Click above to view gallery of more happy and confident cars
We've long suspected that the color of your car can tell others a lot about you, but the fact-finders at CNW Market Research have done extensive studies on the matter, and the results are a bit surprising. Many associate bright colors with confidence and perhaps even cockiness, but according to CNW's study, bright colors mean that you are likely to have below-average confidence. More sedate pigments like emerald green and dark blue reportedly point to a greater possibility of above average self-worth. Since the study was done over time, CNW was also able to gauge swings in emotion, and not surprisingly the more incognito paint-jobs were adorned by owners with more stable moods. Hot colors like orange, red, and yellow are consistent with wild mood swings.
Now, we know that just because you drive a screaming yellow car doesn't necessarily mean that you're ready for a shrink, but the study is interesting nonetheless. One thing we question is that there are a lot more colors that denote an unhappy person than there were colors for confident folks, and the percentages were definitely skewed towards an overall lack of confidence. Also keep in mind that CNW once determined through statistical analysis that the Hummer was greener than a Toyota Prius, so its results can be taken with a grain of salt. Hit the jump to view the car color chart, and let us know if you fit the bill. You can also check out some CARS with personality in our fun photoshop gallery below.
[Source: US News & World Report]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Torrent @ May 14th 2008 8:01PM
I usually choose cars by what color it looks best in.
k.w.a @ May 14th 2008 8:14PM
me too, and in my case, the color was red. i
t's funny because just this afternoon someone told me that she thought I was full of myself because she saw my bright red car. I asked around and apparently other people thought the same thing. now i get on AB and they tell me im the exact opposite, and I have no confidence at all. it seems like i can't catch a break with this car!
remo @ May 14th 2008 8:19PM
k.w.a - which car do u drive in red? just curious.
mk @ May 14th 2008 8:27PM
agreed.
I choose a car color by what color I like looking at a car in.
Reds and Blues are my favorite. Silver and Black are sometimes nice to look at, but get tired over time, and black hides details, which can be useful, or detracting.
My car is red, and although I can get worked up a bit, it takes a lot of input to do so and usually is my response to a breakdown of reason, and otherwise I am usually calm and stoic when other people are running around panicking.
My wife, who also has a red car, and red hair, is much more prone to emotional reactions. But she likes red cars. Her NB Miata looks fantastic in classic red.
I think car color only indicates social traits in people who don't take their personal taste very seriously, and allow their personality to dictate their sense of taste, rather than picking colors and designs on design merits, so the correlation doesn't always hold up.
Reader @ May 14th 2008 8:32PM
The car color I like on most (black) puts me way at the bottom of self-esteem, but I drive an emerald green car which puts me at the top. It also would mean I am not only the most consistent, but have the largest mood swings. I'm all over the place.
k.w.a @ May 14th 2008 8:48PM
@ remo:
I have an 05 Volvo s40. i was deciding between red or silver, but Volvo's "Passion Red" really took me in. most of the S40's ads show it in red so im guessing thats the most appropriate color for it, even though silver and black look pretty sharp as well
Tyler Mayes @ May 14th 2008 9:14PM
Agreed, an '05 MR2 Spyder looks best in red.
Chris @ May 15th 2008 12:47AM
The S40 is a nice car. How exactly can one be full of themselves by driving a red one? It's not like you have a yellow Porsche. It's a base model Volvo.
wslcrew @ May 15th 2008 2:30AM
I tend to stick with the racing color of the country of origin. For me, Green BMWs or Red Hondas just doesn't look right.
Torrent @ May 15th 2008 3:54AM
Since green is good- I can get one of these:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/hennessey-venom-1000tt-srt-coupe/798639/
without being too cocky, then.
;)
Rocketboy @ May 15th 2008 8:38AM
Red here... because I think it looks good in it, and there's a bit of history with a red MINI with a white roof.
Leaf @ May 15th 2008 10:43AM
I avoid gray at all costs. Its so safe and generic. There's always, always a better option than gray.
Torrent @ May 15th 2008 11:43AM
Isn't Your avatar gray? Or is that like silverish.
Leaf @ May 15th 2008 12:07PM
No, my avatar is gray... but I choose it for the composition of the photo, not the color. If that were my Z it would be blue.
Pat @ May 14th 2008 8:17PM
I have a green and a black ... does that make me two faced ;-)
jordan @ May 14th 2008 8:24PM
...but what if it's a dark red? say maroon...or "toreador red" as the official spec says :)
Torrent @ May 15th 2008 1:04AM
It's still red.
But don't judge yourself by what some stupid chart says.
Gregg @ May 15th 2008 9:50AM
Actually, there is a BIG difference in perception of red and something like maroon or burgundy or plum. Bright red connotes something completely different than dark red, and darker reds indicate more confidence, not less.
Mahmood @ May 15th 2008 10:38AM
Ahhh Toreador Red...first new car I ever bought was toreador red. 99 Ford ZX2. Great little cheap coupe.
First car ever was maroon also. Wifes car was BRIGHT red (also a 99 ZX2). Now we've got Dark Blue Pearl and Galaxy Grey Mica...getting older, I guess.
Pat @ May 14th 2008 8:24PM
This is an interesting article but why do you bring out and interpret some news from 2006
"Also keep in mind that CNW once determined through statistical analysis that the Hummer was greener than a Toyota Prius, so its results can be taken with a grain of salt."
Seriously ... on what basis can you make a claim that study has to be taken with a grain of salt?