  The extension of the Standard Model to $SU(3)_L \times SU(3)_R \times
SU(3)_C$ (the trinification group) augmented by the $ SO(3)_G $ flavor group is
considered. In our phenomenological treatment partly known and partly proposed
vacuum expectation values of the scalar Higgs fields play a dominant role. All
Higgs fields are taken to be flavor singlets, all flavon fields trinification
singlets. We need two flavor (generation) matrices. One determines the mass
hierarchy of all fermions, the second one is responsible for all mixings
including the CP-violating phase in the CKM matrix. The mixing with higher
states contained in the group representation provides for an understanding of
the difference between the up quark and the down quark spectrum. There is a
close connection between charged and neutral fermions. An inverted neutrino
hierarchy is predicted. Examples for the tree-level potential of the Higgs
fields are given. To obtain an acceptable spectrum of scalar states, the
construction of the potential requires the combination of matrix fields that
differ with respect to fermion couplings and flavor-changing properties. As a
consequence bosons with fermiophobic components or, alternatively,
flavor-changing components are predicted in this model. Nevertheless, the Higgs
boson at 125 GeV is very little different from the Standard Model Higgs boson
in its couplings to fermions but may have self-coupling constants larger by a
factor 2.
