The average car loses 31.0% of its value after 3 years, but yellow cars only lose 24.0%, while gold cars lose 34.4% of their value
Gold, white, and black cars drop the most in value, losing over $15,000 after 3 years
Used car depreciation is much higher compared to a few years ago, with a much narrower range of depreciation between colors
Make and model, fuel economy, mileage and condition – they all affect your car’s resale value. But so does color, and you may be surprised to learn that your favorite color could reduce your car’s trade-in value.
A study from iSeeCars.com reveals that car color plays a surprising role in a vehicle’s resale value. Analyzing data from over 1.2 million 3-year-old used cars, researchers found that the difference in depreciation between car colors can exceed $5,000 in just three years.
On average, a car loses 31% of its value within three years — translating to a drop of $14,360. But not all colors depreciate equally.
Yellow cars, for instance, lose just 24% of their value, or about $13,667 — making them the top performers in terms of retained value. Orange and green vehicles also fared well, depreciating 24.4% and 26.3% respectively. In contrast, gold-colored vehicles lost a staggering 34.4% of their value, or $16,679 — the worst of any color.
“Yellow and orange have been among the best colors for retained value since iSeeCars began tracking depreciation by color,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars. “These are not widely popular colors, but they have more demand than supply, and that translates to higher value on the used market.”
Common isn’t always best
While black and white dominate the roads, their ubiquity hurts their resale value. White cars depreciate by 32.1% and black cars by 31.9%, with both losing over $15,000 on average.
“White and black are the two most common car colors,” Brauer noted. “That means they provide zero distinction in the used market, reducing their value.”
The value of color varies across vehicle segments:
Pickup Trucks: Orange and green trucks led the pack, depreciating only 16% and 19.3%, respectively. These bold hues have become synonymous with high-performance trims like Ford’s Raptor and Toyota’s TRD Pro.
SUVs: Despite being the most popular segment in the U.S., buyers shy away from common colors. Orange, green, and yellow SUVs held value best, while black and white lost over $17,000 after three years.
Sedans: Orange and yellow again top the list, but green — typically a strong performer — falls flat, ranking second worst in this segment.
Minivans: Practicality reigns. Earth tones like green, brown, and silver hold value best, while bright colors are rarely even offered.
Coupes and Convertibles: These sporty models reward drivers who go bold. Yellow and orange coupes and convertibles held their value better than any other shades.
Interestingly, the variation in depreciation by color is narrowing. Last year, there was a 12.4-point difference between the best and worst-performing colors. This year, that gap has dropped to 10.4 points, suggesting that while color still matters, other factors are gaining influence in used car pricing.