2023 Dodge Hornet
Overview
“Muscle car” and “small, practical SUV” are terms that normally do not pair well. But Dodge is determined to prove that truism wrong with the 2023 Hornet. This pairing traces back to the Hornet powertrain’s close similarity to the Alfa Romeo Tonale. Both vehicles come from the same Naples factory. But other aspects of the 2023 Hornet are all-American, borrowing some of the same styling touches as Dodge’s gas-guzzling muscle cars of yore, including a hatch modified by legendary American automotive designer Carroll Shelby. The 2023 Hornet is the first new vehicle Dodge has introduced in over a decade. It’s also the first Dodge to offer a hybrid option. With a top speed of 140 mph and a 0-60 acceleration of 6.5 seconds, even the base model Hornet is the automotive industry’s fastest and quickest compact crossover in the under-$30,000 bracket.
The Perfect Ride for …
The driver who wants the affordability, respectable cargo space, and road-gripping reliability of a compact SUV, without sacrificing performance, power, or the fun factor. Dodge is betting that the 2023 Hornet will fill a niche long neglected in the popular crossover market. You can drive the hybrid Hornet on the daily commute without worrying about sticker shock at the gas pump. You can use it to haul the kids, the dog, and all their gear to weekend getaways. And you can open it up on the fast lane without fear of overtaxing the engine.
Drive and Handling
The new Hornet comes in two trims. The base model is the GT, featuring a turbocharged 2L, four-cylinder engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and AWD. Its horsepower and torque are impressive for a small SUV: 268 HP and 295 lb-ft. The GT requires premium gasoline for optimal performance.
The second trim, which will hit the market in the spring of 2023, is the R/T plug-in hybrid, which combines a turbocharged 1.3L, four-cylinder gasoline engine with a 90-kW electric motor capable of operating independently of the gas engine for 30 miles. The R/T has a 15.5 KW/hour lithium-ion battery that recharges in 2.5 hours. The gas engine’s six-speed automatic transmission delivers power to the front wheels. The electric component feeds the rear wheels. The combined power system translates into an AWD vehicle. The driver can manually change between hybrid driving modes by pressing the “sport” button on the steering wheel. The combined oomph of the gas and the electric engine is even more impressive than the GT’s output: 288 HP, 383 lb-ft of torque, and a 0-60 acceleration time of 6.1 seconds. Clearly, hybrids have gotten faster in the past decade.
Key Features
The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with more standard driver assistance features than most other comparably priced small SUVs. These include forward collision warning with automatic braking, blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning. The optional Tech Package adds lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, and features that monitor driver attention and assist with traffic sign recognition.
Dodge’s historic association with the muscle-car mystique figures in some interesting options designed to boost the Hornet’s performance and beefy appearance. The Track Pack, for example, offers an adaptive dual-stage valve suspension where the driver can select damping options, 20-in wheels, and the sporty Alcantara interior trim. The GHL Concept package (short for “Goes Like Hell”), available for the GT, lowers the Hornet one inch, adds a cat-back dual exhaust, and calibrates the engine for high performance, with an expected increase in both torque and horsepower. The GHL package also features 20-inch wheels and GHL graphics.