Kia left the 2026 Texas Auto Writers Association Truck Rodeo with two trophies. The 2027 Seltos X-Line SX AWD took the Compact Sports Utility Vehicle category, and the 2027 Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige claimed Mid-Size Sports Utility Vehicle honors, giving Kia a sweep of the two SUV classes at an event that put 26 vehicles through both off-road and street evaluations.
The TAWA Truck Rodeo draws over 50 working automotive journalists from across Texas, who vote on finalists after driving the entrants on designated courses. Winning both the compact and mid-size categories in the same year is not common; the two vehicles compete in separate classes with different judges and criteria, so a double win reflects consistent execution across the lineup rather than a single standout product.
For the Telluride, today’s recognition extends what has become a substantial awards calendar for the second-generation model. The X-Pro variant has already taken the New England Motor Press Association’s Best Winter Family Utility Vehicle award and MAMA’s Favorite Family Vehicle at the 2026 Spring Rally. Newsweek readers chose the 2027 Telluride as one of the Best New SUVs in its 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards around the same time February sales climbed 37 percent year-over-year to 13,198 units. The 2027 Telluride also holds an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating, one of only 45 vehicles to qualify under the tightened 2026 criteria. At TAWA, the Telluride X-Pro’s increased off-road capability on rugged courses was presumably a factor; the competition included judges who evaluate capability on dirt, not just on paper.
The Seltos win is the more notable of the two from a product standpoint. The 2027 model is all-new, bringing revised styling, updated technology, and an available turbocharged engine with all-wheel drive. Compact SUVs are among the most crowded segments in the market, and a TAWA win there carries more competitive weight than in a thinner category. Kia has not announced pricing for the 2027 Seltos X-Line SX AWD trim specifically.
Both vehicles are part of the portion of Kia’s lineup assembled in the United States. The Telluride is built domestically, as are the non-hybrid Sportage, the non-hybrid and non-plug-in Sorento, and the EV6 and EV9.
Four major awards in one model year, a clean safety rating, and a strong sales trajectory make the 2027 Telluride’s case without much help from the marketing department. The Seltos is just getting started.
Source: Kia. Images courtesy of Kia.
