Dallas, TX– Nov. 2, 2021 – The Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) is pleased to name the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra as the 2022 Truck of Texas and the all-new 2022 Grand Wagoneer as the 2022 SUV of Texas, following the Texas Truck Rodeo held October 2021.
Winners were announced in a virtual awards ceremony in association with the Houston Auto Show on November 2, 2021. A formal awards ceremony will take place at the Houston Auto Show in January 2022.
“At the Texas Truck Rodeo, we get to put dozens of vehicles through their paces both on- and off-road," said TAWA President Kristin Shaw. "At the end of the day, our members were duly impressed by the updates and technological advancements included in both the 2022 Tundra and the reborn Grand Wagoneer; both were equally capable on the road course and dirt circuit.”
More than 40 Texas Auto Writers Association journalists traveled to Star Hill Ranch outside Austin on October 4-5, to evaluate more than 50 vehicles on an upgraded off-roading course designed for the event. Sue Mead, an accomplished off-roading journalist and member of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, served as the 2021 Texas Truck Rodeo course director, overseeing course updates. Drivers had the opportunity to drive vehicles on-road as well.
Members voted on the coveted Truck of Texas and SUV of Texas awards as well as eleven sub-categories including Full-Size Pickup Truck of Texas, Off-Road Pickup Truck of Texas, Luxury SUV of Texas, Mid-Size SUV of Texas and Compact SUV of Texas. Vehicles are measured on their interior, exterior, value, performance and personal
appeal.
“Our manufacturer members had the opportunity to speak with TAWA journalists and show them in person all of their newest vehicles and features,” said Shaw. “As a result, coverage from the event will be comprehensive and beneficial for both journalists and automakers.”
Additional awards were handed out for the Best Safety Feature or Driver Assist, Best Infotainment System and Best Powertrain.
This year, the health and safety of all participants remained the top priority. Safety protocols that remained in place after being adopted in 2020 to address the pandemic included sanitizing vehicles between drives and hosting all meals and meetings outdoors.TAWA thanks our participating members, automakers, press fleets and sponsors for their support.
TEXAS TRUCK RODEO WINNERS
OVERALL AWARDS
TRUCK of TEXAS
2022 Toyota Tundra
SUV of TEXAS
2022 Grand Wagoneer
CATEGORY AWARDS
OFF-ROAD VEHICLE OF TEXAS
2021 Ram 1500
COMPACT SUV OF TEXAS
2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz
MID-SIZE SUV OF TEXAS
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
FULL-SIZE SUV OF TEXAS
2022 Wagoneer
MID-SIZE LUXURY SUV OF TEXAS
2022 Genesis GV70
FULL-SIZE LUXURY SUV OF TEXAS
2022 Grand Wagoneer Series III
MID-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK OF TEXAS
2022 Nissan Frontier
FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK OF TEXAS
2022 Ram 1500
HEAVY DUTY PICKUP TRUCK OF TEXAS
2022 Ram 2500 Power Wagon
LUXURY PICKUP TRUCK OF TEXAS
2021 Ram 1500 TRX
GREEN VEHICLE OF TEXAS
2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe
OPTIONAL AWARDS
Best Safety Feature or Driver Assist
Lexus Safety System+ 3.0
Best Infotainment System
UConnect 5
Best Powertrain
Ram 6.2-liter Supercharged HEMI V8
PHOTOGRAPHY
All images are for editorial use only and should be credited to Kevin McCauley and capturingthemachine.com. Access 2022 Truck of Texas and 2022 SUV of Texas photos here.
SPONSORS
TAWA also wishes to thank all of our amazing sponsors for helping to make this year's event possible. Thank you to the Houston Auto Show, ZeroNox, and Katzkin.
ABOUT AWARDS
The Texas Auto Writers Association, Inc. was founded in 1987 by automotive journalists who wanted to provide an avenue for professional growth, development, and networking. These professionals sought to create an automotive event that was unique to Texas, and the result was the TAWA Truck Rodeo. Since 1993, Texas Truck Rodeos have been held in locations all over Texas; most recently, at Star Hill Ranch in Bee Cave, Texas.
In 2003, TAWA created an event for sedans, sports cars, and other vehicles not eligible for the Truck Rodeo. The Texas Auto Roundup, as the event is called today, was most recently held in the spring of 2021. For more information, visit www.texasautowriters.org.
Media Contact: Amy Plemons, amplemons.tvproducer@gmail.com