PHILADELPHIA, PA — Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. (NYSE: AXTA) expects softer pastels, deeper reds and browns, and more complex neutral finishes to influence automotive design over the next three to five years, as vehicle manufacturers use color to distinguish their brands and appeal to changing consumer preferences.
The Philadelphia-based coatings manufacturer identified the shifts in its 2026-2027 Global Automotive Color Trends Report, which examines how consumer expectations, technology and cultural influences could affect future vehicle finishes.
The forecast points to a broader role for color in automotive product development, particularly as manufacturers seek differentiation through exterior design and premium finishes.
“Color is no longer just an aesthetic choice. It has become a tool for brands to differentiate themselves and promote emotional connection,” said Radovan Dimovski, Axalta’s global product manager of color.
The report identifies four design directions, including an evolution of pastel shades toward more subdued finishes intended to convey comfort, optimism and understated luxury.
Axalta also expects deeper reds and browns to gain relevance in premium vehicle design, reflecting consumer interest in craftsmanship, authenticity and more personalized interpretations of luxury.
A third category emphasizes colors influenced by technology and nature, incorporating themes of stability, trust and innovation. Axalta associates those preferences with broader changes in the automotive industry, including electrification and digital technology.
Traditional automotive colors, including white, black, gray and silver, remain central to the company’s forecast.
Rather than predicting their displacement, Axalta expects manufacturers to differentiate those established shades through specialized finishes, subtle undertones and coating effects.
The findings represent Axalta’s assessment of emerging design preferences rather than measured changes in vehicle sales or consumer purchasing behavior.
The company develops its forecasts using research across automotive design, architecture, fashion, consumer products and technology, combining those observations with consumer insights and coating development expertise.
Axalta presents the findings to vehicle manufacturers through global color shows featuring curated palettes, painted vehicle-form panels and coating technologies.
The presentations are intended to help original equipment manufacturers evaluate how emerging design concepts can be translated into colors suitable for vehicle production.
For automakers, those decisions can influence product positioning years before vehicles reach showrooms, making color forecasting part of longer-term design and manufacturing planning.
Axalta’s latest report provides manufacturers with potential directions for future model development as the industry balances established consumer preferences with demand for greater visual differentiation.
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