Here’s why the 2022 Wagoneer luxury SUV lacks the “Jeep” badge

The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer are marked with a badge. “Wagoneer” is written in large letters on the front of the SUV and the nameplate is equally highlighted on the back. “Wagoneer” or “Grand Wagoneer” is reproduced on either side of both vehicles, interrupted by an American flag. Open the driver’s door and the name will be on a plaque at the bottom of the seat. Jeep even moved the controls for the 24-way seat toward the door to make room for this decoration.

One badge that you won’t find on the 2022 Jeep Wagoneer or the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is the Jeep. It is not necessary, said Christian Meunier, managing director of the Jeep brand. “The name and design of the Grand Wagoneer obviously make it a jeep.”

Another badge you won’t find on the Wagoneer or Grand Wagoneer? The “Trail Rated”. To earn this badge, a jeep is tested off-road to prove that it meets five criteria: traction, water supply, maneuverability, articulation and ground clearance.

The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have no trail rating (at least for now), confirmed Jim Morrison, Vice President Jeep Brand North America. “These have off-road packages for 10.0 inches of ground clearance, underrun protection, tow hooks, off-road tires and are very wired, but they are not a trail vehicle, so we did not give these vehicles a trail rating.”

The SUVs also have three 4×4 systems, two off-road driving modes, can require up to 24 inches of water and offer approach, take-off and tipping angles of 25, 24 and 22 degrees, respectively. In other words, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer can tackle rough terrain. But the full-size jeep is just too big to improve maneuverability and get the “Trail Rated” stamp from the Rubicon clearing exam.

Jeep isn’t the first or only automaker to use a popular nameplate and build a sub-brand on it. Ford recently did this with both its Mustang and Bronco lines.

The two sub-brands were the brainchild of Ford boss Jim Farley, who wanted to create passion brands in the Blue Oval. Farley, a well-known Mustang fan, told the team working on Ford’s electric SUV to use the Mustang as inspiration to create a more exciting crossover design.