It is not usually the key factor, but there is no doubt that design and general appearance are very important for those who are about to purchase a vehicle. Along with real estate, cars are one of the most important investments we make throughout our lives and in most cases the goal is for it to last a few years, hence the importance of feeling comfortable with it when we are behind the wheel.
The automobile industry has always been, in fact, a sector in which design is been very important. And this applies not only to high-end brands, but also to the most modest utility vehicles, where care is taken to make them useful but also as attractive as possible for drivers.
Because of this, in the world of cars, certain trends can be observed, and, like any other fashion, they fluctuate over time. The most obvious have to do with the exterior design of the vehicle and the color of the bodywork.
Regarding design, the growing demand and production of electric vehicles has led to a paradigm shift in the lines of many of these vehicles. Having a smaller engine, for example, allows you to increase the cabin size and offer more space to passengers.
Automotive expert Raúl Moreno mentions the popular Battista, from Automobili Pininfarina, as an example of this change in the design paradigm: “Electric propulsion provides an incredible amount of freedom in design. The low-slung T-shaped battery routing within the car leaves plenty of room for design, allowing the minimalist lines to extend throughout the chassis, uninterrupted by the wiring harnesses normally installed in the car.”
A study by Wavi, the subscription car service, on trends in vehicle designs also points out one related to the size of windows and windshields. In most designs, these are becoming larger, thus providing more light to the interior of the vehicle.
Regarding body color, there are several trend reports published each year by companies in the sector. One of the best known, Axalta, recently published its own, whose main headline is that Starry Night will be the most fashionable color in 2024. A shade in which black merges with silver and blue with the aim of “evoking the depths of the universe and space exploration.”
As the company explains in a statement, black, the second most demanded color by drivers in recent years, after white, takes on a new dimension in this shade thanks to a brighter finish “capable of being distinguished in the dark.”
On the other hand, for another of the most relevant specialists in the field, BASF, the top colors this year will be bright beige and pastels, a trend that has, to date, been unusual in the automotive world.
We will have to wait until the end of the year to see which of the two trends prevails.
What does seem to be an established trend is the use of sustainable materials in the manufacturing of vehicles, both inside and out. Thus, we see a greater use of wood and natural fibers, while leather, traditionally the preferred material for upholstery, has been replaced by numerous manufacturers with other sustainable fabrics, including vegan leather.
But the seats have also changed in other aspects. The Wavi report states that upholstery has gone from monochromatic fashion to more colorful and bright tones, with more noticeable seams and daring designs.The taste for classic cars or for flat wheels (compared to alloy wheels, which was all the rage a few years ago) are other trends mentioned by Wavi, further proof that, in the automotive world, trends are always changing.
