2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Chosen as Top SUV of Texas

2014 jeep grand cherokee

The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee continued to live up to its reputation as "the most awarded SUV ever" at the 2014 Texas Truck Rodeo, where it added three more pieces of hardware to its trophy case: With the Overland 4X4 model earning the title of "Mid-size SUV of Texas," and the Summit 4X4 capturing the "Mid-size Luxury SUV of Texas" honor, the overall recognition as "SUV of Texas" also went to the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

It's further worth noting that the Chrysler Group's 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine was named "Best Powertrain" at the event, and since that unit is offered in the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee (and Ram 1500), this prize will no doubt count toward the Grand Cherokee's total as well.

The brand also built on the success of the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee with segment wins for the Cherokee ("Compact SUV of Texas") and Wrangler ("Off-road Utility Vehicle of Texas").

And that's just for starters. As reported by Mike Manley, president and CEO of the Jeep brand: "We are extremely delighted and proud that for the fifth consecutive year, the respected and influential Texas auto writers have named the Jeep Grand Cherokee the SUV of Texas. Even more impressive is the fact that Jeep vehicles won every single category in which they were entered, and were recognized for their unmatched 4x4 capability, fuel economy, luxury and overall performance."

The awards, presented annually by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) after comprehensive testing of the year's top vehicles, have an impact on the marketplace, too, according to Manley.

"With Jeep sales up 45 percent so far this year, Texas remains a tremendously important SUV market," he said. "Over the past five years, we've proven that winning these TAWA awards increases Jeep showroom traffic and sales."

On the other hand, this year's numbers do show a notable oddity. While every Jeep product is in the black on a year-to-date basis, it's the one with the five-year TAWA winning streak that is seeing the slowest growth. Wrangler, Compass and Patriot sales are up 12, 15 and 19 percent, respectively, through the end of September, but Grand Cherokee volume is up only 6 percent during that time. (Remember, the Cherokee proper is in its first year on the marketplace, although it was the brand's best-selling entry in September, thanks to 14,639 sales.)