Kia Wins Two Awards at Texas Truck Rodeo
Kia America's Seltos X-Line and Telluride X-Pro took top honors in their categories at the 2026 Texas Auto Writers Association Truck Rodeo.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Car Types
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Kia America won two awards at the 2026 Texas Auto Writers Association Truck Rodeo, with the 2027 Kia Seltos X-Line SX AWD named winner in the Compact Sports Utility Vehicle category and the 2027 Kia Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige earning top honors in the Mid-Size Sports Utility Vehicle category.
Why it matters
The competition was judged by more than 50 TAWA members who evaluated 26 trucks, SUVs and crossovers on off-road and street courses, offering buyers a peer-driven view of how these vehicles perform in everyday conditions.
Kia's two winners were chosen from a field of 26 trucks, SUVs and CUVs, with over 50 TAWA members voting in each category. The source does not disclose individual vehicle scores or the vote margins.
The players
Kia America
Kia America is the U.S. arm of the South Korean automaker, headquartered in Irvine, California, and recognized as one of TIME's World's Most Sustainable Companies of 2026.
Texas Auto Writers Association
The Texas Auto Writers Association is a membership group of automotive journalists that organizes the annual Truck Rodeo evaluation.
The details
Participants put the vehicles through designated off-road and street courses and voted for their favorites in each category. The 2027 Seltos offers available turbocharged power and all-wheel drive, while the 2027 Telluride adds a three-row layout and increased off-road capability on X-Pro models.
Timeline
2026: 2026 Texas Auto Writers Association Truck Rodeo awards held
November 2, 2026: Kia America announced the awards in a press release
Car Types
The wins reflect the sustained demand for compact and mid-size crossover SUVs, a segment that has grown as buyers favor the versatility of utility-oriented vehicles over traditional sedans. Kia's two winners sit squarely in that expanding space.
Shoppers comparing compact and mid-size SUVs can use the competition's results as one input alongside pricing and dealer availability. The source does not give starting MSRPs for the winning trims.
The takeaway
Peer evaluations from journalists who test vehicles on real courses can help narrow a shortlist, but buyers should still compare trim-level features and pricing before deciding.
Further reading
Explore more in Car Types to see how compact and mid-size SUVs like these winners compare across segments.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fuelcellsworks.
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