If you’re someone concerned about resale value, then the color you pick might be more important than you think. A new study reveals that not all cars depreciate the same, and if you want to get the most money for your vehicle down the line, you’re better off going bright and flashy.
According to the latest iSeeCars study, yellow and orange vehicles depreciated by 24.0 and 24.4 percent, respectively, over a three-year period. Green cars also held their value, depreciating 26.3 percent. That’s better than the three-year average depreciation of 31.0 percent.
| Overall Rank | Color | 3-Year % Depreciation | $ Difference from MSRP |
| 1 | Yellow | 24.0% | $13,667 |
| 2 | Orange | 24.4% | $9,951 |
| 3 | Green | 26.3% | $13,152 |
| 4 | Beige | 29.5% | $18,455 |
| 5 | Red | 29.8% | $13,013 |
| 6 | Silver | 29.8% | $12,636 |
| 7 | Brown | 30.4% | $14,197 |
| 8 | Gray | 30.5% | $13,648 |
| 9 | Blue | 30.9% | $14,994 |
| 10 | Black | 31.9% | $15,381 |
| 11 | White | 32.1% | $15,557 |
| 12 | Gold | 34.4% | $16,679 |
Gold-colored vehicles fared the worst, losing 34.4 percent of their value. White and black, two of the most popular colors, were also at the bottom, depreciating 32.1 and 31.9 percent.
This is likely because “those colors provide zero distinction in the used market, reducing their value and making it easy for buyers to shop around for the lowest-priced model in these shades,” according to iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer.
However, the type of vehicle the color is on also matters.
Orange trucks lost 16.0 of their value in the study, followed by green and gray. Shockingly, red trucks lost the most, but just barely, at 28.8 percent. Black, white, and beige were below red but all above 28.0 percent depreciation.
Orange and green SUVs lost the least amount of value compared to black, brown, and white models, while orange and green sedans held theirs better than the other colors. And if you’re looking for a minivan, get a green one. They lost just 15.3 percent of their value in three years, followed by brown vans, which lost 21.3 percent.
iSeeCars compared 1.2 million three-year-old used cars to determine the impacts of color on resale value. Check out the full study for all the details.