Name a car, any car. Say, the Honda Accord. It’s safe to say that most people have a pretty good opinion of Honda’s core midsize sedan. It’s popular, well trusted, drives well, and most people probably have a vague sense of what an Accord costs. Or, do they?
What are Trim Levels?
While the Accord in abstract is a single model, shoppers considering the 2025 Accord must choose from six distinct price levels, ranging from $29,445 to $40,450. That’s an $11,005 range that extends fully 35 percent above the cost of the base trim level. So, while there is just one Accord, there are really six vehicles for consumers to consider.
Content and Character
Trim levels allow carmakers to define the content and character of a vehicle. And while cars, like the Honda Accord, are generally well positioned in the minds of consumers, there is plenty of room to more granularly tune a vehicle to shoppers specific needs and wants. That’s where trim levels come in.
Lots of Trim Levels
For consumers, a broad range trim levels brings with it the opportunity to purchase a vehicle that best suits their needs–and pocket books. It also means spending more time shopping—and hopefully test driving—every version of a given model.
That said, dealing with too many trim levels can make comparisons between vehicles from different makers difficult.
Speaking of Character…
Because most car and crossover models are offered in functional, sporty, and premium trim levels, it is important that a shopper test drive the trim level of a vehicle he or she intends to purchase.
The Toyota Highlander, for example, is offered with both 18- and 20-inch wheels. The XLE for example, is equipped with the smaller wheels, while the sportier XSE is shod with the latter. Because wheel size can have a profound impact on ride quality, and handing and steering feel, it is important to know how the equipment on your vehicle will impact the ownership experience.
Generally speaking, smaller wheels provide improved ride quality while larger wheels can contribute to a sportier drive experience. But there are plenty of other things to take note of as you scale the trim-level ladder.
Power and Performance
In the case of the aforementioned Accord, lower trim levels make do with less power, while top trim levels come standard with hybrid drivetrains. In the Accord, the hybrid system serves up more power, and improved fuel economy.
Safety Features
Depending on the vehicle, upper trim levels generally come with more safety equipment. Features including obstacle detection, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot alert may not be standard—or even offered—on lower trim levels.
Materials Quality
Odds are, as you ascend the trim-level tower, the cabin of the vehicle you’re considering will become appropriately more upscale. Carmakers offer reward premium-level shoppers with more leather, soft-touch surfaces, and bright trim elements.
Sound Systems
For the last few years, carmakers have been installing an increasing number of premium-brand sound systems in their vehicles. Audio brands including Bose, JLB, and Bang and Olufsen are now commonly offered in most models, but generally only on top trim levels. In fact, on most cars, these systems are not even offered as an option on lower-end trims. While a sound system should not be a primary purchase consideration, in some cases these high-end stereos can be very impressive, and make moving up a trim level a compelling option.
Little Things
Premium trim levels can be packed with little items that may actually matter a great deal over a long period of vehicle ownership. Watch for things such as larger touchscreens, wireless connectivity, memory seats, automatic climate control, and additional interior lighting. Top trim levels often come with things you don’t actually need, but might really want.
Close in Price
Strangely, the price difference between the trim levels of some models can be relatively small. In the case of the 2025 Kia K4 small sedan, the move from the base LX ($23,165), and midlevel LXS ($24,165) is just $1000. Stepping up the LXS brings such desirable features as alloy wheels (instead of plastic wheel covers), additional color options, a 60/40 split folding rear seat, upgraded audio system, and several key safety features. We’d argue that in this case, the extra $1000 is money well spent.
Trims levels may be Disappearing
An interesting recent phenomenon is the reduction in trim levels being offered by carmakers. For 2026, for example, Toyota will offer just seven trim levels of its ultra-popular RAV4, down from 13 options in 2025. Ford, too, has cut the number of trims it offers on a couple of recently updated models.
The 2024 Ford Explorer, for example, was offered in a generous eight trim levels, ranging in price from the base XL ($38,455) to the line-topping Platinum ($57,310), and including the woodsy, off-road themed Timberline ($51,025).
Freshened for 2025, the Explorer is now offered in just five trims, ranging from the Active ($41,380), to the top-of-the-line ST ($55,835).
What Ford has effectively done with the Explorer is eliminate the base and lower-mid-level trim options from the Explorer lineup, effectively raising the cost of entry to the maker’s popular 3-row crossover by almost $3000.
While Ford has effectively reduced consumer choice from the equation, it likely has raised the average transaction price of an Explorer, which means greater profits for the maker, even if sales volume drops somewhat. (And because there are few trip options overall, dealers save money by carrying less inventory.)
Note that in many cases, base trim levels make up just 10 percent of a model lineup’s volume. Many base trim levels exist primarily to give dealers a low price to offer in ads and promotions. It is not uncommon for base trims to be hard to find in dealer inventory, as shoppers often step up a level, and dealers would prefer to keep more popular, higher-margin vehicles on hand.
Unfortunately, as tariff realities put industry margins under pressure, it’s possible that more brands will limit the number of trim levels offered, mostly by eliminating lower-end examples of a given model—thus effecting raising the price of entry for consumers.
Trim-Level Take Aways
- Be sure to cross shop appropriately equipped models from different brands
- “Price-special” base models may not always be easily found
- Stepping up to the next trim level may, in some cases, represent the best dollar value
- Different trims levels may ride and handle very differently from each other
Shop Smart
Do your homework and choose carefully. While specific models help shoppers select a vehicle, trim levels really define the content and character of your next ride.
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Trim Level Pictures
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