What Does Trail Rated Mean On A Jeep, And Which Models Have The Badge?

The Jeep brand has long been synonymous with off-road prowess, getting its start all the way back in 1940 with the Quad 4x4. The automaker proved itself in the toughest of conditions during World War II and continued to innovate within the four-wheel drive SUV market over the subsequent decades. Various standouts like the CJ-8 Scrambler, Grand Cherokee, and Wrangler models are considered some of the best Jeeps of all time.

Starting in 2004, the Trail Rated badge began appearing on select Jeep models and involved a series of off-road tests devised by the Nevada Automotive Test Center. It's one thing for an automaker to advertise their vehicle is off-road capable, but the Trail Rated badge proves it with five categories measuring traction, water fording, maneuverability, articulation, and ground clearance.

You can find the Trail Rated badge on all Wranglers, including the 4xe, Gladiator, Compass Trailhawk, Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe, and Grand Cherokee Overland. We recently got an opportunity to test out a new model from the automaker in our 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe review and found positives in its quiet and stable performance, but we were a bit shocked by the price tag. Fortunately, there are more economical options, such as the Tractor Supply 125cc Massimo Mini Jeep, which has become a popular all-terrain vehicle for those over 16 needing to get around a large property.

In order for a Jeep vehicle to receive the Trail Rated badge, it must endure a series of challenges that begin at the Fiat Chrysler Automobile's cutting-edge headquarters. Following the successful completion of some initial tests at the automaker's facility, the Jeep models are then subject to a wide array of conditions in locations like Northern Michigan and the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.

The first performance metric is traction, where a Jeep must continue forward under control on surfaces such as mud, sand, snow, and ice. The model seeking to earn a Trail Rated badge must perform well on both slick roads and steep inclined trails meant to capture a range of off-road terrain.

Jeep vehicles then must prove they can navigate over water, ensuring the seals holding electrical components remain dry and the raised air intake protects the engine. The Trail Rated Compass Trailhawk, for example, can drive through water up to 19 inches high.

The testing also covers maneuverability on treacherous and uneven terrain, along with articulation measures, such as how much contact the wheels have with the ground while rock crawling, for example. Articulation also includes the amount of flexibility built into the suspension, which allows for traction even when one or more wheels are in the air.

Finally, there is a test for off-road ground clearance, which measures angles of approach and departure to help evaluate how well the Jeep can travel over outdoor obstacles, such as rocks, without getting stuck.