Vehicle body trim structure

1. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a rear body panel having a pillar portion extending upward from a vehicle body waistline defined along the rear body panel, the pillar portion including an outboard facing surface and a rearward facing surface, the outboard facing surface having a front peripheral edge section at least partially defining a side opening, the rearward facing surface having an inboard peripheral edge section at least partially defining a rear window opening, the pillar portion of the rear body panel including a recess formed along the outboard facing surface and the rearward facing surface adjacent to the vehicle body waistline;

a rear window glass installed within the rear window opening overlaying at least a portion of the inboard peripheral edge section; and

an exterior trim panel having a first section extending rearward from the front peripheral edge section along the outboard facing surface at the vehicle body waistline and a second section that extends in a lateral inboard direction from a rearward end of the first section to the inboard peripheral edge section along the rearward facing surface to the rear window opening at the vehicle body waistline, the exterior trim panel being at least partially disposed within the recess.

2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the recess extends along the outboard facing surface and the rearward facing surface from the side opening to the rear window opening.

3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 2 , wherein

the exterior trim panel is provided with seals positioned to contact the outboard facing surface and the rearward facing surface within the recess.

4. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the exterior trim panel includes an outboard surface that is flush with an adjacent section of the outboard facing surface of the pillar portion above the recess, and

a lower section of the outboard facing surface of the rear body panel below the vehicle body waistline extends further outboard relative to the outboard surface of the exterior trim panel.

5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the outboard facing surface and the rearward facing surface adjacent to the vehicle body waistline include first attachment portions, and

the first section and the second section of the exterior trim panel include second attachment portions that attach to respective ones of the first attachment portions.

6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 5 , wherein

the first attachment portions include first apertures formed in the outboard facing surface and a second aperture formed in the rearward facing surface, and

the second attachment portions include first snap-fitting projections installed to the first section and a second snap-fitting projection installed to the second section.

7. The vehicle body structure according to claim 6 , wherein

at least two of the first snap-fitting projections extend in first directions that are parallel to one another, and

the second snap-fitting projection extends in a direction that is angularly offset from the first directions.

8. The vehicle body structure according to claim 5 , wherein

the first section of the exterior trim panel includes a plurality of alignment pins located at spaced apart locations proximate the first attachment portions, and

the outboard facing surface includes alignment apertures that receive respective ones of the plurality of alignment pins.

9. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the second section of the exterior trim panel has a closed inboard end while installed to the pillar portion of the rear body panel, and

the rear window glass has an exposed outboard surface facing the closed inboard end of the second section of the exterior trim panel.

10. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the rearward facing surface of the rear body panel has a rear window flange extending inboard from the inboard peripheral edge section, and

a closed inboard end of the exterior trim panel has a flange extending along a portion of the inboard peripheral edge section toward the rear window flange.

11. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the rear body panel is provided with a first exterior color, and

the exterior trim panel is provided with a second exterior color that is darker than the first exterior color.

12. The vehicle body structure according to claim 11 , wherein

a lower edge portion of the rear window glass is provided with the second exterior color along one surface thereof, and

a portion of the inboard peripheral edge section of the rearward facing surface adjacent to the second section of the exterior trim panel is provided with the second exterior color such that the exterior trim panel, the lower edge portion of the rear window glass, the portion of the inboard peripheral edge section and the exterior trim panel define a uniform colored stripe.

13. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the exterior trim panel is provided with seals positioned to contact the outboard facing surface and the rearward facing surface.

14. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the first section extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction and the second section of the exterior trim panel extends in the lateral inboard direction such that the lateral inboard direction is angularly offset from the vehicle longitudinal direction by an angle of between 65 degrees and 90 degrees.

15. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the exterior trim panel has an overall length measured along the vehicle body waistline, and the exterior trim panel has a maximum height measured in a vertical direction, with the overall length being greater than the maximum height.

16. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the side opening is a side window receiving opening with a side window being installed therein, with the vehicle body waistline extending along a lower edge of the side window receiving opening.

17. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the side opening is a door receiving opening with a door being coupled for movement between an open position and closed position relative to the rear outer body panel, a rearward edge of the door being located adjacent to a forward edge of the exterior trim panel with the door in the closed position.

18. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the first section and the second section of the exterior trim panel are formed as a continuous and single monolithic element.

19. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 , wherein

the first section and the second section of the exterior trim panel are separate elements mechanically attached to one another.

20. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a rear body panel having a pillar portion extending upward from a vehicle body waistline defined along the rear body panel, the pillar portion including an outboard facing surface and a rearward facing surface, the outboard facing surface having a front peripheral edge section at least partially defining a side opening, the rearward facing surface having an inboard peripheral edge section at least partially defining a rear window opening;

a rear window glass installed within the rear window opening overlaying at least a portion of the inboard peripheral edge section; and

an exterior trim panel having a first section extending rearward from the front peripheral edge section along the outboard facing surface at the vehicle body waistline and a second section that extends in a lateral inboard direction from a rearward end of the first section to the inboard peripheral edge section along the rearward facing surface to the rear window opening at the vehicle body waistline, the second section of the exterior trim panel having a closed inboard end while installed to the pillar portion of the rear body panel, and the rear window glass having an exposed outboard surface facing the closed inboard end of the second section of the exterior trim panel.

21. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a rear body panel having a pillar portion extending upward from a vehicle body waistline defined along the rear body panel, the pillar portion including an outboard facing surface and a rearward facing surface, the outboard facing surface having a front peripheral edge section at least partially defining a side opening, the rearward facing surface having an inboard peripheral edge section at least partially defining a rear window opening, the rear body panel being provided with a first exterior color;

a rear window glass installed within the rear window opening overlaying at least a portion of the inboard peripheral edge section; and

an exterior trim panel having a first section extending rearward from the front peripheral edge section along the outboard facing surface at the vehicle body waistline and a second section that extends in a lateral inboard direction from a rearward end of the first section to the inboard peripheral edge section along the rearward facing surface to the rear window opening at the vehicle body waistline, the exterior trim panel being provided with a second exterior color that is darker than the first exterior color.

22. A vehicle body structure comprising:

a rear body panel having a pillar portion extending upward from a vehicle body waistline defined along the rear body panel, the pillar portion including an outboard facing surface and a rearward facing surface, the outboard facing surface having a front peripheral edge section at least partially defining a door receiving opening with a door being coupled for movement between an open position and a closed position relative to the rear outer body panel, the rearward facing surface having an inboard peripheral edge section at least partially defining a rear window opening;

a rear window glass installed within the rear window opening overlaying at least a portion of the inboard peripheral edge section; and

an exterior trim panel having a first section extending rearward from the front peripheral edge section along the outboard facing surface at the vehicle body waistline and a second section that extends in a lateral inboard direction from a rearward end of the first section to the inboard peripheral edge section along the rearward facing surface to the rear window opening at the vehicle body waistline, with a rearward edge of the door being located adjacent to a forward edge of the exterior trim panel with the door in the closed position.