Car Trim Levels 101

Edmunds.com

Car Trim Levels 101

Don't know the difference between a trim level and an option? Here's an explanation to make car shopping easier.

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californiamark

Excellent story, and just what I was looking for. I wish every automaker either simplified all of their models like Honda/Acura, or made everything a base model (like Scion) so that it's very easy to get the exact options you want. Buying a car from Toyota is a frustration because of all of their stupid "packages", and dealers aren't too keen on doing special orders for anyone.

ryan73

Great article! Question about packages, tho.

Is it possible to add/upgrage packages, even on used cars? I'm looking to get a 2010 Ford Fusion SE (the SEL is out of my price range) so, I would like to add some SEL features later on when I have the extra money. Is this possible on a used car that's nearly 3 years old? And, is there a limited time to upgrade.

Thanks for the help.

rm2008

Ryan73,

Generally, the packages you see on a new car are usually factory installed and are not available for purchase on used vehicles. However, some items can be purchased separately at the dealer.

Simple items that were exclusive to the 2010 Ford Fusion SEL (larger wheels, leather trimmed shift knob) are a quick fix. But the more complicated components (auto climate control, heated leather seats, numerical door keypad, etc.) are likely to be more expensive than they were in the original package and they would also require a significant amount of costly labor to install.

If you wanted something along the lines of leather seats or a sunroof, there are a number of aftermarket shops that can retrofit them, but the quality and price will vary by shop.

-Ronald Montoya, Consumer Advice Associate