Car-buyers are doing more research than ever. 

At this year’s Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, it’s clear why: in a boundless sea of high-tech SUVs, how do you find “the one?” 

The number of vehicle models in the U.S. is on track to rise from nearly 450 in 2023 to about 650 by 2028, potentially confusing consumers, according to research published in September by S&P Global Mobility. They wrote that the trend—“peak model complexity”—will spread around the world as a slew of EVs enter the market before gas-powered models are put out to pasture.