Car color depreciation plays a major role in determining how well a vehicle holds its value, and new data shows that the differences between colors are wider than most drivers realize. A long-term study by iSeeCars found that yellow cars lost the least value, while white, black, and gray—colors chosen by most buyers—saw some of the steepest declines.
The analysis reviewed more than 20 million used vehicles from 2004 to 2023. It found that yellow cars had an average three-year depreciation rate of 24%, making them the best at preserving value. Orange cars followed at 24.4%, and green cars at 26.3%, showing that less common colors tended to perform better. Beige (29.5%), red (29.8%), and silver (29.8%) fell near the middle of the pack.
Gold cars performed the worst, with a depreciation rate of 34.4%. Popular neutral tones also showed significant declines: white cars dropped 32.1%, black cars 31.9%, gray 30.5%, and blue 30.9%.
These findings contrast sharply with what drivers actually buy. In 2023, white, black, gray, and silver dominated the road, accounting for about 80% of all vehicles. Breaking that down, white led with 27.6%, followed by black (22.0%), gray (21.3%), and silver (9.1%).
Color diversity has also narrowed over the past two decades. Gray’s market share jumped 81.9% since 2004, and white increased 77.4%, while silver dropped 52.2%. All non-neutral colors saw declines of more than 50%, with some—such as gold, purple, brown, and beige—falling the most.
According to iSeeCars analyst Karl Brauer, many buyers choose neutral tones because they assume the next owner will want the same. But the market tells a different story. Rare colors often command higher resale prices because limited supply keeps demand strong. In contrast, widespread production of neutral colors leads to greater inventory and faster depreciation.
For shoppers selecting a new car, analysts advise choosing a color they genuinely like rather than defaulting to the most common shades. Lower production numbers for yellow, orange, or green can translate into stronger resale value years later.
BY HOONSIK WOO [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]
![(Left) Tae-ha Hwang and wife Xelena Diaz at the USCIS Los Angeles office, where Hwang was detained mid-interview. (Right) The marriage certificate submitted for Hwang’s marriage-based residency petition. The photo has been blurred for privacy reasons. [Courtesy of Xelena Diaz]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1208-newsletter-Hwang-100x70.jpg "Detained at Green Card Interview, LA Husband Remains in Harsh ICE Custody")
![The KHEIR Clinic held its annual Holiday Winter Festival on December 6 in the clinic’s parking lot. What began as a toy-drive event has grown each year into one of the neighborhood’s signature year-end festivals, drawing more than 1,000 participants this year. [Sangjin Kim, The Korea Daily]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1209-Kheir-100x70.jpg "Korean American nonprofits hit hard by federal funding cuts")
![The number of students at schools across Koreatown in Los Angeles is sharply declining. Recruitment banners hang on the exterior walls of an elementary school. [Sangjin Kim, The Korea Daily]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1208-schools-100x70.jpg "Koreatown school enrollment shows steepest decline in LAUSD")
