The vast majority of drivers are in the wrong-coloured car for their personality, said a pan-European study by Nissan, which reveals a staggering 86 per cent of those polled made an incorrect choice in the showroom.

The research found that even though there are now more vibrant exterior colours and personalisation options than ever before, car buyers are still too conservative when it comes to picking paint.

The study was carried out by Nissan to celebrate the personalisation options on the all-new Micra hatchback. It found approximately a third of those surveyed should have opted for more striking shades like orange instead of traditional grey and black, based on their personality type.

To help consumers, Nissan has turned to technology and developed an innovative Chatbot in conjunction with acclaimed colour psychologist Karen Haller. Delivered via Facebook, it determines the user’s personality and presents the perfect Micra colour match for them in just two minutes. Customers are then directed to an online configurator where they can further refine the design.

Both the research and Chatbot were developed using Haller’s expertise in the field of colour psychology. With more than 20 years’ experience, she has worked with many global brands to understand the colour choices consumers make.

The all-new Nissan Micra is a car that’s perfect for consumers seeking to express bold colour choices. It’s available in 10 bold exterior colours, including the vibrant Energy Orange and Pulse Green. The personalisation program allows for contrasting shades to be added to the bumpers, doors, wheels and door mirrors. In addition, elements of the seat, door trim and dashboard can be modified with interior personalisation.

On sale since March this year, approximately 22 per cent of Micra customers are personalising their car – more than originally forecast. Affordability has been key to demand, with customers spending on average just €400 to get the personalised design they want.

For the research, bespoke questions were devised to quantify an individual’s personality through analysis of their behaviour and preferences. This technique is commonly used to indicate a person’s primary personality, for example, as part of the screening process during job interviews.

The findings include:

-    86 per cent have chosen the wrong-coloured car for their personality type
-    Approximately two-thirds went for more traditional / conservative colours
-    38 per cent are currently driving a grey or black vehicle
-    53 per cent stated colour had impacted their vehicle choice
-    58 per cent said they selected their favourite colour

Based on the 5,000 responses across Europe, high-energy colours such as orange should top the table. These signify energetic, fun and optimistic traits within someone’s personality. White is associated with simplicity, perfection and being in control, while blue is a calm colour loved by people who value integrity.

Haller commented: “Social factors come into play with colour choice. For example, in times of economic uncertainty, it’s common for people to play it safe and pick a car with a neutral palette – such as black, white or grey. So I’m not surprised that two-thirds of motorists are driving more conservative shades.”

Karen continued: “Often colour choices are based around aspirations, and black is often seen as aspirational, associated with high-end technologies and innovative brands. It may be that far from playing it safe, they are choosing what they perceive as the finer things in life.”

Human response to colour goes right back to early childhood. It is not always determined by symbolism or an association, but by in-built ‘hard wiring’ over which we have no control.

People react to colour in different ways, and with psychometric analysis an expert such as Karen Haller can understand the relationship between personality types and colour association.

Priyanka Gaitonde, a senior colour designer at Nissan Design Europe, commented: “The design priority for the all-new Nissan Micra from the very beginning was to put the customer at the heart of the vehicle. The new Chatbot is an innovative way of extending what we set out to do in the design studio, to guide customers on the colours most suitable to them.” – TradeArabia News Service