Some of the Most Unique and Interesting Lexus Colors
We list our favorite Lexus colors, but if you wax lyrical about blacks and whites, you may be disappointed in our choices. Let’s explain. White and black are all very well, but everyone does it, and unless you have really built a legacy on some special color, such as Honda’s Championship White or Jaguar’s Old English White, we try to aim for more unusual and eye-catching hues, especially if we have only 10 to choose from.
And since a special Lexus white color, such as Eminent White Pearl (seen on the 2021 LX 570 above), certainly has its merits, a Lexus pearl white isn’t the first hue we think of when speccing our dream LFA. Similarly, Lexus’ Nightfall Mica and that interesting Caviar color Lexus likes to offer for those nonconformists that nevertheless must have a black car don’t top our list either. So what does?
Our Top 10 Favorite Lexus Paint Colors
Here are our top 10 Lexus car colors:
1. Structural Blue
LC (2016)
One of the most remarkable paint finishes ever developed, this is by far the most special, advanced, and expensive Lexus blue color ever. This color was engineered to mimic the Morpho butterfly’s blue wings, and Lexus didn’t use pigments to create this paint. Instead, it relies on its microscopic nano-structure flakes to reflect nearly 100% of blue light, where other blues usually reflect about 50%. This makes it a very intense ultra blue, and it’s a slow manufacturing process that requires 8 months to make enough paint for 300 Lexus LC cars. It was first seen on the LC in 2016 and is only applied to special, limited-run Lexus cars. Here it is on a 2021 LC500 Convertible Inspiration Series:
2. Pearl Yellow
Debuted on the LFA (2010)
Yes, we know the LFA debuted in Whitest White, but this superb Lexus supercar was also the first Lexus model to debut the new Pearl Yellow paint finish (paint code 5B0) in 2010, and this has become a rare and sought-after color for this model. It’s a tri-coat finish with a base, mid, and clear coat, and shimmers in direct light thanks to its pearl pigments. It looks especially spectacular on this 2012 LFA with the Nürburgring Package:
3. Nori Green Pearl
LC (2019)
This stunning deep green was first seen as an exclusive color on the MY2020 LC 500 Inspiration Series, in combination with a Saddle Tan/Black Amber interior, but since the 2021 model year, it’s been expanded to other Lexus, like the GX and RX SUVs. Nori Green Pearl (paint code 6X4) shimmers in green and gold hues as the sunlight strikes it. To our eyes, it’s a darker interpretation of Audi’s striking District Green.
4. Cibola Gold
IS 300 (2001)
One doesn’t see too many bright gold cars anymore, and this eye-catching hue (paint code 585) already appeared way back in 2001 as a new color on the MY2002 Lexus IS 300. This means that Cibola Gold cars are a rare find today, especially considering it was only available for two model years; by MY2004, it had been discontinued. Here it is on a 2003 IS 300 SportCross:
5. Autumn Shimmer
RX (2015)
Autumn Shimmer (paint code 4X2) launched in 2015 on the 2016 RX, and it was subsequently expanded across the Lexus lineup. It’s not that commonly seen and may be a controversial choice for this list, but it’s certainly one of the rarer Lexus copper color hues. It is a special rich bronze that reflects sunlight in various tones, since it’s one of Lexus’ highly reflective metallics. The official photos put out at the time of the new 5th-gen MY2018 Lexus LS launch were of a car in this hue, photographed at the Golden Gate Bridge:
6. Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0
RC and GS (2014)
We first saw Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0 (paint code 8X1) on the 2015 RC and GS models, but soon expanded to other Lexus models that year. It was also one of the launch colors for the RC F, along with Infrared and Molten Pearl. Ultrasonic Blue Mica 2.0 is a highly reflective 4-stage metallic paint and the successor of the original Ultrasonic Blue Mica. Its hue shifts from blue to purple, depending on light conditions. Here is a 2015 RC F in this blue shade:
7. Infrared
RC (2014)
Another one of the three colors used for the MY2015 RC F’s launch, this car also marked the launch of this paint color, which has since been expanded to other Lexus. Infrared (paint code 3T5) is a radiant 5-layer deep red with a glossy, pearlescent finish, and uses a 3-stage base coat. It’s stunning to look at, but also quite prone to water spots and scratching. Infrared is still offered today, as you can see on the 2025 IS 500 F Sport Performance below:
8. Cadmium Orange
UX (2019)
Another color made famous by the LC in the 2021 model year, Cadmium Orange (paint code 4Y1) actually already launched two years earlier on the UX (below), and is also available on other Lexus models. In Europe, this shade is called Blazing Carnelian. It’s a tri-coat paint with a complex finish, and it replaced the previously used Molten Pearl, but it has not been offered since 2023.
9. Nebula Gray Pearl / Mercury Gray
RX (2011)
This captivating shade of gray that looks like gathering storm clouds first appeared in 2011 on the MY2012 RX, and can be seen as the successor of Smokey Granite. Nebula Gray Pearl (paint code 1H9), also sometimes referred to as Mercury Gray, depending on the model’s year and region. Its pearl finish gives this metallic gray more depth, but it’s quite difficult to keep clean and shows dirt easily. This 2014 RX is finished in this gray shade:
10. Liquid Platinum
GS (2012)
We first saw Liquid Platinum on the 2013 GS, and it was no ordinary Lexus silver color. An advanced new coating process aligns reflective particles to better accentuate the lines of the vehicle, and it has a more premium and sophisticated look than other silver metallics. Liquid Platinum (paint code 1J2) was inspired by the snow on the hills of Hokkaido, Japan, and is a very special silver metallic that uses pigments only sourced from a specific Osaka-based supplier. It’s a far lighter and more radiant hue than, for example, Lexus’ Iridium color, which is a dark silver with a blue tint.
Honorable Mentions
We know we’ve left out some much-loved colors, so we hope you see them in the list of honorable mentions:
- Atomic Silver
- Iridium
- Smoke Matte Gray (2026 LC left below)
- Matador Red Mica (2010 IS 350C right below)
- Redline
- Black Onyx
- Starfire Pearl (2007 LS below left)
- Eminent White Pearl
- Caviar Mica (2025 ES below right)
- Ultra White
- Nightfall Mica
- Moonstone Mica
- Obsidian Black
Design Influence
The way Lexus goes about painting its cars is truly unusual. The company employs a dedicated team that develops new color-layering techniques and colors, and they formulate colors to look especially striking in the real world, not on photos. To this end, Lexus’ remarkable Structural Blue seen on the LC Inspiration Series took 15 years to develop. Inspired by the iridescent wings of a Morpho butterfly, its bluer-than-blue appearance is a bio-inspired technological achievement that’s helped keep vivid blues popular on cars, even today. This super-exclusive paint is applied through a 12-step process and goes through 20 quality inspections.
Lexus’ multi-layered “Sonic” colors have also led the industry – and inspired many a copy – with multiple layers up to six deep to create colors of exceptional luster and depth, seen in colors such as Eminent White Pearl and Atomic Silver, raising the bar for premium paint finishes across the car industry. Liquid Platinum and Cosmo Silver, in turn, are examples of ultra metallic paints with a bright, fluid, aluminum appearance; an example of advanced metallic finishes beyond what we’ve become used to from other automakers. Besides these advances, Lexus also leads in developing self-healing and scratch-resistant paints.
FAQs
Q: What colors does a Lexus come in?
A: Lexus offers a range of whites, silvers, and blacks, and also offers more unusual shades in the orange and green spectrums, and vivid blues. It the past, it has offered several striking yellows, and it currently offers a limited run of Flare Yellow on some cars.
Q: What color Lexus is most popular?
A: Eminent White Pearl is the most popular color, as white and black hues typically dominate the car park, and this is followed by Ultra White. Other popular shades include Atomic Silver and Caviar (a deep black).
Q: What colors are in the Lexus 2025 palette?
A: Lexus cars come in a huge range of different hues, not all offered on all models, with a palette of typically around 6 to 11 different colors offered per model line. Some examples available on 2025 Lexus cars include Copper Crest (on the 2026 NX below), Cloudburst Gray, Caviar, Ultra White, Nori Green Pearl, and Indium.
Final Thoughts
Lexus has established a reputation for quality and innovation, and this extends to its paint finishes. A dedicated team develops new paint colors and processes, making Lexus a unique automaker for the types of finishes it offers, such as its highly unique and meticulously engineered Structural Blue and its sophisticated multi-layer and rich ultra metallics, giving you access to stunning shades and advances in paint processes most premium automakers don’t offer.
About the author
Cobus F. Potgieter
Reviews and Features Editor