The GREAT Debate: What COLOR Are You Absolutely HATING Right Now On Automobiles?

If you're into fashion or anything high style, you probably know that much like many other things in life, trending colors are cyclical. There is a reason why Pantone selects its color for the year.

When it comes to automobiles, we've spoken to leading designers to better understand this phenomena as well. While it may not be a yearly change, there are phases where certain colors and tones dominate for a bit of time and then the designers who dictate this tend to move on.

That said, we're a wee bit curious: What color are you absolutely HATING right now on vehicles?

From what I've been seeing from the latest and greatest debuts as well as product launches there's two competing interests: 1) Bright colors, and 2) military-inspired paints.

That includes flat grays, flat sand-like colors and army green. In fact, at my daily parking garage in New York City I have spotted a matte Army Green Cadillac Escalade and a matching Mercedes-Benz S-Class. I guess someone's feeling like they're going to battle?

So, what color are you just not feeling at the moment?

MDarringer - 12/23/2016 7:10:30 PM

0 Boost

Green is one color I dislike including BRG. I'm not saying I've been inundated by green cars.

TheSteve - 12/23/2016 7:31:52 PM

+5 Boost

It's not a particular color. It's that flat, primer-like finish that's showing up on some vehicles. It looks unfinished, like primer. This is true even if you give it a fancy name, like BMW's "frozen (whatever)." I'm not liking it, but "hate" is too strong a word.

Mind you, if YOU like it, and it's on your car, then that's your business, and all the power to ya for getting what YOU like!

MDarringer - 12/23/2016 7:51:42 PM

+1 Boost

I'm the same way. If a friend is happy with his car even if I wouldn't want it, fine.

t_bone - 12/23/2016 9:09:15 PM

+5 Boost

Silver and gray have had far too long a run.

PUGPROUD - 12/23/2016 9:40:13 PM

0 Boost

When the economy picks up the colors will get lighter and brighter in all classes. Black, gray and silver are popular because they reflect consumers' moods and lack of optimism, choosing to blend in not stand out.

TomM - 12/24/2016 5:20:41 PM

+2 Boost

AS a person who is badly color blind - I can see that "primer" finish - and wonder why someone would want a finish that is less durable - Glossy finishes are generally harder and easier to maintain. How do you "wax" a non-glossy car?

MDarringer - 12/24/2016 5:33:19 PM

0 Boost

@TomM May I interest you in a green car with tan interior? :)

gkearns56 - 12/24/2016 7:50:22 AM

+2 Boost

Respectfully I don't quite see it that way. I love the Silver paint on my car. It doesn't show dirt; it looks clean; allows me to see all the detail lines on my Audi S6; it has a beautiful reflection.

Additionally, I buy a new car every 2-3 years (only because of family working for a few different car companies), picking a good color for resale is essential for me. I'm not going to buy a pink Cadillac (remember the Avon sales people) or some green color which is hard to sell.

Some of the brighter colors look very good. I love black, have had 4 black cars. If you don't know how to clean and care for a black car, maybe you shouldn't own one. Specific colors are a personal choice and preference. The black, silver, white will always be very popular.

MDarringer - 12/24/2016 9:06:11 AM

+1 Boost

It's interesting that the new Continental's colors are jizz pearlescent white, silver, dark gray, dark blue, black, and diarrhea brown. Guess which one we refuse to stock.

TauronB2G - 12/24/2016 11:04:00 AM

+3 Boost

All the matte colors. It's just not a good look. It was almost cool when they 1st started on tuner cars etc. but now soccer moms and business men drive them which totally takes away from what little cool there was.

centauri - 12/24/2016 11:43:00 AM

+3 Boost

I was in traffic the other day and noticed that all of the vehicles were either silver, gray, black or white. Moreover, these are the colors which are featured in the majority of commericials and advertising. It is great to see the rare luminous yellow or bold bright red in today's parade of boring, monochromatic cars.

qwertyfla - 12/24/2016 12:10:22 PM

0 Boost

I had a British Racing on tan Green Jag XJR many years ago in Florida. Whilst I liked the color combination and the car it was sale proof. It took me over 1 year to sell it and only after listing it on Ebay a couple times. Luckily it got on a bidding war at the very end and I sold it to some guy from Scottsdale for a couple grand more than my reserve.

My business partner had a spruce green VDP and again took forever to unload...

MDarringer - 12/24/2016 1:40:41 PM

0 Boost

We redid a BRG/tan Jensen Interceptor once--keeping it authentic--and it was sale proof for over a year. Blue red, or black with black interior would have been a better choice.

mre30 - 12/24/2016 12:19:14 PM

0 Boost

Its time to rotate back, away from black and grey and silver to the real colors that show up in nature...

Red - maroon, fire engine red, Calypso Red by BMW; Blue - French blue, royal blue, interlagos blue, and especially the non-metallic Mercedes special order "Midnight Blue"; Brown; Yellow; British Racing Green is OK. White is a great color

There were some great colors on late 1990's/early 2000's BMW and Mercedes - they should reintroduce some of those.

MDarringer - 12/24/2016 1:41:43 PM

0 Boost

One color I hated was the purple paint that some Fords used to have that changed color depending on how the light hit it. It was gaudy and wrong, but on a TVR it's genius.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 12/24/2016 8:19:26 PM

+3 Boost

I agree with TomM. I wonder what people see in a colour that makes you think that the car has not been painted yet and is running around in primer coat. I don't get it.

qwertyfla - 12/25/2016 12:14:25 PM

0 Boost

Smurf (Laguna Seca) Blue on the E46 M3 was particularly ugly but the Imola Red was very sharp albeit cop bait...