Despite car companies finally starting to offer more interesting colors on mainstream and niche cars alike — Cadillac currently has two different oranges on the Escalade IQ, for instance — most consumers have super boring taste and go for super boring colors for their cars. Greyscale still rules
, and it sucks. To kick off the holiday weekend last Friday I asked our readers to tell me what cars they think deserve to have a better color palette, because the world needs it.The majority of you said
some variation of "all of them," which is not an actual answer, but luckily a few of you had proper submissions for a pretty good roundup here. Hopefully designers, product planners and executives alike are reading this and taking notes. That goes for PR folk too — I promise you'll get a better review from us if you let us drive a car in a real, good color. Without further ado, keep reading to see what cars the Jalopnik readers think need better colors.
Read more: 2025 Cadillac Optiq May Finally Be The Car To Attract Young Buyers
C8 Corvette
The C8.
Submitted by: Bands and Animals
I think the C8 actually has a really great color palette, and Chevy keeps adding new colors every year. But I'm including this here because there needs to be a pink.
Lucid
Lucid, Lucid, Lucid!
This is a high style, early adapter, tech masterpiece. Only available in colors so muted that they all look the same. There is a dealer near my house, it should be exciting to see their inventory - instead it just seems dreary.
Submitted by: Rapchat
I almost used Lucid as my example for the original QOTD. The Air comes in a nice dark red and a subtle blue, and there's a sick green on the Gravity, but I think both deserve bolder shades.
Land Rover Defender
I agree with everyone saying "All of them," but for a singular vehicle, the Land Rover Defender. As a brand, there are some great classic colors LR could reach back to, but they insist on these muted, dull colors. Even worse, the new insane Octa version has even fewer hues from which to choose.
The Defender 90. It is only available in a flat white, a metallic black, or a "premium" metallic dark grey almost black. I get it, two doors don't sell. But these start at $115k. You can't at least offer a green? Is it a Land Rover or not?
Submitted by: Jeff Glucker, epochellipse
I heavily agree with this, too. I think Land Rover could make a killing offering the same extensive SVO palette as the big Range Rovers.
ND Miata
ND MIATA!!!
Mazda MX-5. Soul Red is a stunning color. But beyond a blue that no one orders, the rest of the colors are the usual grays and whites. And don't get me started on that odd matte-like tan from last year. It needs a British Racing Green now. The anniversary orange needs to return. The current 35 Anniversary red wine color is beautiful. But we shouldn't have to wait for special editions to get the best colors.
100%. Mazda's color selection for the MX-5 is embarrassing. Buick called, they want their color cards back. The list of non-sports-cars that come in more exciting colors than the MX-5 is LONG. Shameful.
Submitted by: JBJB, Xavier96, RedHotFuzz
It's a huge miss to me that Mazda doesn't do a new color special edition every year. And I think Soul Red is extraordinarily overrated.
Polestar
Every Polestar deserves Rebel Blue, but all they give us is greyscale
Submitted by: Zach Marks
Polestars have such fantastic designs, but such brutally boring colors. At least we're getting the bright gold option on the 4!
Volkswagen Golf R
VW Golf R. When I got mine, I had 3 options; black, white or blue. Three years later and there is now only black or blue. Meanwhile the GTI has six options.
This is a grave dishonor for a car with the performance credentials of the R.
Submitted by: Don Weeks
Volkswagen should do a new Harlequin.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
All of them, but the Hyundai Santa Cruz has the saddest color choices available on anything I can think of. When "Canyon Red" is the only decent color, and only on the XRT model, you're offering some bad alternatives. I don't understand the lack of any bright colors on a vehicle like a Santa Cruz, and why is the red limited to the XRT trim? It makes no sense. But then again, little in the car business makes sense, IMHO.
Submitted by: nrd515
This is a great choice. With such a wacky design, why not offer a lime green or bright yellow?
Honda Civic Si And Type R
Honda has lost their sense of whimsy since the early 2000s and it's most apparent in their spiciest cars (Civic Si/Type-R). If you have a (somewhat) affordable sports car meant for a youthful and lively demographic you should have more than 4 paint options and if you do have only 4 colours available, 3 of them shouldn't be variations of Black, Grey, and White. What ever happened to Phoenix Yellow? Electron Blue Pearl? Tahitian Green?
Submitted by: Poke-mandem
Another great opportunity to bring back heritage colors and graphics.
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