What Is Trim on a Car?

What is the trim on a car?

Car trim levels are a way that automakers organize a vehicle lineup to offer a variety of features at different price points. A vehicle that offers a range of trim levels offers more choice and price flexibility for customers. A trim is usually given a name or numbers, which makes it easier for car buyers to know how "fully loaded" and what capabilities the vehicle might come with.

Knowing the trim level meaning is only one of several car identification terms you'll encounter and need to learn when shopping for a new or used car. Otherwise, you might be on the automaker's website and wonder, "What does SE, SEL or LX mean on a car?" 

Here are the basics about trim levels, styles, options, packages and accessories. Knowing these terms will increase your overall car knowledge and make the buying process easier.

Jump to:

• The basics: Make and model
• Car trim levels
• Body type/style
• Car options
• Car packages
• Car accessories
• Automakers' different approaches to options
• Fully loaded car downsides

The basics: Make and model

You can't fully understand the trim level meaning without covering a couple of basic terms. 

Make: A car's "make" refers to the company that built it. Think Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota or Mercedes-Benz, for example. 

Model: Think of the car's "model" as its name. This can be a descriptive name, such as Mustang or Camry, or an alphanumeric term like F-150 or X5 — luxury brands often go for the latter, while mainstream autos tend toward actual (or made-up) words. As you can see, the make is just about as generic as it gets for identifying a car, while the model narrows things down somewhat.

Car trim levels

Trim: A trim level is the next level of identification. The least expensive trims will have the fewest features. These entry-level trims are sometimes called "standard cars" or the "base model," even though it's technically a trim. The names of the trim levels can follow the same logic as models, in that some have names while others have codes. This is where you'll often encounter terms such as LX, EX and SX or Touring and Grand Touring, among countless others. 

The highest or top trim is naturally the most expensive and has the most features. This is why people tend to refer to such trims as a "fully loaded car" or "top of the line." Higher trims either add or substitute premium features over the base trim.

It may seem overwhelming at first, but trim levels are consistent within the same brand. For example, if you're shopping for a Hyundai, the SE trim in any model will always be near the entry level, while the Limited trims are often near or at the top. If a car's trim level sounds fancy, then it probably is — look for words such as Prestige, Calligraphy, Platinum or Pinnacle if you want a fully loaded vehicle.

A great way to learn the differences between the trims is to read Edmunds' car reviews. Click the "Read Full Review" button for the car and go to "Trim Levels & Features" for all the details.

Body type/style

Body type or style: Sometimes, a model that has different variants can have the exact same trim level. The body type (sometimes called "body style") is then used to differentiate them. For example, the Ford Mustang has a GT trim level, which comes in a coupe or a convertible body style. Another example is the Toyota Corolla. It can be had as a sedan, a hybrid sedan or a hatchback. 

The Toyota GR Corolla is an example of a variant that has undergone significant revisions and has become its own model, with its own trim levels. This tends to happen with sporty or high-performance vehicles.

Car options

Options are features that don't come as standard equipment with the vehicle, ranging from audio system upgrades to more powerful engines. Most options are installed at the factory. Others are "port-installed options," meaning they're added to a vehicle before it heads out to the dealership on a delivery truck. Other options might be installed at the dealership itself, although these are usually called "accessories" instead.

When you're configuring a car, you choose options after you select a style and trim level. Though an automaker might offer a wide — and even overwhelming — array of options, this doesn't mean every vehicle on a dealer's lot will have those options. The dealership often orders a selection of vehicles from the manufacturer based on what will help the cars sell more quickly, not necessarily what will give customers a wide choice of optional equipment. If you want a specific combination of options, you can custom-order the vehicle — provided you are willing to wait eight to 12 weeks for delivery.

Car packages

Packages are groups of options bundled together with a common theme. For example, a technology package might include options such as navigation, advanced driver assistance systems and adaptive LED headlights. A cold weather package might have heated seats, headlight washers and all-weather floor mats. Some automakers may give their packages a vague name, such as Equipment Group 102A (Ford) or Premium Group (Dodge). In such cases, you'll want to read the Edmunds review in detail or check the automaker's website.

Sometimes these bundles are labeled "value" packages, and they can be a better deal than if you'd purchased the options separately. But most of the time, the packages are grouped to make it easier for a dealer to order vehicles.

If there's a certain package you must have in a car, it is helpful to add it to the search filters when browsing inventory online.

Car accessories

Accessories are parts or modifications that didn't come from the factory and that dealerships sell and install. These items can range from cosmetic parts, such as car covers, black emblems and alloy wheels, to performance add-ons like skid plates, suspension lifts and exhaust systems. If you are interested in these items, make sure you research the price and compare the dealer's price to those of other shops. Many of the same pieces are often found for less online or at another dealership. Also, it's often best to buy accessories after you've purchased the car. If you include them in the financed purchase of your car, while more convenient, you will be paying interest on that set of upgraded wheels for years to come.

Automakers' different approaches to options

Some automakers try to make the shopping process easier by consolidating potential options into the trim levels. This approach makes the vehicles cheaper to produce, and the savings can be passed along to the consumer. While some automakers have certain vehicles with option-free trim levels, only Honda and Acura (Honda's luxury brand) apply this concept to all their vehicles. With this simplified trim structure, the only things you have to decide upon are the color and trim level. When Acura offers a package, it usually treats it as if it is a different trim level. And any additional features are sold as dealer-installed accessories, not factory-built options.

While Honda strives to simplify its options offerings, other carmakers take the opposite approach. Mini and Porsche, for example, encourage their customers to personalize their vehicles with everything from seats upholstered in different colors of leather to colorful graphic decals for the bodywork. As a result, these brands have a high percentage of buyers who custom-order their vehicles. But for someone new to the process, shopping for vehicles with a laundry list of options may be overwhelming. In these situations, you might want to visit a dealership, see how the vehicles are commonly configured, and either purchase the vehicle as it is set up or make your own choices based on what you've seen.

Fully loaded car downsides

Now that you know how to read into trim levels, options and packages, the next step is to balance what you want with what you can afford (and what you can actually find in the dealer's inventory).

If you're not careful, options and packages can turn a reasonably priced car into an overly optioned beast that's well outside your price range — for example, it's possible to turn the reasonably priced Toyota RAV4 that starts around $31,000 into a car that costs over $48,000 if you choose the top trim and all the options.

Additionally, don't count on those add-ons to help you get your money back when you're trading in your vehicle a few years down the road. Highly optioned vehicles sometimes see higher depreciation because used-car customers are less interested in all the bells and whistles.

Once you speak the language of make and model, trim and options, you'll be better able to find the car that's right for you and less likely to wind up with a tricked-out model that blows your budget.