Availability was a factor in new car buyers' decisions, with some makes and models only available in black, white, silver and grey.
"Manufacturers tend to err on the side of caution," Mr Townshend said, when it came to offering colours.
Car companies would sometimes put out an unusual colour, which became popular for a short while.
"Then, once a few get on the road, people stop buying them," he said.
One of the brighter colours Mr Townshend's customers opt for was an electric blue offered by Hyundai.
Blue was more popular than red in Hawke's Bay, making up 11.3 per cent of new cars, 1.6 per cent higher than the national figure.
Only 8 per cent of buyers in the Bay chose red, compared with 10.6 per cent nationally.
Manufacturers were not offering as much choice as they used to, said Paul Bond, dealer principal at Hawke's Bay Nissan in Hastings.
"They've gone away from some of the very bright colours."
Mr Bond said grey was particularly popular among his clients, despite safety concerns around the visibility of grey cars.
"It is, and always has been, a very personal choice," he added.
Grey was the third most popular car colour in Hawke's Bay, comprising 15.3 per cent of new vehicles.
The national average is 14 per cent.
White was more popular in Napier than in Hastings, where there was less than 1 per cent difference between white and silver.
Silver was the most popular colour in some regions, including Bay of Plenty and Northland.
Pink and purple were the rarest colours, with none registered in Hawke's Bay in January.