Let's say you're ready to buy a new car. You walk into the showroom and sit down with the salesperson, knowing exactly what car make and model you'd like to get a hold of. As you start talking about the details, you realise that there's one more choice that you need to make.

You need to choose the car’s trim level.

But what's a trim level? What's the difference between trim levels? Accessories package? 

What does all of this mean?!?

Relax. Take a deep breath, there's no need to stress out. This guide will give you a quick introduction to what trim levels are and why they matter. At the end of this guide, there'll even be a couple of tips on how to choose the right trim level for the car that you'll soon call your own.

What is a trim level?

An automotive manufacturer usually produces vehicles in multiple categories. Quite often, each of those vehicles is then further divided into slightly different sub-categories. At the core of it all, the car model is precisely the same, but the car is sold in different sub-categories known as 'trim levels'. 

Each trim level consists of a different set of features that come with the vehicle as a standard. Some trim levels are more expensive than others because they carry extra features. There may also be trim levels created to commemorate special events or occasions. The lowest trim level with the least frills is known as the ‘base model’.

So what's a 'base model'?

A 'base model' is basically the lowest trim level available for that car. Base models usually have the lowest price tags because they only carry a basic set of features that you’ll want in a car.

Don't worry! Just because it's a base model, doesn't mean that it's missing any parts. You're not buying the car without a roof or a door or anything like that.

You're still purchasing a complete vehicle, of course. But when you choose a base model, you're avoiding all of the extra features and accessories that would otherwise increase the car's price.

How are trim levels designated/labelled?

You can usually find trim levels that consist of two or three alphabets and maybe numbers as well. For example, you can see cars on Malaysian roads with abbreviations like SE, GT, DX and more. Those are the designations or labels of the trim levels for that particular car model.

For some manufacturers and car models, trim levels are designated using cool-sounding names like 'Executive', 'Deluxe' and etcetera.