2019 Ram 1500
Named Truck of Texas
Each fall, more than 60 Texas Auto Writers Associaon (TAWA)
automove journalists and 100-plus manufacturer representaves
from throughout the naon meet for a two-day evaluaon of the
industry’s best trucks, SUVs and CUVs.
The 2018 Texas Truck Rodeo returned to the spectacular
Longhorn River Ranch, thirty-ve miles west of Ausn, near
Dripping Springs, Texas. It ran from Sunday, October 14th
through Tuesday the 16th, 2018.
The results from the Texas Truck Rodeo are widely covered in
naonal publicaons such as Motor Trend, Consumer Reports
and USA Today.
Manufacturers covet the presgious awards they earn at the Texas
Truck Rodeo and oen menon the honors in their press releases,
promoonal materials and campaigns across the globe.
Aer two days of evaluaons, journalist members of the Texas
Auto Writers Associaon (TAWA) selected the 2019 Ram 1500 as
Truck of Texas.
The award was presented Oct. 16 at the culminaon of the Texas
Truck Rodeo, presented by the Steel Market Development Ins-
tute (SMDI), in which 69 journalists drove 57 vehicles and voted on
winners across a range of consumer categories.
In addion to the Ram 1500 winning the overall prize, the 2019
Masera Levante TS won SUV of Texas and 2018 Alfa Romeo
Stelvio Quadrifoglio took home CUV of Texas. Complete results
from the vong 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 condions during the Hill Country oods this year. It
was also noteworthy that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles swept all
the overall awards at this year’s compeon.”
Aer a morning of o-road driving on Monday, torrenal rain and
safety concerns forced the remainder of the event to move to
on-road evaluaons. Sll, journalists said they enjoyed their brief
me driving four-wheel-drive vehicles on slippery Texas hills and
through deep mud — condions that challenge even the best 4x4s
and uncover strengths and weaknesses of o-road products.
“Being named the Texas Auto Writers Associaon’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 oers the best combinaon of class exclusive features,
renement capability and eciency. 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 ve criteria: Interior, Exterior, Performance, Value and
Personal Appeal.
In addion to SMDI’s tle sponsorship, other sponsors of the
2019 Texas Truck Rodeo included LINE-X Protecve Coangs,
Saddleback Leather Company, Katzkin Automove Leather, the
San Antonio Auto & Truck Show, DFW Auto Show, Houston Auto
Show, Automove Touchup and Wieck.
For more informaon and 2019 dates, please visit
www.TexasAutoWriters.org.
96 Rodeo LIFE
/www.TexasAutoWriters.org