2026 Texas Truck Rodeo Winners: Tacoma Eyes a Third Straight Truck of Texas
The Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) has named its 2026 Texas Truck Rodeo category winners, and every one of them is now in the hunt for something bigger. Each category winner is eligible for the overall SUV of Texas or Truck of Texas award, and the pickup side sets up a showdown worth watching: the Toyota Tacoma is chasing its third straight Truck of Texas title, but it will have to get past Ram in the second round of voting to do it.
For us at GT: Garage Talk®, these results are personal. Holli and I were part of the voting, joining fellow TAWA members on three off-road courses in Decatur, Texas, for the annual Truck Rodeo, a staple of TAWA since 1993. TAWA has posted the full list of winners and runners-up on its website.
How the Second Round of Voting Works
The Truck Rodeo plays out in two rounds. First, TAWA members test the field and vote on the category winners, from compact SUVs to off-road pickups. Then those category winners go head to head for the two overall titles: SUV of Texas and Truck of Texas.
Only TAWA members who attended the Truck Rodeo vote in that second round, and trims come off the table at that point. Voters pick between nameplates rather than specific trim levels, so a model with more than one category win competes as a single entry. The winners will be presented at the 2027 Houston Auto Show in January.
The 2026 Texas Truck Rodeo Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| Compact SUV | 2027 Kia Seltos X-Line SX AWD | 2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV Woodland |
| Midsize SUV | 2027 Kia Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige | 2027 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter/TRD Pro |
| Full-Size SUV | 2026 Dodge Durango R/T 392 Launch Edition | 2027 Toyota Sequoia Trailhunter |
| Luxury SUV | 2026 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail+ | 2026 Lexus LX 700h Hybrid Overtrail |
| Off-Road SUV | 2027 Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter/TRD Pro | 2026 Nissan Armada PRO-4X |
| Electric SUV | 2027 Genesis GV60 MAGMA | 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland Premium |
| Midsize Pickup Truck | 2027 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter/TRD Pro | 2027 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck | 2027 Ram 1500 TRX | 2027 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro/Trailhunter |
| Luxury Pickup Truck | 2026 Ram 1500 Limited Longhorn | None named |
| Off-Road Pickup Truck | 2027 Ram 1500 TRX | 2027 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter/TRD Pro |
| Best Infotainment | 2026 Toyota RAV4 (Next Gen Toyota Audio Multimedia & Connected) | None named |
Several runners-up have also been through our hands, including the RAV4 PHEV Woodland, Sequoia Trailhunter, and Tundra Trailhunter.
Truck of Texas: Can the Tacoma Make It Three Straight?
Because trims are removed for the final vote, the pickup side comes down to two nameplates:
- Toyota Tacoma (Midsize Pickup Truck)
- Ram 1500 (Full-Size Pickup Truck, Luxury Pickup Truck, and Off-Road Pickup Truck)
The Tacoma comes in with momentum. It has won Truck of Texas two years running, most recently when the Tacoma Trailhunter earned the title in January 2026. Another win in Houston would make it three in a row.
Ram is the hurdle. The Ram 1500 swept three of the four pickup categories, with the TRX taking full-size and off-road honors and the Limited Longhorn winning the luxury category. The TRX also beat the Tacoma head to head in the off-road pickup category, where the Toyota finished second. To keep its streak alive, the Tacoma will have to win a one-on-one vote against a truck that showed off its range across three very different trims.
For truck shoppers, the matchup is a classic one: a midsize trail truck that is easier to park in town against a full-size pickup that can be a high-performance off-roader or a luxury cruiser depending on the trim. Decide what your truck’s main job will be before you let the trophy count make the call.
SUV of Texas: A New Champion Is Guaranteed
The SUV side is wide open. With trims removed, six nameplates advance to the SUV of Texas vote:
- Kia Seltos (Compact SUV)
- Kia Telluride (Midsize SUV)
- Dodge Durango (Full-Size SUV)
- Lexus GX (Luxury SUV)
- Toyota 4Runner (Off-Road SUV)
- Genesis GV60 (Electric SUV)
Last year’s SUV of Texas, the Nissan Armada, did not repeat as a category winner. The Armada PRO-4X finished second in the off-road SUV category, so a new SUV of Texas will be crowned in January.
Kia is the brand to watch, with two finalists in the Seltos and Telluride. The rest of the field ranges from a V8-powered, three-row Durango to the all-electric GV60, which shows just how differently Texas families can approach the same job.
What Comes Next
Holli and I were proud to help pick this year’s category winners, and we can’t wait to see which vehicles take home the top titles at the Houston Auto Show in January 2027. We’ll share the SUV of Texas and Truck of Texas winners as soon as they are announced.
Who is your pick? Can the Tacoma make it three straight, or does Ram finally knock it off?