Ram Trucks Takes Top Honors and More at the 2020 Texas Truck Rodeo
Congratulations are in order for the Ram 1500 once again as the pickup earned top honors for the third year in a row as the Truck of Texas at the annual Texas Truck Rodeo. The annual Texas Truck Rodeo is hosted by the Texas Automotive Writers Association (TAWA). Not only did the 2021 Ram 1500 win top honors for a third consecutive year, it also racked up awards for best Full-size Pickup Truck, Luxury Truck of Texas and Off-road Pickup truck. Additionally, the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT nabbed the top SUV award, was crowned the SUV of Texas, and Full-size SUV of Texas. This marks the sixth time the Durango wins the Full-size SUV category in the past eight years. Sister brand Jeep earned top honors with the Jeep Wrangler as the Off-Road SUV of Texas for the 11th consecutive year, while the Jeep Gladiator won the Mid-size Pickup Truck of Texas award for a second year in a row. All in all, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) brands earned the most awards of any manufacturer at the Texas Truck Rodeo.
“The Ram, Dodge and Jeep brands from FCA impressed our TAWA members with an exceptional product lineup at the Texas Truck Rodeo. The 702-hop 2021 Ram 1500 TRX thrilled our members with incredible performance both off-road and on-road at the event; it crawled over the articulation obstacles with ease. And what’s not to love about the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat? With 710 horsepower, AWD, quicker 0-60 times than most sports cars, and 8,700 pounds of towing capability, the three-row Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat delivers unmatched performance that allows you to bring your entire family along for a roaring-fun ride,” said Kristin Shaw, TAWA president.
As is the case with every other postponed or altered public event this year (2020) due to the pandemic, the Texas Truck Rodeo was no exception as it had extensive safety protocols in place. The number of media allowed to be present was limited, mask requirements were in place, as well as social distancing, outdoor meetings, and vehicles were disinfected between test drives. Additionally, TAWA invested time and effort in assembling a new off-road course in which the FCA lineup of vehicles excelled. In total, 27 Texas auto writers were in attendance this year (2020). After conducting both on- and off-road vehicle evaluations and give consideration to everything ranging from exterior/interior styling, overall value, utility, and performance, members cast their votes for the winner.
Ram Truck vehicles with top honors include:
- Truck of Texas: 2021 Ram 1500
- Full-size Pickup Truck of Texas: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX
- Heavy Duty Pickup Truck of Texas: 2020 Ram 2500 Laramie Night Edition
- Luxury Pickup Truck of Texas: 2021 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn 10th Anniversary Edition
- Off-Road Pickup Truck of Texas: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX
- Best Powertrain: Supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8
- Best Towing Technology: Ram Heavy Duty 360-degree Surround View Camera
- Best Infotainment: Uconnect
TAWA
Founded in 1985 by automotive journalists as a networking method, the Texas Auto Writers Association became an avenue of development and personal growth for its members. As professionals, the members sought to create an automotive event that encompassed Texas, and thus the TAWA Truck Rodeo was born. Truck rodeos have taken place in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Spring Branch, Granbury, and Dripping Springs since 1992. In 2003, TAWA created an additional event to celebrate the other types of vehicles that were ineligible for the Truck Rodeo. These days the event is referred to as the Texas Auto Roundup and it includes sedans, pickups, sports cars, and other vehicles.
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