Manufacturers are not required to test each individual new vehicle offered for sale. They are only required to test one representative vehicle—typically a preproduction prototype—for each combination of loaded vehicle weight class, transmission class, and basic engine (size, number of cylinders, fuel system, etc.).

In addition, some vehicles are exempt from these requirements:

• Large vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 8,500 pounds, such as larger pickup trucks and SUVs (GVWR is the weight of the vehicle, all fluids, and its maximum carrying capacity)

• Motorcycles