AFTERMARKET: Why Are Black Wheels So Popular?

When black wheels burst into the scene, they initially appeared as accessories to exotic cars and limited edition trims. This upscale affiliation made black wheels instantly cool, even though they made the design of the wheels hard to distinguish, especially in low light. Nevertheless, the natural confluence of several trends in car design led to more and more car owners opting for black wheels to achieve the look they want for the vehicles, no matter what model they drive. You've probably seen black wheels installed on every type of car on the road to day, be it a compact car, sedan, sports car, truck, or SUV.

While its association with the upper class is the main driving force behind the growth in popularity of black wheels, the market's growing penchant for larger and larger rims is also an identifiable cause--16 inches are so 2012--and while you may cause some jaws to drop with your 20-inch mags back in 2015, people won't probably bat an eye today.

This trend toward bigger wheels is relevant, because the darker the wheels, the smaller they look. The larger options made black wheels more sensible, as they gave aftermarket buyers the ability to make style choices without sacrificing the perceived size of the wheel.

Another factor in the surge of black wheels is the rise in popularity of white exteriors. In fact, white is currently the most popular car color in the Asia Pacific, taking up a monstrous 44 percent of the market share. There's no arguing that a crisp white tuxedo goes well with snazzy black shoes, and it seems that fashion formula is spilling over to the automotive world as well.

So to summarize, there are three reasons why black wheels are so popular nowadays:

• People associate them with luxury.
• The growing preference for larger rims.
• They go well with white.

What do you think? Do you agree with these reasons? Sound off in the comments section below.