Top News

If the legendary musician Prince were still around, he might have reimagined one of his most famous songs as 'Little Gray Corvette'. A recent study conducted by iSeeCars reveals that over the past three decades, the colour palette of vehicles on American roads has become far less vibrant. The report indicates that grey passenger vehicles have grown in popularity by more than 500 percent since 1996, while red cars have seen their market share drop by over 65 percent.

The research examined more than 22 million used vehicles from model years 1996 through 2025, sold between January 2025 and May 2026. The findings present a rather muted picture of the country’s automotive landscape. Shades of white, black, grey, and silver—collectively known as grayscale colours—now make up 80.4 percent of all vehicles on the road, compared to only 47.3 percent in 1996. This data suggests that modern buyers increasingly prefer neutral, understated tones over brighter hues that might stand out in a parking lot.

Fortunately, sports car buyers are helping to keep some of the colour spectrum alive. Although white, black, grey, and silver dominate here as well, enthusiasts tend to embrace more expressive paint colours than the average car buyer. Non-grayscale colours now account for 36.2 percent of sports cars—almost double the 19.6 percent share they represent across the overall vehicle market.

Even so, the grey takeover continues. Back in 1996, only 3 percent of sports cars were painted grey. Today, that shade has become the most popular choice among sports car buyers, representing 21.2 percent of the segment. Conversely, red has seen a steep decline—from 23.4 percent of sports cars in 1996 to just 10.8 percent today.

There is some positive news for fans of vibrant hues. Several enthusiast-favourite colours are making a comeback among sports car buyers. Yellow has seen the largest surge, rising 142.5 percent. Blue has increased by 56.7 percent, purple by 52.1 percent, and orange by 38.6 percent. Meanwhile, silver—once a defining colour for performance cars—has experienced a sharp drop in popularity of nearly 72 percent.

The conclusion is quite clear: while most American motorists seem content with monochromatic driveways, sports car owners continue to express their individuality through bold colour choices. So, if you’re wondering where all the colourful cars have gone, don’t look in the SUV section—you’ll likely spot them at your nearest Cars and Coffee meet-up.