When drivers are looking for a new or used car, most of their attention will undoubtedly be focused on finding a dependable vehicle with a manageable cost. Qualities like fuel efficiency, safety features and easy vehicle maintenance are all important factors that motorists consider, but some more superficial characteristics carry weight. For example, the color of a car may have a significant impact on the decision-making process.
To find the most popular colors for both men and women, iSeeCars.com conducted a year-long study to determine what hues people were looking for on the website. The results were somewhat surprising, and although it may not have any affect on auto repair or reliability, the color of a vehicle is interesting to know.
For women
According to the study, women were more likely to consider silver vehicles. That preference may have more to do with the prevalence of the shade: Approximately 16 percent of all listings were silver cars, and the average price was relatively low, making it a practical choice for interested drivers.
Women were also drawn to brown, gold and beige cars. Although these colors were not tremendously popular among all listed vehicles - together, the three shades made up less than 5 percent of all automobiles - they are common for minivans and SUVs. Women who are looking for a family vehicle in one of those styles therefore may be considering those neutral tones.
"These study results could suggest that women are more practical in their choices," said Phong Ly, cofounder and CEO of iSeeCars. "For the most part, they may just want to buy a reasonably priced car that safely drives them around. On the other hand, for men, perhaps they may be a bit more idealistic about cars, preferring something that has speed and is fun to drive."
For men
Conversely, men were more likely to display a preference for unique colors, many of which are commonly associated with sports cars or similarly sleek vehicles. Men showed a partiality for red cars, as well as orange and black vehicles. White and green were also in the top five most popular hues. Of these shades, only black and white were common listings, while orange and green were particularly rare.
The vehicles in colors men liked most also tended to sell faster than those women preferred. However, this may be because some of the neutral tones women like were rarer and therefore not as in demand.