Axalta Names Redefined 2027 Color of the Year
Axalta's new report identifies four car color directions shaped by buyer preferences for wellness, authenticity, technology, sustainability and personal expression.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Car Culture
Axalta published its 2026-2027 Global Automotive Color Trends Report, "Color & Beyond," identifying four emerging car color directions. The company also selected Redefined, a ruby-red finish with a slight shimmer, as the 2027 Global Automotive Color of the Year.
Why it matters
Changing car buyer preferences related to wellness, authenticity, technology, sustainability and personal expression are shaping automotive color development. Axalta projects these four trends will influence vehicle design over the next three to five years.
Axalta's report projects four color trends to shape vehicle design over the next three to five years. The four directions are Beyond Quiet, Deep Dive, Luxury 2.0 and Beyond Ordinary, though the source gives no market share or sales figures for the palettes.
The players
Axalta
Axalta is a global supplier of coatings and paint systems for the automotive and industrial sectors that publishes annual automotive color trend research.
The details
The four palettes range from pastel-inspired colors evolving into premium finishes under Beyond Quiet, to brown and red hues under Luxury 2.0. Deep Dive blends nature and technology influences, while Beyond Ordinary centers on white, black, gray and silver.
Timeline
September 2026: Axalta announced Redefined as the 2027 Global Automotive Color of the Year.
Next three to five years: Four color trends are expected to influence vehicle design.
Roadmap
Axalta's annual color forecasting follows a recurring cycle of trend reports and a named Color of the Year that automakers and suppliers use to plan palettes. The 2027 pick extends that cycle into the next model-development window.
Buyers may see the four palettes appear in future vehicle lineups as automakers adopt them over the next three to five years. The report gives no pricing or availability details for these finishes.
The takeaway
Car color choices are increasingly tied to how buyers think about wellness, authenticity and sustainability. Watching which palettes appear in new models can show where those preferences are heading.
Further reading
Explore more on Car Culture to see how color and design trends shape the vehicles people choose.
Source note: This article includes information reported by GM Authority.
