Study 007 · Current-market census
Configuration complexity by vehicle make
A reproducible measure of how many EPA certification records and labels sit behind the average current model family for each make. The snapshot contains 3.5 certification records per normalized family overall. Key points: The snapshot averages 3.5 certification records per normalized model family; Ram sits highest at 12.0 records per family; Lotus sits lowest at 1.0; 14 of 48 makes sit above the overall average. This calculation is based on 48 published table rows across 5 measured fields, with its full method (3 steps) and definitions (3 terms) published alongside the table so the result can be reproduced or challenged rather than taken on trust. Nothing is sampled or weighted by sales volume (the full current EPA snapshot is included), and the calculated tables behind every study in this series are downloadable as a single JSON release.
- The snapshot averages 3.5 certification records per normalized model family.
- Ram sits highest at 12.0 records per family; Lotus sits lowest at 1.0.
- 14 of 48 makes sit above the overall average.
- Complexity here means certification-row density, not mechanical difficulty or marketed trim count.
Complete result
Calculated table
Values are descriptive of the dated current-market snapshot and should not be generalized to a trim or VIN without verification.
| Make | Families | Configurations | EPA labels | Configurations per family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ram | 1 | 12 | 5 | 12.0 |
| Porsche | 6 | 71 | 63 | 11.8 |
| GMC | 6 | 55 | 38 | 9.2 |
| Rivian | 3 | 26 | 26 | 8.7 |
| Lucid | 2 | 15 | 15 | 7.5 |
| Ford | 11 | 67 | 47 | 6.1 |
| Chevrolet | 12 | 72 | 56 | 6.0 |
| Land Rover | 3 | 15 | 15 | 5.0 |
| Toyota | 21 | 94 | 76 | 4.5 |
| BMW | 25 | 111 | 109 | 4.4 |
| Cadillac | 10 | 44 | 32 | 4.4 |
| Polestar | 3 | 13 | 13 | 4.3 |
| Kia | 12 | 49 | 44 | 4.1 |
| Hyundai | 12 | 48 | 44 | 4.0 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 16 | 56 | 56 | 3.5 |
| Dodge | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3.3 |
| Lexus | 12 | 40 | 38 | 3.3 |
| MINI | 3 | 10 | 10 | 3.3 |
| Honda | 10 | 31 | 24 | 3.1 |
| Jaguar | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3.0 |
| Jeep | 8 | 24 | 16 | 3.0 |
| Mazda | 7 | 21 | 12 | 3.0 |
| Nissan | 12 | 35 | 32 | 2.9 |
| Acura | 6 | 17 | 15 | 2.8 |
| Genesis | 6 | 17 | 14 | 2.8 |
| Rolls-Royce | 4 | 11 | 11 | 2.8 |
| Maserati | 6 | 15 | 15 | 2.5 |
| Mitsubishi | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2.5 |
| Volkswagen | 8 | 19 | 19 | 2.4 |
| Volvo | 12 | 29 | 29 | 2.4 |
| Lincoln | 4 | 9 | 9 | 2.3 |
| Subaru | 11 | 25 | 21 | 2.3 |
| Bentley | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2.0 |
| Buick | 4 | 8 | 8 | 2.0 |
| Fiat | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2.0 |
| INEOS Automotive | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2.0 |
| Tesla | 5 | 10 | 10 | 2.0 |
| Audi | 33 | 58 | 58 | 1.8 |
| Infiniti | 5 | 8 | 8 | 1.6 |
| Chrysler | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1.5 |
| Alfa Romeo | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1.3 |
| Ferrari | 12 | 15 | 15 | 1.3 |
| Vinfast | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1.3 |
| Aston Martin | 7 | 8 | 8 | 1.1 |
| Bugatti | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Bugatti Rimac | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| Lamborghini | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1.0 |
| Lotus | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
Reproducible method
How the table was calculated
- Group every retained certification row by make.
- Divide configuration count by normalized family count.
- Retain the EPA model/option-label count as a separate observable measure.
Definitions and limits
How to read it
- Complexity here means certification-row density, not mechanical difficulty or trim count.
- EPA labels are not marketed trims.
- A high value can reflect bodies, engines, tires, drives or efficiency test distinctions.
Reading the result
What the table shows
What a certification record is
EPA certifies configurations, not trims. A single model family generates a separate record whenever a combination of engine, transmission, drivetrain, body or test-relevant equipment produces a different efficiency result.
That means the count reflects how many technically distinct versions exist, which is related to but not the same as how many trims a buyer sees on a configurator. A make can offer many trim names over few certification records, or few trim names over many records.
- Records separate on powertrain, drivetrain, body and test-relevant equipment
- Marketed trim names do not appear in certification data
- Two trims with identical mechanicals can share one record
- One trim offered with several powertrains generates several records
Why the extremes look the way they do
Ram leads at 12.0 records per family across 1 families. A very high ratio over a small number of families usually indicates a lineup built as a few nameplates offered in many battery, drivetrain and wheel combinations, not as many distinct models.
Lotus sits at the other end with 1.0. A ratio near one typically belongs to a make with a small, tightly specified lineup, often performance or specialty vehicles where a single configuration is the whole offering.
- A high ratio can reflect configurability instead of lineup size
- A low ratio often reflects specialty positioning, not limited engineering
- Compare the families column alongside the ratio
- The EPA label count is a separate observable, not a trim count
Why this matters when shopping
A make with high configuration density gives a buyer more ways to get exactly the vehicle they want, and more ways to end up with something subtly different from what they researched.
Efficiency, towing capacity, payload and range can all change between configurations that share a name. This is the practical reason to verify figures against the specific configuration, not the nameplate, and why the window sticker matters more than the brochure.
- Configuration differences change efficiency, capacity and range within one name
- Research a nameplate, verify the configuration
- Higher density means more chances for a mismatch between listing and vehicle
- The original window sticker is the authoritative record of what was built
Reading this alongside the label column
The EPA model and option label count is recorded separately because it measures something different: how many distinct descriptive labels the manufacturer supplied, instead of how many efficiency-distinct configurations exist.
When label count exceeds record count, a make is describing more variants than the test results distinguish. When record count exceeds label count, technically distinct versions are being described under shared labels. Neither is a defect; both are useful context for how much a name tells you.
Common questions
Frequently asked
What does configuration complexity mean here?
Certification-row density: how many EPA-certified configurations sit behind the average model family for each make. It is not mechanical difficulty and it is not a count of marketed trims.
How many configurations does the average model family have?
This snapshot averages 3.5 certification records per normalized model family, with 14 of 48 makes above that average.
Is a high configuration count good or bad?
Neither by itself. It means more ways to get exactly the vehicle you want, and more ways to end up with something subtly different from what you researched. Verify the configuration instead of the nameplate.
Why don't trim names appear in this data?
EPA certifies configurations based on efficiency-relevant differences, not on marketing. Two trims with identical mechanicals can share one record, and one trim offered with several powertrains generates several.
What is the difference between configurations and EPA labels?
Configurations are efficiency-distinct certification rows. EPA labels are the descriptive model and option names the manufacturer supplied. They measure different things and are reported separately.
Other market studies
The rest of the research desk
Source and citation
Underlying certification records: U.S. Department of Energy / U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, FuelEconomy.gov current vehicle data. Calculations and normalized family groupings: The Vehicle Standard Research Desk, snapshot updated 2026-09-24.