Dodge is adding the 2023 Hornet CUV to the line up. The crossover promises to be the most powerful utility vehicle in the segment. Buyers have their choice of a gasoline or PHEV version.
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Dodge is getting a lot of attention for the special editions that are being offered for the last 2023 Dodge Challengers and Chargers ICE muscle cars. Dodge also wowed the automotive press with its concept for the all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona SRT muscle car. One of the most important vehicles in the Dodge Garage is the new 2023 Hornet. The compact utility vehicle will be the fastest in the growing segment. Priced under $30,000, it will also have the power to bring young people to the brand.
2023 Dodge Hornet as a Gateway Vehicle
Dodge says the all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet opens the ‘gateway’ for fans to enter the Dodge Brotherhood of Muscle. The 2023 Dodge Hornet will be available as a gasoline model or a plug-in hybrid. Either powertrain is promising best-in-class performance and standard all-wheel drive.
“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.”
Dodge Hornet R/T plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
This PHEV is the first-ever electrified vehicle from Dodge. It promises to be the most powerful utility vehicle in the segment with 285-plus horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque. It offers more than 30 miles of all-electric range from its lithium-ion battery.
The Hornet R/T PHEV has a class-exclusive extra shot of power, similar to what we have seen in some larger, more expensive models. The PowerShot feature for Hornet R/T PHEV gives a short burst of 25 additional horsepower. The added boost shaves a full second off the normal 0 to 60 mph time, to 6.1 seconds.
Dodge Hornet GT
The gasoline model is powered by the Hurricane4 engine. The Hurricane is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four cylinder. It has the segment’s most powerful gas engine at 265-plus horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. The new engine gives the Hornet GT the power to be the quickest, fastest, most powerful CUV under $30,000.
The Hornet continues Dodge’s driver-centric interior design. Hornet has a best-in-class 12.3-inch digital cockpit cluster screen and a 10.25-inch central display, delivering more than 22.5 inches of in-vehicle display screen space. The highly regarded Uconnect 5 infotainment system is standard on both the gas and PHEV versions. Both versions are loaded with the latest driver assist technologies.
A Track Pack package, offering the most performance-oriented configuration, is available for both R/T and GT and upgrades to 20-inch Abyss wheels.
Direct Connection Factory-Backed Upgrades
One of the aspects that makes the 2023 Hornet a true Dodge gateway performance vehicle is that the company will offer significant performance upgrades through its Direct Connection Performance Parts division. The parts will be available through the select Dodge Power Brokers dealers.
Dodge already has a Hornet GT GLH Concept that demonstrates how dramatically the performance parts can upgrade the vehicle. The GLH designation stands for “Goes Like Hell”.
Direct Connection upgrades on the Hornet GT GLH include:
- Stage kit that offers stackable performance upgrades for the GT model
- Suspension lowering kit drops the Hornet more than an inch, creating a lower center of gravity and enhanced cornering dynamics
- Unrestricted dual exhaust with black chrome tips
- Exclusive Direction Connection GLH 20-inch painted and machine-faced wheels
- Exclusive Direct Connection GLH graphics, including stripes and logos
For complete information on Dodge and the brand's Never Lift plan, which provides a 24-month road map to Dodge's performance future, visit Dodge.com and DodgeGarage.com
The all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet will be an upgraded version of the Alfa Romeo Tonale. It will be built at the Giambattista Vico Stellantis plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, Naples, Italy. The Dodge Hornet GT will begin arriving in dealer showrooms in late 2022, with the Dodge Hornet R/T PHEV scheduled to hit showrooms in spring 2023.
Dodge Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
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