Buick to eliminate CX, CXL, CXS trim levels in 2012 MY

Buick has announced that they’re going to eliminate the CX, CXL, and CXS trim levels with their 2012 models. Instead, they’ll offer a hierarchy of option packages. Why? To eliminate the impression that the base model is the “cheap one,” which is unbefitting a premium brand. Which is why premium brands generally don’t have trim levels.

I’m all for this change, because the trim levels were meaningless and I could never keep straight whether the CXL or the CXS was the top model.

But it will only work if, as they imply, they boost base content so there truly is no “cheap one” suitable only for rental fleets and people who are really Chevrolet’s target.