Compact Crossover – the 2024 Dodge Hornet

Last year, parent company Stellantis launched the Dodge Hornet – the brand’s first all-new vehicle since the now deceased Dodge Dart, and it comes as a small crossover SUV, and, in most cases, is the opposite of all the current Dodges. The Hornet shares little family resemblance to the other Dodge vehicles, and you won’t find a V8 or even a six-cylinder under its hood. What you will find in the Dodge Hornet is a vehicle that is based off the Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV. Both Dodge and Alfa Romeo (along with Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, and others) are all brands under Stellantis.

The Dodge Hornet sits below the mid-size Durango in the Dodge lineup and competes against the likes of the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-50 and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Hornet offers the most high-tech equipment of any Dodge, with standard features that include a digital gauge display, Uconnect 5 infotainment software, and plenty of safety features including emergency braking.

Two powertrains are available in the Hornet. Standard is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for an impressive 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a nine-speed automatic and sends power to all four wheels (all-wheel drive is standard across the Hornet line). For even more performance, there is an optional turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder that has assistance from an electric motor. This hybrid combination is good for 288 hp and a whopping 383 lb-ft of torque. The transmission uses 3 less gears, being a six-speed automatic and continues to use all-wheel drive.

The Dodge Hornet comes in four trim levels based primarily on the powertrain. The GT and GT Plus use the standard turbocharged four-cylinder while the R/T and R/T Plus use the more powerful hybrid powertrain. The tester was a GT Plus done up in Acapulco Gold with black Alcantera seats and red accents. The MSRP is $44,825.

Step inside the Hornet and you’re greeted with a European-inspired interior much like that found in the Tonale. While many of the round shapes used in the Alfa Romeo are replaced by square ones in the Dodge, the family resemblance is obvious. The primary controls and infotainment system are canted slightly toward the driver and a tall shift lever for the automatic transmission is positioned on the center console. In front of the driver is a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and in the center console is a 10.25-inch touchscreen.

It’s easy to get comfortable in the Hornet, especially with the Alcentera seats. In the backseat there is plenty of legroom, even for tall passengers, although the seat does feel a little flat. Behind the back is about 27 cubic feet of storage space on GT models. There is slightly less storage room in the R/T because of its hybrid powertrain.

For those that want a quick little SUV, you won’t be disappointed with the R/T Plus. It can hit 60 mph in under 6 seconds and race to the quarter mile in just 14.5 seconds. Now, the engine isn’t the smoothest around, but at the same time, it’s not a nuisance. I’m glad to see Dodge using a nine-speed transmission rather than a CVT that most of the Hornets competitors are using.

The Hornet’s handling is precise and firm, and the ride is pleasant, with the only time things get a little uncomfortable is when traveling on pot-hole littered roads. Throw the Hornet into some sharp turns and the all-wheel drive system makes itself known by cutting down on understeer. Overall, the Hornet is sure-footed and surpassingly fun when the roads go for a turn.

Being only its second model year on the market, the Hornet receives no significant changes for 2024.

As we start to say good-bye to the big-engine Dodges that we have come to love over the past few decades, we need to say hello to new vehicles like the Dodge Hornet. And while the Hornet doesn’t have a fire-breathing V8 under its hood, the new turbocharged engine and along with the optional hybrid powerplant may just be what Dodge needs to get back in the small SUV game.

— Christopher A. Randazzo
By The Numbers:

2024 Dodge Hornet GT Plus-AWD

Base Price: $36,400.00
Price as Tested: $44,825.00
Layout: front-engine / all-wheel drive
Engine: 2.0 liter 4-cylinder
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Horsepower: 268 hp
Torque: 295 ft-lbs.
EPA Fuel Economy: 21 mpg city / 29 mpg highway

[Visit me at www.carsbycar.blogspot.com or email me at auto_cran@hotmail.com]