With the two title awards - Truck of Texas and SUV of Texas - still to be announced, the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) is sharing the category winners of its recent 2026 Texas Truck Rodeo. TAWA members, including the CarPro's Amy Plemons, spent a full day testing Trucks and SUVs both on and off-road in late September at Eagles Canyon Raceway in Decatur, Texas.
The votes have been tallied by category with the winners now being recognized for their outstanding performance, capability, comfort, and innovation. The 2027 Ram 1500 TRX, pictured above and photographed by Kevin McCauley of Capturing the Machine, won both the Full-Size and Off-Road pickup categories.
“We tested the latest trucks and SUVs on three off-road courses in Decatur, Texas, making the 39th Texas Truck Rodeo a memorable experience for TAWA members, said Marc Newman, President, Texas Auto Writers Association. "Manufacturers keep raising the bar with better technology, stronger off-road performance, and more comfort for daily driving. Congratulations to everyone who participated, and a special thanks to the winners in each category."
Here is the list of winners by category:
COMPACT SUV
MID-SIZE SUV
FULL-SIZE SUV
LUXURY SUV
OFF-ROAD SUV
ELECTRIC SUV
MID-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK
FULL-SIZE PICKUP TRUCK
LUXURY PICKUP TRUCK
Winner: 2026 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn
OFF-ROAD PICKUP TRUCK
BEST INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
Winner: 2026 Toyota RAV4 – Next Gen Toyota Audio Multimedia & Connected Technology
Photo: 2027 Ram 1500 TRX. Kevin McCauley/Capturing the Machine.