Trim levels typically have denoted luxury: the higher the trim, the more luxurious, and often, more powerful, the vehicle's engine. But Toyota is turning that philosophy upside down. There will not be any distinctive badging to differentiate between models, except all-wheel-drive versions will have an AWD badge on the rear liftgate. The two marked differences between the four- and six-cylinder models are a dual exhaust and 20-inch wheels on the V-6 instead of 19-inch wheels and a single tailpipe on the four-cylinder model. They all look pretty much the same from the outside, said Bob Carter, Toyota Division group vice president and general manager, who said the strategy was a 'simplification process' for purchasing a vehicle, which will be sold exclusively in North America. The Venza is a midsize crossover. 'We're experimenting with this approach,' Carter said. 'Many (customers) say they don't want that much complexity when buying a car.' The Venza, which is rolling into dealerships in December, will offer eight option packages and four stand-alone features. The packages are tightly bundled and vary in price from $220 for a towing package to $4,345 for a premium package. Removing that complexity is welcome, said Jack Nerad, an industry analyst for Kelley Blue Book. 'The combination of the number of cars available and all of the different trim levels has made it difficult for consumers to sort through everything,' he said. Simplifying the process may also help with manufacturing quality, he said. The system of options for the Venza follows Toyota's youth-oriented brand, Scion, which offers three vehicles with no varying trim levels. Instead, Scion customers can select from a huge number of options. The vehicles are intended to be seen as a blank canvas for personalization. While it's unlikely the Venza will ever hold the same imaginative customization mystique of Scion, creating a sense of choice bodes well for consumers considering the vehicle. For example, most trim levels offer bigger engines for the higher-end vehicles, meaning a person who selects a four-cylinder car because they want fuel efficiency loses out on some premium features. Only recently have car makers begun offering top trim levels with smaller engines. Bundling options by trim levels has frustrated some consumers in the past because if they wanted one feature, such as a backup camera, they would have to spend thousands more for the navigation system that came with it, said Rebecca Lindland, also an analyst at IHS Global Insight. It appears, Toyota is rethinking those types of options with a model that allows consumers to build the car they want, instead of the one they have to buy. 'Now, if you feel you should buy the four-cylinder model for fuel efficiency, you can still have it built with all of the luxury options.' Nerad added that unstable and at times high gas prices have caused more consumers to rethink a big engine with their big-ticket purchase. 'We saw more people moving to four-cylinder engines this summer when gas prices peaked,' he said. 'There are a lot of people who have a hard time with the current choices provided because they want the four-cylinder model and they want the nav system.' Scott Burgess is the auto critic for The Detroit News. He can be reached at (313) 223-3217 or sburgessdteom.