, one you shouldn’t forget about: what colour is it?

Given the importance of colour, it’s perhaps not surprising that six in ten of us would pay more for a car in a shade we liked. And the younger we are, the more we’d be prepared to.

Again, Londoners were most likely to be happy to shell out more – three quarters would – whereas people in Plymouth are least likely with just four in ten admitting they’d cough up extra readies.

So how much extra are we talking about? £50? Maybe £100? No, we’re talking a whopping £524 more on average!

And while we may joke that all women care about is the colour of a car, it seems that stereotype is completely wrong as more men are willing to splash out than women to get the right shade. Particularly if they’re young. 

Over all, those who are willing to pay the biggest premium on colour are in Edinburgh (£590), while those in Stoke-on-Trent are only willing to fork out £332 for a car colour they prefer.

It’s a no from me…

But while many will pay more for a colour they like, others simply won’t buy one they don’t love. In fact nearly one in five of us has refused to part with our cash for this reason – and again, the younger you are, the more likely this is.

However, it’s often the significance of a colour that prevents us from falling in love with a new motor – especially if you have strong political views or are a footie fan.

Around a quarter of us probably wouldn’t buy a car in a shade associated with a party we didn’t support – rising to over half of all 18 to 29-year-olds!

Football fans are equally passionate when it comes to their sporting rivals. In fact, nearly a quarter of supporters say they wouldn’t buy a car in a rival team’s colours.

It’s a particularly entrenched view in cities with at least two major teams such as Glasgow (where 39 per cent would refuse), London (38 per cent) and Liverpool (32 per cent).

So best be careful when buying a car – because 83 per cent of respondents thought its colour could negatively impact its value.

Hue are you?

Maybe that’s because half of us believe you can tell someone’s personality by the motor they drive.

Those with black vehicles are seen as loyal and intelligent whereas those with a blue one are apparently loyal and caring. Red owners are passionate and orange are funny.

But the associations aren’t always flattering. Beware those with grey, silver or white wheels – you’re boring (sorry!). And green – have a tidy up because you’re seen to be messy!

However, it’s not just personality types we think we can tell by a car’s colour, it’s whether they’re a good driver too.

Got a black car? Then 21 per cent of people think you’ll be a good driver. Whereas the worst motorists can be found in…black cars. Or so say 16 per cent of respondents.

Bad drivers also opt for white and silver vehicles apparently while good ones tend to go for… white and silver.

So now we know – colour is incredibly important to us when buying a new car. So we all love the ones we’ve chosen. Right?

Wrong. Despite all this, one in ten of us aren’t really into the colour of what we drive! Is it time you to switch to one you really love?