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TLC Defined: What It Means for Your Car and Why It Matters

Giving a car a little TLC

There are countless abbreviations used in the car industry and by car manufacturers that, to the layperson, may be confusing.

Some are used for marketing, while others identify specific options or features within the vehicle.

We'll go over some of the most common in this article and hopefully clear a few things up.

Table Of Contents [show]

    Giving A Car A Little TLC
    Giving A Car A Little TLC

    What Is TLC In A Car?

    TLC in a car means Tender Loving Care. It signifies the amount of time and care taken to maintain a vehicle.

    Often you will see online used car advertisements declaring that the car for sale "requires some TLC."

    This usually means the car is in rough shape and will require some hard work and elbow grease to get it back to a working and presentable condition.

    This can also point to a poorly maintained car, so buyer beware!

    Wiping down the interior of a car ie. Giving the car a little TLC.
    Wiping down the interior of a car, ie. Giving the car a little TLC.

    What Does LS Mean On A Car?

    LS is a trim level for Chevrolet that means "Luxury Sport."

    It is one of the lowest trim levels in the Chevy lineup and generally comes with things like cloth seats rather than leather seats.

    Popular Chevy models with the LS trim include the Chevy Tracker, the Chevrolet Equinox, and the Chevy Trax.

    Chevrolet Spark LS
    Chevrolet Spark LS

    What Does LT Mean On A Car?

    LT is a trim level for Chevrolet that means "Luxury Touring."

    It is a higher tier trim level in the Chevy lineup.

    Options made available include leather seats, moon roofs, and higher-performance engines.

    LT option packages are available on Chevy models like the Silverado 1500, putting it a step above the 1500 WT (work truck).

    Chevrolet Camaro LT
    Chevrolet Camaro LT

    What Does LTZ Mean On A Car?

    The LTZ is a trim level for Chevrolet, which means "Luxury Touring Z."

    This is a step above the LT and is rare.

    It usually comes standard with a boatload of features, including leather seats, moonroof, backup, driver-assist, etc.

    The LTZ will also come with a high-powered performance engine.

    Chevrolet Silverado LTZ
    Chevrolet Silverado LTZ

    What Does DTE Mean In A Car?

    DTE usually means Distance To Empty. It is calculated by your car's computer as the distance or the range your vehicle has until it will run out of gas.

    What Does SV Mean On A Car?

    SV stands for "Standard Value" on a Nissan vehicle, while SL stands for "Standard Luxury."

    Nissan Rogue SV
    Nissan Rogue SV

    What Does Si Stand For Honda?

    When Honda puts Si on a car, it stands for "Sport Injected."

    They use this to identify the sport trim of their models like the Honda Civic Si, for example.

    What Does DS Mean In A Car?

    DS stands for "Drive Sport" on a car. This switches the car from a smoother driving experience to a more aggressive sporty experience by changing the way the transmission changes gears.

    What Does SS Mean On A Car?

    SS is short for "Super Sport" on Chevrolet and General Motors vehicles.

    It is used to market high-performance versions of Chevrolet and General Motors models such as the Chevrolet Chevelle SS, 454 SS, and the Chevrolet SS.

    1970 Chevrolet Chevelle 454 SS
    1970 Chevrolet Chevelle 454 SS

    What Does YJ mean on a Jeep?

    YJ stands for Yuppie Jeep, while TJ stands for Tough Jeep.