Have you ever just looked at a parking lot and noticed the colors in it? There will be a lot of white, gray, and black, sure, but what about the reds? The blues? The yellows? The sporty greens? Cars are an expression of their driver and every driver deserves to love the color of their car. But did you know that colors go in and out of style? That’s why we at VIP European Auto wanted to go over some of the car color trends of 2021.
Exterior Car Color Trends
Grays, reds, and blues are expected to be big in 2021 in North America. More specifically, dark seltzer, redolent red, and abstraction blue. Beyond that, North America has always trended toward darker color vehicles, so expect those to still be in full swing, as well as black-out editions of some vehicles, such as the Honda Accord.
The three key global colors are Social Camouflage (which is a grayish-green), Pundits Solution (a warmer beige with gold sparkle), and Dark Seltzer (dark coarse gray) that emphasizes texture.
In general, we’re not expecting anything drastic to be changed. The focus in 2021 seems to go beyond the color and more into subtle details and textures to emphasize a vehicle’s exterior beauty. The interior colors is where the fun begins.
That all being said, the traditional colors will still be widely available as well. If you’re not happy with the options, you can always choose to have your car wrapped as well.
Interior Car Color Trends
Interior colors are more customizable than exterior and don’t require the same worries over a bad wrap or a bad paint job. In fact, most interiors can be completely customized to fit your style and your needs. That’s why they’re a lot more versatile.
Black
The ever popular color option is black for interiors. It matches every car, no matter the make, model, or exterior. It’s classy, easy to clean, and generally the “safe” choice. The color absorbs heat well (which can be a bad thing here in Arizona), but is ideal for drivers with families and pets who want to hide messes or who need to clean their interiors regularly.
The common downside of black is that lighter stains, such as water, salt, dirt, or pet fur tend to stick out more. If you have a white pet, or are looking to go on a road trip to somewhere with snow, you will need to clean your car frequently to keep it looking spotless.
Pale Tones (White, Ivory, Cream)
On the other hand, light, white and cream colours are universally popular shades as well. They give any vehicle a sophisticated and modern feel, while looking clean and roomy. Lighter shades tend to make any space look and feel bigger too. Pale tones are also more authentic in many antique cars too.
While pale tones are more difficult to clean (and to keep clean), their visual elegance is often enough to sway drivers.
On the heat aspect, pale tones don’t absorb heat quickly, so those living in a hotter climate may prefer them over black.
Gray and Tan
If you don’t want black, but you don’t want paler tones either, then maybe you can find compromise in gray or tan. Both are decent at hiding messes and pull in some of the elegant visual appeal of lighter tones.
These colors are generally considered to be safe for any driver to pick as they are the best of both worlds. The downside is that certain interior materials can make these colors look cheap. They’re standard and not often eye-catching. That doesn’t mean they’re worse than the other choices, but it is something to keep in mind if you want a “wow” factor with your car.
If you’re going the custom route, we recommend picking something with more flair (either color or material) and more personality. Think leather or accent stitching to really make your car stand out.
Of course, the final color choice will always be your choice and your preference. If it matches your lifestyle and needs, then pick whatever color you want. But if you’re looking to have a little more fun with your car’s look, then call the experts. We’ve worked on old and new cars and created customized interiors for decades.
From redoing a Tesla Model X steering wheel to completely overhauling a Boxster to look more like a Porsche Speedster, we’ve done it all.
