Do Car Colours Affect Resale Value? The Shades That Sell (and Don’t)

The Colour of Regret

You’ve taken the time to research all the parts of your potential new car before you buy it, the engine, the trim, the seating, the tech – but what about the colour? You might go for something that stands out, or something unassuming. This decision seems fairly straightforward, but did you know this choice could affect your chances of reselling in future? Cars aren’t forever items, and drivers will, on average, go through at least four cars in their lifetime. With that in mind, this likely won’t be your last car, and gearing it up for a future sale can help your chances of a smooth journey to new wheels in future.

Why Car Colour Affects Resale Value

Car buyers look for models that will sell, and colour can have a massive effect on this. Consumers tend to buy more neutral, timeless colours that are unlikely to go out of fashion anytime soon. Bold colours can reduce your future market, with niche options only appealing to small customer bases. This can be important in a finance agreement, too.

If you enter a PCP agreement with balloon payments, a niche car colour could contribute to a higher risk of negative equity and, therefore, a higher final payment. You might have never considered this, but your colour choice can impact your future self.

With that in mind, here are some of the best car colours for resale.

The Best Car Colours for Resale

Grey. This holds value as year after year it’s the most popular colour.

Black. Usually chosen for luxury models, black can show class, but it is also adaptable to work on lots of different models.

White. A popular choice for both large and small cars, white is adaptable and versatile.

Blue. This looks good on plenty of different types of vehicles, and its flexibility in shade is a particular strength.

In 2024, the top three car colours were:

Grey. 543,464 registrations with a market share of 27.8%.

Black. 424,397 registrations with a market share of 21.7%.

Blue. 291,928 registrations with a market share of 14.9%.

(Source: SNMT)

The Worst Car Colours for Resale

Bright red. This colour is best suited to sporty cars but doesn’t suit family vehicles. If you were to go for a bright red SUV, your chances of resale are lower than someone who went for the same car in white.

Orange. This can be quite a polarising colour, splitting opinion and lowering resale value.

Green. Although this colour can be great on more classic cars like Range Rovers, Land Rovers and Jaguars, it doesn’t suit the modern car very well.

Purple is a relatively unpopular colour choice, so choosing this option will massively hurt your chances of finding a buyer in the future.

For reference, data from SNMT shows that only 136,371 red models were registered in 2024 vs 543,464 grey models.

As for green, this number drops to 68,230. Orange is even further down the list at 10,754, and purple doesn’t even appear in the top 10!

Based on this data, your best colour options for a future sale are grey, black, blue, and white.

Body Style Matters Too

It’s not just colour that matters in resale value. The car itself and its reliability have a massive impact. If the model is rare, it will tend to hold value, but if there’s plenty on the roads, the chances are your resale value will be pretty low. Brand is important, too. Car manufacturers known for producing good cars may see a higher resale value, as the quality of their cars lasts over time.

Custom Paints and Wraps – A Resale Nightmare

As you can imagine, custom paint or wrap is a killer for resale value. Something you like isn’t guaranteed to be something someone else likes, and the rarer the design, the less chance you have of reselling. Yes, it can protect the paint underneath, and when the time comes to sell, you could restore the factory finish, but this is still a massive risk. It’s also important to avoid matte finishes. These age badly, which can put off buyers in the future.

A Word From Car Dealerships

We’ve thrown plenty of stats at you, but there’s nothing more conclusive than words from dealers on the ground every day.

Dan Chippendale at Cartime had the following to say on car colours affecting resale value.

“Working as part of a car supermarket, we see every day how colour plays a significant role in resale value. Neutral tones like grey, black, white, and silver tend to appeal to a broader market and tend to sell quicker. In contrast, niche or bright colours—like lime green, orange, or purple—can take longer to sell and may reduce the resale value due to limited appeal. That said, we’ve seen these bolder colours perform well in specialist and performance models such as the Porsche Taycan, Audi S3, and similar cars, where buyers often seek something that stands out.”

Rob Hargreaves, Quick Car Credit Ltd, added:

“A black Audi A1 would appeal to all looking for one, however if it was pink with flowers on the doors it would have much less chance of selling!”

Johnathan Seaman, Any Colour Car:

Colour definitely plays a role in a vehicle’s resale value from a dealership perspective. Neutral tones like black, grey, and white typically sell quicker due to their mass-market appeal. More niche shades—like bright yellows, greens, or two-tone finishes—can slow the resale process as they appeal to a narrower buyer base. We’ve seen these vehicles sit longer on display and often require more aggressive pricing strategies to move. That said, not all niche colours are equal—shades like Nardo Grey, for example, have developed a premium appeal. It’s telling that even WeBuyAnyCar.com now asks whether a grey car is Crayon or Nardo, which shows just how influential certain colours have become in the market.

As you can see, dealers share the same sentiment, that colours do impact resale value.

Final Thoughts

In a crowded used car market, colour isn’t a style choice, it’s a potential roadblock to a sale. That bright orange SUV might look great on the forecourt, but will it hold value in future? The chances of this are limited, and with any investment, you want to get a good return – your choice of car colour can affect this.

Has this swayed you to a more traditional colour for your next car? Here at Marsh Finance, we have thousands of great grey, black, white and blue cars ready for finance. With flexible rates and dedicated customer support, you can navigate the finance process with ease and leave your agreement with a car that still holds some value.

Check your eligibility for finance today by clicking the button below. We don’t run a hard credit check until you’re ready to sign, so your credit score is protected.