Dodge Hornet Races Into the Popular Small SUV Segment
Dodge Hornet is the first small SUV and the first plug-in hybrid from the brand.
On the second day of “muscle announcements” during Dodge Speed Week at the M1 Concourse, the brand took an expected turn with the debut of the new Hornet. It obviously isn’t a muscle car but rather, a small SUV that packs more power and better performance than its competitors – just like the Challenger, Charger and Durango do in their respective segments. However, whereas the segments for the Challenger, Charger and Durango are all relatively small-and-shrinking, the small SUV segment is one of the biggest and one of the fastest growing groups of vehicles on the road today.
Just about every brand operating in the United States has a small SUV, if not several, but Dodge has not offered a utility vehicle smaller than the Durango since the Nitro was discontinued back in 2012. The Hornet is smaller than the recently deceased Journey and far sportier than any small Dodge SUV ever offered, but more importantly, it is sportier than anything in the segment. In fact, the new Hornet GT is the quickest, fastest and most powerful SUV under $30,000 while the Hornet R/T combines performance with the advantages of a plug-in hybrid.
“The Dodge brand’s electrified transformation has left the starting line, with the all-new Dodge Hornet R/T representing the first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer – Stellantis. “The Dodge Hornet is poised to jolt the mainstream compact utility vehicle segment with looks, feel and performance that are unmistakably Dodge. Hornet shakes up the status quo with aggressive Dodge styling, the most power in the segment from our multi-energy lineup, the best driving dynamics, a full lineup of segment-exclusive performance features, the best standard technology, as well available Direct Connection factory-backed performance upgrades. And this is just the start of the Dodge brand’s electrification journey.”
While this new small SUV is far from a muscle car, it offers some muscular features that allow it to stand out in the segment in much the same way that Dodge makes the Challenger, Charger and Durango stand out among their competitors.
Dodge Hornet GT and R/T
The Dodge Hornet will initially be offered in two basic trim levels – GT with a starting price of $29,995 and R/T, which starts at $39,995. Both models are available in eight exterior colors, including Acapulco Gold, Blu Bayou, Blue Steele, Gray Cray, Hot Tamale, Q Ball and 8 Ball.
Every model comes standard with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen operating on the latest Android-based UConnect 5 system.
Premium interior touches for the 2023 Dodge Hornet include class-exclusive, racing-oriented Alcantara seats, embellished with unique “red crust” accents that visually burst out and gradually fade, highlighting the unique Alcantara seat perforation.
The Dodge Hornet GT is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine which will deliver at least 265 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.
That power is sent to all four wheels by means of a standard 9-speed automatic transmission and a standard all-wheel-drive system, yielding a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 140 miles per hour. Those figures make the Hornet GT the quickest, fastest and most powerful SUV under $30,000.
The Dodge Hornet R/T is the brand’s first plug-in hybrid, featuring a turbocharged 1.3-liter gasoline engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission to drive the front wheels while an electric rear axle motor drives the rear wheels. This system combines to deliver at least 285 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque while also offering up to 30 miles of all-electric driving and 75 MPGe.
In addition to improved fuel economy and some all-electric range, the electric motor allows the Hornet to utilize the Dodge PowerShot feature. With the push of a button on the steering wheel, the PowerShot system delivers a boost of 25 horsepower for up to 15 seconds and it can be repeated after a 15+ second cool down period.
This system allows the Hornet R/T PHEV to sprint from a stop to 60 in 6.1 seconds, but it also works at speed, making passing maneuvers a bit easier.
Both the Hornet GT and R/T can be equipped with the Track Pack, which adds unique 20-inch wheels, front Brembo brakes, unique adaptive Koni dampers and Alcantara seating trim. There is also a Blacktop package, which doesn’t improve performance, but with black 18-inch wheels, black mirror caps, black badges and black window moldings, it creates a sportier look on either of the new Hornet trim levels.
Direct Connection Hornet GLH
In addition to the Dodge Hornet GT and R/T PHEV, Tim Kuniskis introduced the Direct Connection Hornet GLH Concept at the Speed Week debut event. This concept is based on the Hornet GT, so it features the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with a unique engine tune and cat-back exhaust to increase the output. He didn’t announce any power numbers, but he did state that the Hornet GLH has a better power-to-weight ratio and more than double the torque of the classic Omni GLHS version from Shelby.
The Omni GLHS offered 175 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque with a curb weight around 2,200 pounds. The Hornet GT weighs 3,715 pounds, so with 70% more weight, it would need at least 70 percent more power, which would be around 300 horsepower.
Meanwhile, more than double the torque of the original would be around 350 lb-ft. 300 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque would make for one fun little SUV, and while this is still a concept, it doesn’t feature any aspects that should create a barrier for production.
In addition to the extra power and performance, the Direct Connection Hornet GLH features a lowered suspension setup, unique 20-inch wheels, a unique rear fascia and the GLH badges on the hood and sides of the vehicle.
Photos: Patrick Rall
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