The American Motors Corporation used to sell Hornets, and Dodge used to sell Chargers (and Challengers). Now AMC — and the Charger and Challenger — are gone, and Dodge sells a Hornet.
It's nothing like the Hornet AMC sold back in the '70s. That one was rear-wheel-drive and available with a V8.
This one's a front-wheel-drive crossover — with a four.
But it's trying as hard as it can to be like the Charger and Challenger that Dodge isn't selling anymore.
What It Is
The Hornet is Dodge's new compact crossover.
It effectively replaces the Charger and Challenger, which are no longer available (though one of the two will return later this year in battery-electric form), as Dodge's performance car offering.
The standard GT trim ($30,735) touts the most powerful engine that's available in the class — a 2.0-liter four that makes 268 horsepower.
But it's the R/T version that Dodge hopes will keep alive memories of the Chargers and Challengers that bore that designation. This one's a performance hybrid touting 288 horsepower and the ability to regularly run on electricity rather than gas.
It stickers for $40,935 to start.
What's New For 2024
The R/T plug-in performance hybrid version of the Hornet is new for '24.
What's Good
Tries to fill the huge hole left in Dodge's lineup now that the Charger and Challenger are gone.
R/T hybrid goes fast — and can go about 32 miles without burning any gas.
Much more practical than a Charger or Challenger.
What's Not So Good
R/T (with a four) costs almost as much as a Charger or Challenger did with a V8.
Standard AWD (both versions) means no more burnouts for you.
It's the replacement for the Charger/Challenger rather than an alternative to them.
Under The Hood
Interestingly, the R/T version of the Hornet comes standard with a smaller (1.3-liter) engine than the standard (2.0-liter) engine in the GT version of the Hornet. It's interesting because, historically, R/T versions of Dodge vehicles have been the performance versions, and these generally came with a bigger engine than what came in the standard-issue version of whatever the model was. For example, the Dodge Challenger and Charger came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 — but the R/T versions came standard with a 5.7-liter Hemi V8.
But while the R/T's 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine is smaller, it is also stronger — and that is keeping in tune with the R/T tradition. It's also something else that no prior R/T ever was:
A plug-in hybrid.
Fully charged, the battery can take you about 32 miles without burning any gas, but without requiring you to stop when you run out of charge. When the charge wilts, the engine comes online to recharge it as you drive it — and to keep you driving, which is a huge everyday/functional advantage over an electric-only car.
The combined output of the 1.3-liter engine and the hybrid-electric side is 288 horsepower (vs. 268 for the GT's 2.0-liter engine) and 383 foot-pounds of torque, which is nearly as much torque as you used to be able to get in a V8 powered Charger or Challenger. The 5.7-liter Hemi in those two offered up 395 foot-pounds.
The closer-to-home point is that there's nothing in the Hornet's class of small crossover that even comes close to offering that kind of power — or performance. The R/T version of the Hornet can get to 60 in just over six seconds.
On The Road
Crossovers are very popular, but not because they're exciting. They are popular for the same reason that tires are popular: People need them. They are useful. Not many people who buy them even know which brand of tire their crossover came with. And most people can't tell you which crossover is which in a parking lot. They are utilitarian appliances.
Here's one that's more than just that.
Here's one that even sounds like more than just that.
The Alfa Romeo 1.3-liter turbo four ("Alfa Romeo" is italicized because the Hornet is a reskinned Alfa Romeo Tonale that costs less money) has a rowdy exhaust note when you wake it up, as by selecting Sport mode, which focuses on burning rather than saving gas. Toggle through the hybrid and electric modes as you prefer.
At The Curb
The Hornet is little — just 178 inches end to end — but it's still several inches longer than the next-sportiest small crossover in the class, Mazda's CX-30 (which is just 173 inches long). But it also has a smaller footprint than other crossovers in the class, such as the Hyundai Tucson (which is 182.3 inches long).
So, it's a compact — but not a subcompact.
What that means in practical terms is a split-the-difference difference in cargo capacity between what's available in subcompact crossovers such as the CX-30 (which has 20.2 cubic feet of space behind tis second row) and the 38.7 cubic feet that's available behind the second row of the Tucson. The Hornet's got 27 cubic feet — expandable to 54.7 cubic feet with the seats folded forward.
The R/T, as per tradition, not only comes with a stronger drivetrain. It also comes standard with more powerful (Brembo) brakes and a set of larger (18-inch vs. 17-inch) wheels with shorter sidewall (stiffer) tires and a sport-tuned, firmer-riding suspension as well as additional performance-themed displays and readouts inside.
A Track Pack ($2,595) is available that replaces the 18-inch wheels with a 20-inch set (and ultra-low-profile performance tires), red powder-coated Brembo calipers and an upgraded sport suspension with adjustable dampers. There's also a less functionally aggressive Blacktop Package ($1,595) that includes gloss black trim and "Dark Hornet" badges, plus a set of Abyss black wheels (18 inches) unique to this trim.
The Rest
It's interesting that Dodge chose to name this four cylinder-powered, five-door crossover after a rear-drive, V8-powered AMC muscle car. Then again, Ford calls its small hybrid truck a Maverick — and the latter was a car back in the '70s.
More interesting, arguably, is that the Dodge Hornet isn't cheap, which the AMC hornet was. The base 1970 model stickered for just shy of $2,000, which wasn't much then and still isn't today. Adjusted for inflation, that '70 Hornet cost just over $16,000 today.
Meanwhile, the turbo-hybrid R/T costs nearly as much as what a V8-powered Charger R/T cost last year (which was $42,940), and the Charger was a much larger car with a much larger engine — and a much larger personality.
That's an example of shrinkflation applied to transportation.
The Bottom Line
It's not a Charger or Challenger. But at least it's not just another appliance, either.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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