QOTD: Who Does Base Models Best?

Doug DeMuro
by Doug DeMuro

Today, I’m going to talk about a dramatically unloved segment of the automotive population: base models. You probably know base models from their lack of window tint and tremendously ugly steel wheels.

Base models aren’t discussed very often, because they’re often not very cheerful. In some cases, nobody even really buys them. For instance: I was walking along the other day, glanced inside a new Forester that was parked on the street, and it had a stick shift. I also noticed it had no sunroof, steel wheels, and cloth seats. This thing is probably rarer than a Lamborghini.

But automakers like the fact that nobody buys their base models. In fact, the entire point of the base model is basically to ensure people want to spend more money for a nicer version of the car. Dealers tell you the car “starts at” twenty-four grand, but then you show up on the lot, and there it is: twenty-four grand of no air conditioning or radio. To get a decent car, you’ve got to spend a few thousand more.

It’s like the Virginia license plate situation. Over in Virginia, they have dozens of different license plate designs, including ones for Jimmy Buffet fans and Friends of Tibet and The Southwestern Virginia Society of Air Conditioner Repairpersons and stupid crap like that. And in order to make you want to choose one of these designs, they make the standard license plate as boring as humanly possible. It just says Virginia on the top, and there are some numbers. It doesn’t even include a standard Virginia scene, with rolling hills, or beaches, or D.C. metro area gridlock.

Some car companies are famous for this sort of behavior. I mean, yeah, sure, virtually everyone does it, but some do it much better than others. So today I’m asking: what car company makes the best base models? The cheapest, flimsiest entry-level trims in order to suck you in and force you to pay more, even when you desperately don’t want to spend a dime above the base price?

I think there are a lot of good contenders, but the winner is clearly Honda. In fact, one of the most offensive base models of all time is the 2008-2014 Pilot LX, which features, well, basically nothing.

In terms of wheels, this Pilot offers the most heinous work-van-style steelies you’ll ever see on a family crossover. Window tint is removed from all the back windows. Fog lights are unceremoniously capped with black pieces of circular plastic. And then there’s a black plastic line running down the side of both doors, an unnecessary addition designed to remind you that no, you really did not want to spend a penny on this thing, did you?

The CR-V is almost as bad. In the long, sad history of steel wheels, nothing will ever really top the CR-V’s five-spoke steelie for pure ugliness. “I got a base model,” it shouts. “And I’m proud of it.”

Honda’s base-level cars are pretty sparse on equipment, too. Although Honda is now running ads touting that all of their vehicles feature a standard backup camera, they fail to mention that the Honda Fit still uses rear drum brakes — even if you splurge on the top-level EX-L model. And we could also mention the fact that Honda is still installing four-speaker stereo systems in base-level versions of the Accord.

And so, I think Honda is the king of the base model. Not because their base models are good, but for the exact opposite reason: because their base models are so basic that they basically force you to spend more money. “Do I really want four speakers?” you might ask. “Drum brakes? Those wheels?” Of course, in every case the answer is no, and so you end up looking at an EX, or an EX-L, or an SE, or a Touring, or an Elite, and the next thing you know there’s a built-in vacuum cleaner in your Odyssey.

What’s your opinion? Which automaker do you think boasts the very best — and thus the very worst — base models?

Doug DeMuro
Doug DeMuro

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  • AlphaWolf AlphaWolf on Sep 20, 2015

    When my wife and I were looking for an SUV for kids the Honda Pilot LX was only a few thousand more than many used SUVs of often dubious reliability. For the low price at the time, we could overlook the steel wheels. The Highlander did not even have a V6 engine on the base! Honda put the dollars where they are needed - very comfortable seats, power windows/locks, durability and a V6 standard. Ours has been dented in school and mall parking lots, and many of the interior pieces of plastic are scratched, I think the booster seat has made it's mark on the seat cushions also. The truck rarely makes it to the carwash and my wife hardly ever turns on the (base) radio. The formula works for us.

  • Bpscarguy Bpscarguy on Sep 21, 2015

    I can only make a few observations based on personal experience and personal tastes: 1. I agree that any vehicle that is a lower level trim - especially when dealing with exterior trim that might be reduced or in all black (rather than painted body color) - looks best in black as an exterior color. 2. I personally only buy vehicles that are at are from 1-4 years old. I usually know exactly what I want when it pertains to trim levels/options etc. Sometimes it takes quite some time and distance to locate what I want but I always get it. (Went to NC to get my current daily driver). But, I always buy top trim levels. We keep our vehicles a long time and want the "goodies" but also... I CANNOT STAND looking at filler caps in the dash. It just screams, hey something is supposed to be here but you were too cheap to buy it. So now you have to stare at a crappy filler piece of plastic. Every. Day. 3. I also personally cannot stand vehicles without alloy wheels. No plastic covers for me thank you. All they end up doing is getting lost, stolen, discolored or mismatched. Good discussion!

  • The Oracle Well, we’re 3-4 years in with the Telluride and right around the time the long term durability issues start to really take hold. This is sad.
  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
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