White is now the UK’s favourite new car colour after a surge in popularity in recent years.

Almost a quarter of new cars registered in 2014 were white, the highest proportion since records began and up from less than 1% a decade ago.

Figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that white was the most popular colour for new cars registered in the UK in 2014 for the second year running. Of the 2,476,435 new cars registered in 2014, 22.2% were white – representing the highest proportion of white cars registered in any year since records began in 1996.

The colour’s record-breaking popularity follows a strong upturn in the uptake of white cars, over the past decade. In 2010, white cars accounted for just under 10% of new car registrations, making it the sixth most popular car colour, with black and silver cars the best-selling. In 2005, less than 1% of the UK’s new car buyers chose white.

In 2014, black cars took second place followed by grey, taking 19% and 14% of the market respectively. Silver – the second most popular colour in 2010 with almost a quarter of registrations – has now slipped to sixth place, accounting for 13% of the total new car market.

Colour of new cars registered 2014 vs 2010

All white now

White became the UK’s most popular choice in 2013, but for many years it was one of the least-favoured choices of car colour.

Demand for white cars saw exponential growth from 2008 to 2012, with the number of units registered growing from 1.1% in 2007 to 20.9% in 2012.

White car proportion of new car registrations 2004-2014

Best-selling white cars by year

For more information on car colours or the new car market contact the SMMT Communications team.