Red is a provocative color. It’s culturally synonymous with love, danger, and fire, and, according to a Psychological Science study, it can trigger passionate emotions like anger. It’s also a color that’s synonymous with a certain type of car.
Thinking about red cars may bring to mind the Tifosi and the famous Italian car brand Ferrari, driven in Grand Prix by the likes of Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, and on Hawaii’s roads by Tom Selleck’s Magnum P.I., or it might bring to mind any number of other examples, including the red Dodge Charger from The Dukes of Hazzard.
Red cars are iconic, but how popular are they on U.S. roads, and does their flashy reputation translate into real-world statistics?
This study will consider the key statistics around red cars. How many people drive them, who those people are, and whether or not red really does mean danger when it comes to vehicles. So, just how many U.S. motorists drive red vehicles?
Red Cars on U.S. Roads: The Numbers
Red cars comprise approximately 15% of all U.S. road vehicles. As a comparison, the percentage of red cars sold worldwide is around 17%. So, while red cars are popular in the U.S., they’re not notably so.
Who’s Driving Red Cars In The USA?
More men than women drive red cars: ownership among women drivers is approximately 13%, although this number is steadily increasing.
The average age of a red car owner is 45 years old, a slightly younger average than for owners of other car colors. Red is also very much a young driver color.
It’s the most popular color for new car buyers aged 18-34: 20% of new vehicles bought by this age demographic are red. And study data confirms that the color red does disproportionately captivate and distract driver attention.
Red is certainly popular when it comes to electric and hybrid vehicles. The percentage of red EVs and hybrid cars has increased by 30% over the past three years. In fact, across North America, 16% of all electric vehicles are now red, with the share of red hybrid SUVs reaching 18% by the end of 2023, up from 9% in 2016, reflecting growing eco-conscious preferences.
Let’s consider a few additional ‘red’-related vehicle facts.
- Red is the most common color among 1960s vintage cars, comprising over a third (35%) of the classic car show palette.
- Red is the dominant color among 1970s vintage muscle cars, with over 40% painted red.
- Red is the preferred color in several Middle Eastern countries for luxury sedans, making up nearly 18% of that vehicle class.
- The most popular red car model in the US is the Ford Mustang: around 22% of all Mustangs are red.
- In the United States, red is a popular open-top vehicle choice: about 10% of all registered convertibles are red.
- The number of red pick-up trucks on U.S. roads has increased by 10% over the past four years, especially in rural markets.
- Red vehicles are especially common in sports car markets, and account for nearly 30% of global sports car sales (with over 50% of sports car advertisements featuring red vehicles).
- The Nissan 370Z is one of the most popular red sports cars: around 18% of all models on the road are red.
Does Car Color Matter?
The above facts regarding red cars are all true. One thing that’s not true is the suggestion that red (or any color) means higher car insurance rates, despite stereotypical associations between the color red and confident, passionate, attention-seeking drivers. Although, as we’ve already established, men have a higher preference for red vehicles: 12.3% higher, according to one study.
But how does such a preference translate into car color popularity? According to a Kelley Blue Book study, red vehicles are by no means the most prevalent among different types, as the following rankings confirm.
| Car Type | Ranking | Red Vehicle Type Percentage On U.S. Roads |
|---|---|---|
| SUVs | 6th | 7.5% |
| MiniVans | 5th | 7.5% |
| Pickup Trucks | 5th | 9.5% |
| Luxury Cars | 6th | 5% |
| Sedans / Wagons / Hatchbacks | 5th | 5% |
| Compact Cars | 8th | 10% |
| Convertibles | 5th | 12% |
So, as the data clearly shows, while not topping any lists, red cars are certainly popular. And that extends to celebrities, a number of whom favor (and own) red cars, as this list testifies.
Celebrities Who Love Red Cars
| Celebrity | Vehicle |
|---|---|
| Paris Hilton | Ferrari |
| Eric Bana | Ford Falcon XB |
| Lil Baby | Custom Red Cybertruck |
| Ashton Kutcher | Candy Apple Ferrari |
| Amber Heard | Fire Engine Red Ford Mustang 1966 Convertible GTI |
| Johnny Depp | Red (and White) 1959 Chevrolet Corvette |
| Jennifer Lopez | Red Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet |
| Keanu Reeves | Red Ferrari 488 GTB |
| George Clooney | Vintage Red 1958 Chevrolet Corvette |
| Ryan Reynolds | Red 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT8 |
| Matt Damon | Red Tesla Model S |
| Tom Cruise | Red 2010 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 |
Most Popular U.S. Red Car Type/Style
For regular citizens in 2025, the most popular red car type and style is the convertible or coupe, with 12% of new purchases in that segment, the highest proportion among all red-vehicle categories.
Compact cars are next up (10%), followed by pickup trucks (9.5%), with red significantly less prevalent among sedans and other types of passenger vehicles.
But if red isn’t the most popular car color, what is?
Most Popular U.S. Car Colors
White is by far the most popular car color on U.S. roads and is the best seller in 45 of 50 states, with black the biggest seller in the remaining five.
For non-grayscale colors, blue is the favorite, and tops the list in 42 states; although red is the favorite non-grayscale color in the remaining eight. West Virginia is the red center of U.S. vehicles: with 11% of its cars red, the state holds the highest overall market share of red cars.
Study data tells us that, globally, grayscale colors are dominant: combined, white (34%), black (22%), and gray (17%) comprise 73% of all car colors on the road. Red is sixth on the list with 4%.
Popular Car Colors Worldwide
| Car Color | Buyer Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 34% |
| Black | 22% |
| Gray | 17% |
| Silver | 8% |
| Blue | 7% |
| Red | 4% |
| Green | 2% |
| Yellow | 1.5% |
| Brown | 1% |
| Beige | 1% |
| Purple | 1% |
| Gold | 0.5% |
Car colors are significant when it comes to buyer preference; they’re also significant when it comes to crash numbers, with some car colors being more involved in accidents than others.
Some Car Colors Are Safer Than Others
A study analysis of a million car crashes over 17 years confirms that black cars are the most dangerous on the roads, and are 12% more likely than white cars (the safest car color on the roads) to be involved in an accident.
The reasons are not necessarily due to driver habit: their accident-prone status is largely attributed to their comparatively low visibility, particularly on dark-colored roads. Red cars – aided in most conditions by being such a stark, high-visibility color – rank much lower down, 7% riskier than white vehicles. Gray (11% higher risk) and Silver (10% higher risk) also represent considerable car color danger.
Although white cars are the safest color vehicles (and are 12% less likely than black cars to be involved in an accident), other pale-colored cars, such as cream, yellow, and beige, are also comparatively safe.
Red Does Sometimes Mean Danger
Despite a mid-ranking place regarding car safety, red cars are 10% more likely than any other vehicle color to be involved in a traffic violation, according to police reports. The data also suggests that red cars are involved in 4% more front-end collisions than other car colors.
And, while white cars are number one on the list of cars ticketed or pulled over by authorities, red cars are second, just ahead of gray (3rd) and silver (4th).
One thing that’s not true is the suggestion that red (or any color) means higher car insurance rates, despite stereotypical associations
So, a case can be made both for and against red cars regarding their reputation. On the one hand, it’s earned, since data emphasizes the fact that some stereotypes do translate to U.S. roads.
Red cars are favored by young drivers and men. Additionally, they do represent a danger in some respects: there’s the aforementioned top-ranking traffic violation factor, the disproportionate number of red vehicle front-end collisions, and a 25% higher likelihood of single-vehicle rollovers.
Red cars are also popular sellers, making up 15% of U.S. vehicle sales, with red EV numbers surging 30% over the past three years – a factor that’s aided by their cultural cachet and popularity among notable celebrity figures. And it’s true that nearly 30% of sports cars on the road are red, while 40% of vintage muscle cars are red.
That said, red cars are not the most accident-prone or the most ticketed vehicles on the road, with white cars far more ticketed, and black cars far more dangerous.
Ultimately, red cars carry significant consumer appeal as well as stigma. While they will always stand out due to their eye-catching color, they ultimately belong in the middle of the pack when it comes to overall statistical analysis.