New 2023 Dodge Hornet is sporty alternative in sea of anonymous small SUVs

What is it? 2023 and ‘24 Dodge Hornet, sporty all-wheel-drive compact SUVs

Why should you consider it? A sporty alternative in a sea of anonymous small SUVs. The R/T plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model should promise more than 30 miles of all-electric range.

What could be better? The GT is heavier, uses more gas and costs more than competitors. (R/T fuel economy TBA.)

How much will it cost? Prices range from $29,995 to $39,995 excluding $1,595 destination charge.

When can you buy it? GT on sale in April; R/T plug-in hybrid this summer as a 2024 model.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Dodge is betting the Hornet, an Italian-built SUV abuzz with features ranging from Brembo brakes to a 30-mile-plus range on electric power, will help the American brand translate its reputation for rip-snorting performance to the booming market for compact SUVs.

The Hornet was developed to challenge the style and performance of small SUVs like the Mazda CX-50 and 2.0L Ford Escape, but sporty AWD compact cars like the VW Golf R and Subaru WRX could also be considered competitors.

Dodge self-identifies as “America’s performance brand,” so there’s no stripped front-wheel-drive Hornet. Prices start at $29,995 for the 268-hp GT and $39,995 for the 288-hp R/T.

Is this how Dodge expands its speed merchant appeal beyond big cars and SUVs?

The sales tables will tell. The GT will be available to buy in April, the R/T early this summer.

Engineered like an Alfa Romeo

The Hornet shares its platform and most parts you don’t see or touch with the racy little Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV, which Stellantis builds alongside it in Pomigliano d’Arco, not far from Naples, in southern Italy. It borrows its name from the AMC Hornet compact built for the 1970-’77 model years, and earlier cars dating back to the NASCAR-dominating 1951 “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” that inspired the beloved Doc Hudson character in the move “Cars.”

Features exclusive to the new Hornet include a venomous-looking insect badge and signature exterior parts:

• Grille

• Headlights

• Hood with twin air extractors

• Front fender

• Taillights

• Front and rear fascias

• Up to 20-inch wheels

Essentially, the Hornet shares only its doors, roof, rear fenders and rear hatch with the Alfa, which goes on sale later this year.

The list of Hornet-exclusive performance tweaks to appeal to Dodge fans is equally meaningful:

• Engine and transmission calibrations

• Steering feel

• Suspension tuning

All interior materials are Hornet-specific, but the underlying doors, dash, screens and seat frames are shared with the Tonale.

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Behind the wheel

The Hornet is roomy and comfortable, with comfortable, sporty seats.

It’s a quick and enjoyable little SUV for daily drives or country jaunts.

I spent most of a day driving an R/T PHEV on surface streets, highways and hilly backroads around Asheville, North Carolina. Highway acceleration was fine even without the 15-second power shot boost.

The R/T has four drive modes:

• Normal hybrid

• Electric mode

• All-gasoline E-save mode

• Sport

E-mode served well driving around town and entering I-26 toward the hills. The normal setting was inoffensive, but I preferred sport’s firmer steering and suspension.

The GT is also responsive and enjoyable. The hybrid’s 425-pound greater curb weight offsets the R/Ts extra power.

The suspension kept both models level and stable on curving mountain roads and fast runs through pasture land.

Looks like a Dodge

The development process prioritized making the Hornet look and feel like a Dodge. That meant as much as possible like big cars, the Charger, Challenger and Durango. Anyone who suggested lifting a design cue from the utilitarian Journey that was Dodge’s small SUV for a decade would have been escorted to the design studio door by security.

The front end is pure Dodge muscle: narrow headlights connected by a slim upper grille, functional air extractors in the hood, a big lower grille. Narrow full-width taillights continue the resemblance in the rear.

Red Brembo calipers are standard on the R/T, available as part of the Track package on the GT. Wheels come in 17-, 18- or 20-inch sizes.

The Hornet’s detailing will stand out among the oft-understated compact SUVs filling the roads.

Harman Kardon and Alexa available

The interior continues the family resemblance: Dodge’s twin-rhombus slashes adorn the steering wheel and the 10.25-in touch screen has the latest version of Stellantis’s excellent Uconnect infotainment system. Climate controls get a row of physical switches below the touch screen.

Steering wheel controls include volume and tuning switches, while the center console features an on/off and volume rotor within easy reach of the passenger.

The 12-inch high-resolution instrument cluster can be configured to display performance, navigation and audio information in a variety of ways.

The Hornet’s passenger and cargo space are competitive.

Amazon Alexa compatibility is standard, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless charging is standard on the R/T, not offered on GT.

The R/T comes with standard 14-speaker Harman/Kardon audio, while the GT has an unbranded six-speaker system.

Dodge Hornet trim levels and prices

GT: $29,995

GT Plus: $34,995

R/T: $39,995

RT Plus: $44,995

Equipment packages:

Blacktop: Gloss black window moldings, badges and mirror caps, 18-inch Abyss finish wheels

Cold weather: Remote start, heated front seats and steering wheel

Tech pack: Active driving assist, traffic sign recognition, intelligent speed assist, drowsy driver alert, front and side parking sensors, surround view cameras, parallel and perpendicular parking assist; leather wrapped steering wheel.

Trak Pack: Dual-stage vale suspension; Alcantara trimmed seats; interior accents and bright pedals; Red Brembo four-piston calipers and floating rear calipers; all-season performance tires; 20-inch Abyss finish wheels

All equipment packages available on either GT or R/T.

All prices exclude $1,595 destination charge

Source: Dodge

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Power and fuel economy

The GT and R/T both have standard all-wheel drive, but significantly different drivetrains. Neither is intended for serious off-roading. The all-wheel-drive systems are to improve handling and performance, not scramble over rocks and ford streams.

The GT has a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 268 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. Dodge calls the engine Hurricane4 to associate it with Stellantis’ powerful new Hurricane straight-six engine.

A nine-speed automatic transmission is standard. Dodge claims a 6.5-second 0-60 mph time and 140-mph top speed.

The EPA rates the Hornet GT at 21 mpg in the city, 29 on the highway and 24 in combined driving. It needs premium gasoline to generate top power, but its EPA figures were recorded with regular.

EPA ratings are not available for the R/T PHEV yet. It uses a 1.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric rear axle. The combined output is 288 hp and 383 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

The R/T has a 15.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. It charges fully in 2.5 hours at 240 volts, about eight hours at 120.

The R/T develops its peak output when the driver activates a 15-second “power shot” that can propel it to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. Without power shot, the R/T hits 6 mph in 7.1 seconds. Top speed is 128 mph.

Both models can tow up to 2,000 pounds.

Safety and driver assistance systems

• Adaptive cruise control

• Lane centering

• Front collision alert

• Lane departure assist and alert

• Automatic front emergency braking

• Pedestrian and cyclist detection

• Blind spot and rear cross traffic alert

• Traffic sign recognition

• Drowsy driver alert

• Hill start assist

• Rain brake support

• Surround view camera

• Automated parallel and perpendicular parking

Bottom line

Dodge knows what it is: A performance brand. The Hornet GT delivers enough to set it apart from run of the mill compact SUVs. It’d be more exciting if it weighed a couple of hundred pounds less, though.

The R/T PHEV’s all-electric mode should allow owners to avoid burning gasoline in much of their routine driving. The hybrid’s extra weight undermines the performance impact of the R/T’s extra power. Official EPA ratings for fuel economy and electric range may be key to how much attention the electrified Hornet generates when it goes on sale this summer.

Specifications as tested:

Primary model tested: Dodge Hornet R/T

Base price as tested: $39,995, excluding $1,595 destination charge

Power unit: 1.3L turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine, electric rear axe

Output: 288 hp; 383 lb-ft of torque

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

EPA fuel economy estimate: TBD

EPA estimated annual fuel cost: TBD

Battery: 15.5 kWh Lithium-ion

Wheelbase: 103.8  inches

Length: 178.0 inches

Width: 82.2 inches (with mirrors)

Height: 63.8 inches

Cargo volume: 16.7 cubic feet

Passenger volume: 22.9 cubic feet behind rear seat, 50.5 cubic feet with seat folded

Ground clearance: 6.1 inches

Curb weight: 4,140 pounds

Assembled in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy

Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: New 2023 Dodge Hornet compact SUV promises 30-mile+ electric range