What does it mean when the car price says "base"

Base price is usually the model with the minimum amount of content (features), without options, and before Transportation costs. Depending on the car, could be the manual transmission model, with roll up windows, am fm radio, etc. Then you move up to advanced trim levels like SE, LE, SLE, SLX, LIMITED, and so forth. The more stuff on the car the more the price, the less stuff the least price. Just the basics is considered the base. However for pricing the base price normally excludes transportation/ delivery fees set by the manufacturer, not the dealer. Tip: never agree to pay for fabric or paint protection - it's normally $10 worth of materials applied to the car and they charge you $895.