Tundra and Wagoneer Get Top Honors at 2021 TAWA Truck Rodeo

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Dec 012021
 
2022 Toyota Tundra photo by Kevin McCauley

Latino Traffic Report (LTR) has learned that the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) has named the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra and the 2022 Grand Wagoneer as the 2022 Truck of Texas and 2022 SUV of Texas, respectively, following the Texas Truck Rodeo, held October 2021 and attended by LTR editor Valerie Menard, a TAWA voting member. Both models were first-time winners.

2022 Grand Wagoneer photo by Kevin McCauley

“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. 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.

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz photo by Valerie Menard

“With Texas as the number-one truck market, these awards have special significance,” said Menard. “I’ve been a member of this organization for more than 20 years and have been attending the annual truck rodeo for about as long. I look forward to it each year.”

While the Tundra and Wagoneer took the top prizes, other standouts for the day included the Hyundai Santa Cruz, which garnered the Compact SUV of Texas honor. Based on the Hyundai Tucson, the Santa Cruz will remind many of the Subaru Brat and while some may resist the urge to call it a pickup, the open bed does offer truck utility and includes a waterproof cooler inside the bed.

2022 Genesis GV70 photo by Kevin McCauley

Sporting a distinctive exterior look and exceptional interior luxury (including multi-zone massager in the front seats), the Genesis GV70 took home the Luxury SUV of Texas award. It has one of the lowest prices in its segment, starting at $52,000. The as-tested price was $64,045 but that pales in comparison to other competitors at the rodeo like the Maserati Levante Trofeo at $160,040 and even the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III at $109,580.

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.

For a full list of award winners go to https://www.texasautowriters.org/truck-of-texas-2022.

TAWA Announces 2020 Truck Rodeo Winners

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Nov 112020
 
2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Latino Traffic Report (LTR) has learned that the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) recently announced the winners from its twenty-seventh annual Texas Truck Rodeo. Here’s a hint, it was a big day for FCA.

The 2021 Ram 1500 became the new reigning Truck of Texas and the 2021 Dodge Durango, a two-time TAWA Full-size SUV winner, took home the 2021 SUV of Texas crown.

2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

“The SUV and truck market in Texas is strong, and narrow margins between the vehicles confirmed just how competitive this market is this year,” said TAWA President Kristin Shaw. “TAWA was the first journalist group to drive Ram’s new 1500 TRX and its impressive 702-hp 6.2L HEMI along with undeniable capability on and off road convinced our journalists to rank the Ram 1500 number one in the Truck of Texas category.”   

2021 RAM 1500 TRX photo by Kevin McCauley

Twenty-seven TAWA members, including LTR, traveled to Star Hill Ranch outside Austin on October 5-6, 2020, to evaluate 39 trucks and SUVs on their interior, exterior, value, performance and personal appeal.  A new off-roading course designed for this year’s event tested the trucks and SUVs on their endurance and versatility while drivers also had the opportunity to drive the vehicles on-road to experience ride and comfort.

The ultimate tailgating set-up in the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Thirteen different automakers entered vehicles in eleven categories and while not all competitors were represented, there was one newcomer that afforded TAWA members a rare driving opportunity, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Possibly the first six-figure vehicle entered at the rodeo, the purple and grey two-tone, luxury SUV took its paces on the off-road course, while the on-road drive accentuated its interior luxury and refinement, including a massage for driver, as well as its rear-wheel steering and notorious “magic carpet ride.”

2021 Nissan Rogue

Another first-time driving opportunity of note at the rodeo was the 2021 Nissan Rogue. Doubling down on its appeal as a family car, the all-new Rogue bears a bigger, bolder look, an upscale interior with a striking new dash, and an enhanced ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous safety package. In its category of Compact SUV of Texas, however, it was beaten by Toyota’s 2021 RAV4 TRD Off-Road, while the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon maintained its edge as top Off-Road SUV, and Hyundai’s elegant Palisade Calligraphy earned top honors as Mid-Size SUV of Texas.

2021 RAV4 TRD photo by Kevin McCauley

Also on hand, Katzkin Leather Seats displayed a special leather package featuring an aerated pattern of the state of Texas. Many Texans may find the investment of around $1500 a surmountable obstacle for such a unique feature.

TAWA made program changes this year to address the pandemic. Safety protocols included requiring face masks, sanitizing vehicles between drives and creating a two-wave event to limit the number of journalists present at one time. 

“This year has brought a lot of challenges to the automotive industry, and we are grateful for the partnership of our journalist and OEM members to provide an opportunity to have access to vehicles, network, and create content that is vital to our livelihoods and shared passion,” said Shaw.

For the complete list of winners go to www.texasautowriters.org.

TAWA Weathers the Storm to Name Truck Rodeo Winners

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Nov 192018
 

Photo by Kevin McCauley/@capturingthemachine.

Truck of Texas-2019 Ram 1500. Photos by Valerie Menard.

Sixty-nine members of the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA), including Latino Traffic Report, recently set out on a dark and stormy morning for the Long Horn Ranch in Dripping Springs, TX to attend the twenty-fifth annual Texas Truck Rodeo. While the 57 vehicles set for off- and on-road test drives were up for the challenge, the event was eventually relocated to the Sonesta Hotel in Bee Caves, TX out of concern for the ranch and the damage that soggy off-road courses would inflict. After two days of on-road testing, the all-new 2019 Ram 1500, 2019 Maserati Levante GTS, and 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio were named the 2018 Truck, SUV, and CUV of Texas, respectively, as well as winners in 18 categories.

CUV of Texas: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

CUV of Texas–2019 Maserati Levante GTS.

“It’s clear that TAWA journalists know their trucks, and they picked the new 2019 Ram as the clear winner,” said Fabian Campos, TAWA vice president and events chair. “The overwhelming feedback from our members was that the truck performed well during some of the most challenging weather conditions during the historic Hill Country floods.”

New products tend to excel at the Truck Rodeo but there were noticeable absences, including the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and 2019 Ford Ranger as well as the Ford F-150 that won the title of Truck of Texas last year. Both manufacturers offered budget concerns for opting out of the event.

Still, the completely redesigned Ram bears a radical transformation. Gone is the crosshair grille, the last vestige of its connection to the Dodge brand. Powered by a V6 or V8 engine, it also offers increased fuel efficiency on both with the new eTorque mild hybrid system, and new capability with a maximum towing of 12,750 lbs. and payload capacity of 2,300 lbs. On the inside, the test model featured the available 12-inch UConnect touch screen (left), a first in its class and winner of the Best Technology award at the rodeo.

“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. “Winning this award is a challenge, but the Ram 1500 is well suited to the hard-working needs of Texas truck buyers.”

2019 Volvo XC40/

Volvo brought the all-new 2019 Volvo XC40 to defend Volvo’s three-year reign of winning top honors at the rodeo. While the XC40 did win its category, Compact Luxury SUV, it was supplanted by the Maserati Levante GTS as SUV of Texas. The six-figure Levante offered exceptional exterior styling and performance with a 550 peak horsepower and 538 lb.–ft. of torque, but the interior, with its carbon fiber accents, was lackluster, particularly considering the price tag. Of all the competitors, only the Alfa Romeo successfully defended its title of CUV of Texas.

2019 Toyota Rav4.

Toyota also made an extra effort to bring the all-new 2019 RAV4, including the hybrid version, to the rodeo. With a sportier exterior and new technology like the camera in the rearview mirror, it also won its category, becoming the Compact SUV of Texas. For a full list of winners, go to https://www.texasautowriters.org/news.

“As a whole, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) swept all the overall awards at this year’s competition, a very noteworthy accomplishment for their multi-brand lineup,” said Campos.

Jury Names North American Car, Truck, and Utility for 2018

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Jan 152018
 

Henio Arcangeli, senior vice president of the Automobile Division of American Honda Motor Co., accepts the award for 2018 North American Car of the Year for the Honda Accord at the 2018 North American International Auto Show on 1/15/18.

DETROIT (January 15, 2018) – Latino Traffic Report (LTR) has learned that the Honda Accord, Volvo XC60, and Lincoln Navigator were crowned as the winners of the 2018 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) awards today at the North American International Auto Show.

The awards are among the most prestigious in the industry because they are chosen by a panel of more than 60 jurors from print, online and broadcast media across the United States and Canada. Votes were tallied confidentially by Deloitte LLP and remained sealed until they were announced today by NACTOY officers, president Mark Phelan, vice president Matt DeLorenzo and secretary-treasurer Lauren Fix at Cobo Center in Detroit.

The three winners each stood out in their segments for different reasons.

“Honda seems to have executed some sort of magic trick—not only is this tenth generation Accord far sleeker and more decisively styled than its predecessor, it’s somehow roomier inside, too,” said Chris Paukert, a NACTOY juror and managing editor of Road Show by CNET. “Even in low-end trims, it drives well and offers a strong amount of standard equipment.”

According to Henio Arcangeli, Jr., senior vice president of the Automobile Division and general manager of Honda Sales, American Honda Motor Co., Inc, “Honda took a clean-sheet approach to reinventing America’s most popular car, and we couldn’t be prouder to receive this honor for Accord as the North American Car of the Year,” he said. “We’re especially proud for the production associates in Ohio where Accord has been built to the highest quality standards for over 35 years.”

Standing next to the all-new Volvo XC60, Anders Gustafsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars USA holds the award for 2018 North American Utility of the Year won by the 2018 XC60.

The XC60 is the second Volvo in three years to win the coveted award after the XC90 won in 2016. “Like the XC90, the XC60 offers Volvo’s distinct brand of luxury and it may even be more appealing than its bigger brother. The ride is exemplary, and when smartly equipped, it is a fine value,” said NACTOY juror and freelance auto writer Kirk Bell.

“We are so proud the XC60 has won this prestigious award,” said Anders Gustafsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars USA. “It is a very tough competition and we thank all the judges for recognizing the great style, technology, and engineering in the XC60.

Kumar Galhotra, president, The Lincoln Motor Company holds the 2018 Truck of the Year award for the all-new Lincoln Navigator.

NACTOY Juror Ron Sessions of the New York Daily News said, “The 2018 Navigator received a more dramatic update than its Ford Expedition sibling and its impact for the brand will be stronger as a result. With its design now aligned with the Continental, the Navigator becomes an even more important image—and the profit-maker for Lincoln.”

Accepting the award for Lincoln was Kumar Galhotra, president, The Lincoln Motor Company. “Lincoln is honored to be named the best among such a strong field of competitors,” he said. “The entire Lincoln team is very proud of the work that was done to create a truly differentiated, luxury Lincoln experience in our all-new Navigator.”

Chosen from dozens of new vehicles, jurors evaluated the finalists based on segment leadership, innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. The process started in June 2017 by determining vehicle eligibility and includes three rounds of voting. LTR attended the launches of the XC60 and Accord last year and can attest that these vehicles are class leaders.

Now in their twenty-fourth year, the awards are selected by a group of respected automotive journals with lifetime appointments to the jury, distinguishing them from other industry awards distributed by a single publication, website, radio,  or television station. For a list of all the nominees go to For more about NACTOY and its history: http://northamericancaroftheyear.org/.

TAWA Picks Truck Rodeo Winners

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Nov 152017
 

2018 Truck of Texas: Ford F-150. Photo by Kevin McCauley.

Latino Traffic Report (LTR) would like to recognize the winners of the 2018 Texas Truck Rodeo, hosted by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) and presented by the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI). Taking the top three awards, Truck of Texas, Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) of Texas, and Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) of Texas were the Ford F-150, the Volvo XC60, and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, respectively.

2018 SUV of Texas: Volvo XC60.

The thirtieth annual Texas Truck Rodeo took place at the Longhorn Ranch in Dripping Springs, TX.

2018 CUV of Texas: Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

Each year, automotive journalists spend two days driving on off- and on-road courses, testing  vehicles (trucks, SUVs, CUVs, and commercial vehicles) to select winners in 21 categories as well as three overall winners. Sixty-four vehicles, with a combined value of nearly $4 million were test driven this year by 75 journalists.

“The competition was incredibly fierce at this year’s Texas Truck Rodeo,” said TAWA President Nic Phillips. “Journalists put in more than 300 hours of driving time, evaluating the vehicles presented. The results in several categories are separated by the narrowest of margins … confirming just how competitive the trucks and utility vehicles are today,” Phillips said.

 

Full-size Pick-up of Texas: Nissan Titan. Photo by Kevin McCauley.

Engineers from the competing manufacturers were on hand to answer questions from journalists about the vehicles and to aid in the evaluation process. Vehicles are measured on their interior, exterior, value, performance, and personal appeal

Traditionally, new features or new models tend to attract the most votes. Restyled for 2018, one memorable moment in the F-150 Limited included getting a massage from the all-new seat massage function. This is the ninth win for Ford at the rodeo and a repeat from last year when the Ford F-250 won the title.

Mid-size CUV of Texas-Mazda CX-5. Photo by Kevin McCauley.

“With the new 2018 F-150, we’re honored to earn back-to-back Truck of Texas awards for F-Series, a recognition that speaks to the truck team’s dedication to our hard-working customers,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president and president of North America. “That’s especially true here in Texas – truck capital of the world.”


The SUV of Texas win represents a three-peat for Volvo. It was also the last SUV to be named Truck of Texas in 2003, prompting creation of the SUV and CUV of Texas awards. The 2018 XC60 T6 and the super luxe T8 Hybrid, with premium features like an Orefors crystal shift knob, were entered to compete in the Mid-Size Luxury SUV of Texas category, which it won as well. Additional awards for the XC60 included Best Connectivity for its Sensus infotainment system and Best Powertrain. Alfa Romeo’s first CUV also won the Luxury CUV of Texas category.

Overall, Nissan was the most overall awarded brand with five category wins and Mazda swept the three non-luxury CUVs, categories. Other highlights from the event included a near vertical climb up a hill with the Ram Power Wagon, assisted by a winch and the Land Rover Discovery, assisted by cruise control.

The following is a list of all the winners.

The 2018 award categories and winning vehicles were:

  • Truck of Texas: 2018 Ford F150
  • SUV of Texas: 2018 Volvo XC60
  • CUV of Texas: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport
  • Heavy duty pickup truck: 2018 Ram 2500 Limited Tungsten
  • Best commercial vehicle: 2018 Nissan Titan King Cab SV
  • Luxury pickup truck: 2018 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Southfork
  • Off-road pickup: 2017 Ford F150 Raptor
  • Full-size pickup: 2018 Nissan Titan Midnight Edition
  • Midsize pickup: 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
  • Best technology: Nissan Pro Pilot
  • Best connectivity: Volvo XC60
  • Best powertrain: Volvo XC60
  • Off-road utility vehicle: 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Recon
  • Sub-Compact SUV: 2017 Jeep Renegade Desert Hawk
  • Compact SUV: 2018 Nissan Rogue Platinum
  • Mid-size Luxury SUV: 2018 Volvo XC60
  • Compact Luxury SUV: 2018 Infiniti QX30 Premium AWD
  • Full-size SUV: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
  • Mid-size SUV: 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk
  • Compact SUV: 2018 Nissan Rogue Platinum
  • Full-size CUV: 2018 Mazda CX9 Grand Touring AWD
  • Mid-size CUV: 2017 Mazda CX5 Grand Touring GT
  • Compact CUV: 2018 Mazda CX3 Grand Touring FWD
  • Luxury CUV: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport

Truck Review: 2016 Nissan Titan XD Platinum Reserve

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Sep 252016
 

2016-08-06-titan-crop

The Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) named Nissan’s all-new Titan XD the Truck of Texas last year, partly because its game changing Cummins Diesel V8 engine and capabilities placed it between a half-ton and heavy-duty sweet spot. I recently drove the gasoline-powered Titan XD Platinum Reserve four-wheel drive (4WD) for Latino Traffic Report. It’s quite the bruiser in city driving, but like its diesel sibling, offers impressive capabilities of its own.

“Titan XD is a truck that uniquely uses both technology and strength to add confidence to the completion of everyday work tasks,” says Fred Diaz, division vice president and general manager, North America Trucks and Light Commercial Vehicles, Nissan North America, Inc. “Half of all full-size truck owners tow more than ten times a year, with a quarter o2016-08-09-19-59-20f owners using them to haul tools, so we engineered TITAN XD’s toughness from the ground up.”

Powered by a 5.6-liter V8 engine with 390 horsepower and 401 lb.–ft. of torque and matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission, the Titan XD can meet most work challenges. It has a maximum payload capacity of 2,523 pounds (2,594 with the two-wheel drive (2WD)) and can tow a maximum of 11,000 lbs. (11,270 1bs. with the 2WD).

Assembled in Decherd, Tenn., the new V8 engine utilizes four-valves per cylinder, Variable Valve Event and Lift for better responsiveness, and Direct Injection Gas for better performance and fuel economy. All Titan XDs come with one configuration, the four-door Crew Cab and six foot 5.8-inch bed.

2016-08-06-18-02-18Straddling the half-ton and heavy-duty classification excuses the Titan XD from stating an estimated fuel economy but according to the onboard average fuel calculator, I achieved 14.1 miles per gallon during the weeklong test drive.

With a wheelbase that’s 20 inches longer than non-XD TITANs, the test model made city driving slightly challenging. While parallel parking in downtown Austin was out of the question—not that it couldn’t be done but there were absolutely no spaces to be had—parking in general was greatly assisted by the RearView Monitor with trailer guides, the AroundView camera with Moving Object Detection, and front and rear sonar systems that are all standard on the Platinum Reserve.2016-08-06-20-32-29

While I didn’t get to test them, off-road performance has also been improved with features like Hill Descent Control and Brake Limited-Slip Differential. A new off-road gauge calculates the vehicle’s pitch and roll angles. I did get to engage the Hill Start Assist that prevents the XD from rolling backwards at a stop.

A workable truck has to be versatile and that includes ample cargo space. New for 2016 is the second-row underseat storage with a locking lid and integrated foldout flat floor. The center console can hold a computer tablet and a dual lockable in-bed “TITAN Box” is available.

2016-08-09-19-59-03As the name implies, the Platinum Reserve is the top-of-the-line trim level on either gasoline or diesel-powered XD. As such, the interior is rather plush with two-tone quilted heated and cooled leather front seats, heated rear seats, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel with a wood insert, premium open-pore wood instrument panel finishers with metallic “Platinum Reserve” badging, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and pre-wiring for the DVD Family Entertainment System, among other features.

Pricing for the gas-powered 2016 Titan XD starts at $36,485. The as-tested pricing came to $56,715.

: From capability to safety, the Titan XD Platinum Reserve packs a lot of features into this plush but hard-working pickup.

No: Its size makes it challenging to maneuver in confined urban settings.

2016-08-06-1titanrear-crop