What Do Car Make and Car Model Mean?

A vehicle’s make refers to the car manufacturer, while the model refers to the product name. It’s important to note the differences between car models for any manufacturer, as they often have different features and design choices and may also affect your car insurance rate.

Learn more about the differences between car make and model, including how to tell the differences between car models from the same manufacturer and how to identify your own vehicle.

Key Takeaways Your car’s make refers to its manufacturer, while the model refers to the specific design of the vehicle made by that manufacturer. Body style and trim levels can vary among cars of the same make and model, which may affect purchase costs and insurance rates. Insurance costs will vary by make and model because different vehicles have varying purchase prices, theft rates, accident rates and other rating factors. You can find your car’s make and model by checking the owner’s manual, title or registration or by using the VIN lookup tool on the NHTSA website.

What Does Car Make Mean?

A car’s make is the name of its manufacturer. Here’s a quick list of popular makes in the U.S. as of 2024:^[1]

• Ford
• Chevrolet
• Toyota
• Tesla
• Honda
• Ram
• Subaru
• Hyundai

In 2024, the top-selling car make in the U.S. was Toyota, followed by Ford and Chevrolet.^[1]

What Does Car Model Mean?

A car’s model is the name of its specific design or version. These may include letters and numbers, such as BMW’s X1, or specific names, such as Ford’s Explorer models. Here’s a list of popular car models sold in 2024:^[2]

• Ford F-Series
• Chevrolet Silverado
• Toyota RAV4
• Tesla Model Y
• Honda CR-V

What's the Difference Between Car Make and Model?

A car’s make refers to who manufactured the vehicle, while its model refers to the specific version the manufacturer has produced. Generally, manufacturers will produce multiple models that may serve entirely different purposes or design preferences — such as a sedan versus an SUV. A car’s model helps customers differentiate between vehicles in a manufacturer’s catalog.

How Do I Know the Differences Between Cars of the Same Model?

Consumers may see variations within the same vehicle model based on its body style, trim and model year.

Body Style

Manufacturers often release the same model in different body styles, which can affect the car’s appearance and price. For example, a vehicle may be offered as a four-door sedan or a sportier-looking two-door coupe — each with a different price point. The 2025 Honda Civic, for instance, is available as a sedan or a hatchback.^[3]

Common types of vehicle body styles include:^[4]

• Sedan
• Coupe
• SUV
• Convertible
• Station wagon
• Hatchback
• Van
• Minivan
• Pickup truck
• Sports car

Trim Levels

Vehicles are also available with different trim levels, which may include unique or upgraded features and configurations. Trim levels are usually indicated by a letter or series of letters at the end of a car’s make and model. For example, in a Honda CR-V LX, the trim is “LX”, which typically refers to a “luxury” model.

Trim level designations may vary among manufacturers.

Here’s a breakdown of some common trim letters and their typical meanings:^[5]

• T: Touring
• L: Level
• S: Sport, Special or Standard
• D: Deluxe
• E: Extra, Edition or Equipment
• G: Grade or Grand
• LX: Luxury

For example, the trim level “SE” often indicates a Sport Edition or Special Edition. Review your owner’s manual or check the manufacturer’s website to learn more about your specific trim and its features.

Model Year

Cars are often differentiated by their model year, which may feature different upgrades or design changes from one year to the next. For example, although the Toyota Corolla has been in production since 1966, the model has undergone significant improvements in safety features, performance and design over time.^[6]

Keep in mind that a car’s model year does not always align with its actual manufacture date.^[7]

Some manufacturers — such as Tesla — may not use model years at all.^[7]

Why Do Car Make and Model Matter?

Make and model matter because consumers tend to choose vehicles that match their budget and style preferences. Pricing varies among car manufacturers and across different models — even among cars in the same category. For example, a 2025 Toyota Camry has a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $28,700, while a 2025 Honda Civic starts at an MSRP of $24,250, even though both are sedans.^[8][3]

Your car’s make and model also influence how much you pay for auto insurance. Insurance rates are affected by the car’s value, safety ratings, theft risk and other risk factors.

Using Honda as an example, the MSRP varies across six of its 2025 models.^[3]

Year, Make and Model	Starting MSRP
2025 Honda Accord Sedan	$28,295
2025 Honda Accord Hybrid	$33,655
2025 Honda Civic Sedan	$24,250
2025 Honda Civic Hatchback	$27,450
2025 Honda Civic Type R	$45,895

Pricing can also vary based on the vehicle’s trim level. For the 2025 Honda CR-V, consumers may see a price difference of up to $11,000 depending on which trim they choose.^[9]

Year, Make, Model and Trim Level	Starting MSRP
2025 Honda CR-V LX	$30,100
2025 Honda CR-V EX	$32,350
2025 Honda CR-V Sport Hybrid	$34,350
2025 Honda CR-V EX-L	$35,000
2025 Honda CR-V Sport-L Hybrid	$37,650
2025 Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid	$41,100

How Do Car Make and Model Impact Insurance Rates?

Insurance companies consider your car’s make and model because replacement costs, theft rates, accident statistics, casualty rates and other factors vary by vehicle. Certain makes and models have a higher number of insurance claims, which can result in higher premiums for those vehicles.

Different Makes and Models Have Different Replacement Costs

Insurance premiums can vary by make and model because vehicles have different purchase prices. For example, newer models may have higher insurance rates because their advanced technology makes them more expensive to replace, and they may be more attractive to thieves.^[10]

Conversely, a used vehicle with parts that are widely available and inexpensive to replace may cost less to insure due to the lower repair or replacement costs after an accident.

Auto Theft Rates

Some makes and models with higher theft rates are charged higher premiums because comprehensive insurance covers theft and vandalism. Your insurance company tracks car theft rates of your specific model in your area and will charge premiums to accurately reflect your vehicle’s level of risk.

Below is a breakdown of the most stolen makes and models as of 2023:^[11]

Make and Model	Total Thefts in 2023
Hyundai Elantra	48,445
Hyundai Sonata	42,813
Kia Optima	30,204
Chevrolet Silverado 1500	23,721
Kia Soul	21,001
Honda Accord	20,895
Honda Civic	19,858
Kia Forte	16,209
Ford F-150 Series Pickup	15,852
Kia Sportage	15,749

Accident Rates

When insurance companies see a higher number of accident claims linked to certain makes and models, they raise premiums for those vehicles. Conversely, less accident-prone vehicles are more likely to see lower insurance premiums.^[12]

How To Find Your Car Make and Model

Drivers can confirm their car’s year, make and model by reviewing their owner’s manual, vehicle title or registration. You also enter your car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) into the VIN decoder tool on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. You will typically find your VIN on the dashboard near your windshield or the driver’s side door jamb.^[13]

At first glance, your vehicle’s VIN may look like a string of randomized digits and letters unique to your car. However, specific letters and the spaces they hold tell information about where your vehicle was built, its manufacturer and more. For example, if the first character is the numeral 1, 4 or 5, your car was manufactured in the United States.^[13]