by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas lights and music from slot machines all over the strip seemed quite the appropriate venue as Jeep and its parent Stellantis Monday hit four out of six top vehicle awards during the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association show.
The payout? Important bragging rights in an ever-crowded market segment.
Jeep’s Wrangler took out Toyota’s 4Runner to earn Top Trending honors in the 4x4/SUV field, while Gladiator won its first-ever SEMA vehicle title, topping Tacoma for Mid-Size Truck of the Year.
“The SEMA Award recognizes the hottest new vehicles on the market that offer the greatest opportunities for customization,” said Warren Kosikov, SEMA vice president of sales. “SEMA Award-winning vehicles are setting worldwide trends in the automotive enthusiast industry. The 2022 SEMA Show will have on many of the SEMA Award-winning vehicles, each customized in its unique way.”
For Wrangler, the win was its 11th in 12 years in the top 4x4/SUV of the Year category. Ford’s Bronco took home the prize last year, ending Jeep’s exclusive streak. No other vehicle has won this prestigious division.
Gladiator and Tacoma were both finalists last year for Truck of the Year, with Tacoma taking home the award. This year, SEMA split the truck field into two divisions — full-size and mid-size, and Gladiator returned the favor to Tacoma.
Overall, Stellantis ended up dominating the award stage this year as its Dodge Challenger won Car of the Year, while Ram took home Full-Size Truck of the Year honors.
All SEMA exhibitors receive a vote towards each award category, which also includes Sport Compact of the Year and Powersports Vehicle of the Year. Voters judge finalists by how much they believe aftermarket manufacturers are investing in and developing products for each one. Ideally, SEMA said in a press release, customers can feel confident knowing each vehicle has an array of options for customization.
The annual SEMA show runs from November 1-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
