Axalta Coating Systems has announced the release of its Global Automotive 2014 Color Popularity Report.

This year’s report offers an introduction to Color Matrix, Axalta’s automotive color forecast for use on future production vehicles.

“Our Color Popularity Report data not only allows us to see the colors most favored by consumers but, more importantly, it enables us to forecast future trends,” said David Fischer, vice president of marketing for Axalta’s global light vehicle OEM business. “Every year, designers from our OEM customers depend on our advanced forecasting to make critical decisions regarding color choices for their vehicle lineup two to four years in advance.”

The 2014 forecast includes a wide variety of color types that will influence the global automotive market. The upcoming trends showcase four color groups: pale hues, bright colors, muted versions and dark shades. The matrix of colors is shown in fine or coarse metallics, solids, tintcoats, tricoats and pearlescent varieties. Advanced color technologies from Axalta’s global research and development teams further add to the breadth of color style combinations.

“Our global color specialists formulate the next generation of coatings colors, as we continually aspire to meet the needs of the constantly changing market,” said Nancy Lockhart, Axalta’s color marketing manager. “At Axalta, we are committed to partnering with our customers to provide the best possible coatings, combining our perspective on future trends with manufacturers’ knowledge of their customers and markets. The result we continually strive for is an ever-evolving color palette for automotive designers.”

The world color data shows that white, at 29 percent, remains the most popular shade on vehicles for the fourth year in a row, while color is showing signs of coming back with red, blue and yellow each increasing by 1 percent. Black, at 19 percent, is still strong overall in the market, but has dropped 1 percent since last year.

• White tops the charts at 25 percent
• Red, more popular in North America than other regions, climbed 3 percent in popularity
• White, silver and black declined 1 percent this year
• Pearlcoats are the most popular coating in the U.S.
• Solid white is preferred in Mexico

• A strong preference for white at 27 percent of vehicles and silver, at 25 percent, shows light colors are the most popular
• Black is third in popularity at 12 percent
• Red increased 1 percent this year to 11 percent overall, showing an increase in preference for colors

• Europe has the most blue vehicles on the road, with the main interest in light and mid shades
• Major increases in blue were seen in the compact/sport and intermediate multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) categories
• Silver and white have continued to decline
• Green is not catching the eye of the car buyer, and it remains at only 1 percent popularity

• There is a strong preference for white at 30 percent, with the highest usage in South Korea at 34 percent
• Black has dropped slightly in preference, but holds second place at 19 percent
• Black is most popular on luxury vehicles in China at 24 percent
• Blue is more popular in Japan than in other countries in Asia