PLANO, Texas (Nov. 20, 2019) – Toyota took home four awards at the Texas Auto Writers Association’s (TAWA) Texas Truck Rodeo. The 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road won top honors as the Compact SUV of Texas, and the 2020 Sequoia TRD Pro was named the Full-Size SUV of Texas. Additionally, Toyota Safety Sense™ (TSS) was named Best Safety Feature, and Toyota’s Panoramic View & Multi Terrain Monitor was recognized as the Best Driver Assist Feature.
This year, Toyota commemorates the 40th anniversary of Toyota Racing Development (TRD), celebrating decades of perfecting vehicle engineering and capabilities both on and off the road. The 2020 Sequoia TRD Pro and the 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road are the newest members to the TRD family offering incredible off-road capability, comfort, style and safety.
“The TRD vision is something we continue to foster and evolve to help meet the wants and needs of our customers, and these latest offerings are everything they could ask for and more,” said Toyota Vehicle Marketing and Communications General Manager Joe Moses. “TAWA’s recognition of our 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road and Sequoia TRD Pro further cements our position as a trusted leader in the capability and performance landscape, and it brings a great deal of pride to be able to accept these awards as fellow Texans.”
The 2020 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro features TRD-tuned Fox shock absorbers, plus an array of proven off-road equipment specially designed or selected by TRD engineers. With its robust body-on-frame construction, four-wheel independent suspension, generous ground clearance and powerful V8 engine, the Sequoia is already one of the most capable full-size SUVs on the market. The TRD Pro version comes standard with Multi-Mode 4WD, which is optional in other Sequoia grades offering room for the whole family and an affinity for thrills.
The 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road features suspension, wheels and tires engineered specifically for rugged trail driving. Dynamic Torque Vectoring All-Wheel Drive with Driveline Disconnect is standard and supported by a full complement of off-road handling technologies. The RAV4 TRD Off-Road has high-rise roof rails, large over-fenders, an aggressive bumper and grille designs and fog lights, and it is rated to tow a trailer up to 3,500 pounds to inspire more off-road adventure. As the latest addition to the best-selling SUV in the U.S., the RAV4 TRD Off-Road is designed to tackle urban, suburban and outdoor adventures.
TSS was named the Best Safety Feature, offering innovative features are designed to help protect drivers and passengers from harm including Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Sway Warning System, Lane Tracing Assist, Automatic High Beams and more. The TSS bundle of active safety features are included on many new Toyota vehicles at no additional cost. Toyota’s Panoramic View & Multi Terrain Monitor was recognized as the Best Driver Assist Feature which helps drivers see all the way around the vehicle and underneath, especially beneficial when driving off-road.
This year’s Texas Truck Rodeo brought together 56 journalists to test drive 46 vehicles in 14 different categories in Bee Cave, Texas. Trucks and SUVs from the world’s top manufacturers were evaluated on their performance, value and design. The RAV4 and Sequoia defeated two days of tough competition against competitors.
TAWA is a Texas-based nonprofit association for automotive journalists promoting professionalism and quality in journalism for more than two decades. TAWA has grown to become one of the most influential and recognized automotive journalist associates in the U.S. The group produces two annual events – Texas Auto Roundup and Texas Truck Rodeo – that allow members to experience vehicles from various manufacturers in one place, at one time.
For more information on the 2020 RAV4 TRD Off-Road and the 2020 Sequoia TRD Pro, visit the Toyota Newsroom.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 38 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold 2.8 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2018.
Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit toyotanewsroom.com.
Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMNA), headquartered in Plano, Texas, brings together Toyota’s marketing, sales, engineering and manufacturing arms in North America. It is wholly owned by Toyota Motor Corporation.
