2018 – Texas Auto Writers Association Truck Rodeo Awards
BEE CAVE, Texas — After two days of evaluations, journalist members of the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) selected the 2019 Ram 1500 as Truck of Texas.
The award was presented Oct. 16 at the culmination of the Texas Truck Rodeo, presented by the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), in which 69 journalists drove 57 vehicles and voted on winners across a range of consumer categories.
In addition to the Ram 1500 winning the overall prize, the 2019 Maserati Levante GTS won SUV of Texas and 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio took home CUV of Texas. Complete results from the voting are listed below.
“TAWA journalists know their trucks, and they picked the new Ram as the clear winner,” said Michael Marrs, TAWA president. “Our members said the truck performed well even in challenging weather conditions during the Hill Country floods this year. It was also noteworthy that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles swept all the overall awards at this year’s competition.”
After a morning of off-road driving on Monday, torrential rain and safety concerns forced the remainder of the event to move to on-road evaluations. Still, journalists said they enjoyed their brief time driving four-wheel-drive vehicles on slippery Texas hills and through deep mud — conditions that challenge even the best 4x4s and uncover strengths and weaknesses of off-road products.
“Being named the Texas Auto Writers Association’s Truck of Texas is the highest honor in the world’s largest pickup market,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Ram Brand and U.S. Sales; Chairman, President and CEO, FCA Canada Inc. “The all-new 2019 Ram 1500 offers the best combination of class exclusive features, refinement capability and efficiency. Winning this award is a challenge, but the Ram 1500 is well suited to the hard-working needs of Texas truck buyers.”
At the end of the event, journalists judged each of the vehicles in five criteria: Interior, Exterior, Performance, Value and Personal Appeal.
In addition to SMDI’s title sponsorship, other sponsors of the 2019 Texas Truck Rodeo included LINE-X Protective Coatings, Saddleback Leather Company, Katzkin Automotive Leather, the San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, DFW Auto Show, Houston Auto Show, AutomotiveTouchup and Wieck.
OVERALL AWARDS
TRUCK OF TEXAS
Winner: 2019 Ram 1500
Runner Up: 2018 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
SUV OF TEXAS
Winner: 2019 Maserati Levante GTS
Runner Up: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
CUV OF TEXAS
Winner: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Runner Up: 2019 Mazda CX-9
CATEGORY AWARDS
COMPACT CUV
Winner: 2019 Nissan Kicks SR
Runner Up: 2019 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD
MID-SIZE CUV
Winner: 2018 Nissan Murano Midnight Edition AWD
Runner Up: 2019 Honda Pilot Elite
FULL-SIZE CUV
Winner: 2019 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD
Runner Up: 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL
LUXURY CUV
Winner: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Runner Up: 2019 Lexus UX 250h F Sport
SUB-COMPACT SUV
Winner: 2018 Hyundai Kona Ultimate AWD
Runner Up: 2018 Fiat 500X Trekking AWD
COMPACT SUV
Winner: 2019 Toyota RAV4 Adventure
Runner Up: 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
MID-SIZE SUV
Winner: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
Runner Up: 2019 Toyota 4Runner Nightshade Limited
FULL-SIZE SUV
Winner: 2019 Dodge Durango SRT
Runner Up: 2019 Nissan Armada Platinum 4×4
COMPACT LUXURY SUV
Winner: 2019 Volvo XC40 R-Design
Runner Up: 2019 Acura RDX Advance
MID-SIZE LUXURY SUV
Winner: 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
Runner Up: 2019 Lexus RX 350L
FULL-SIZE LUXURY SUV
Winner: 2019 Maserati Levante GTS
Runner Up: 2019 Infiniti QX80 Limited
OFF-ROAD UTILITY VEHICLE
Winner: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Runner Up: 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
MID-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK
Winner: 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK
Winner: 2019 Ram 1500 Limited
Runner Up: 2019 Nissan Titan Crew Cab SL
HEAVY DUTY PICKUP TRUCK
Winner: 2018 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
LUXURY PICKUP TRUCK
Winner: 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Runner Up: 2019 Nissan Titan Platinum Reserve
OFF-ROAD PICKUP TRUCK
Winner: 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel
Runner Up: 2019 Nissan Titan PRO-4X
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
Winner: 2019 Nissan Titan XD Single Cab
FEATURE AWARDS
BEST TECHNOLOGY
Winner: UConnect 4C With 12-inch Screen
Runner Up: Infiniti Smart Rearview Mirror
BEST POWERTRAIN
Winner: Ram eTorque Mild Hybrid
Runner Up: Infiniti VC-Turbo
BEST CONNECTIVITY
Winner: Volvo Sensus
