The Dodge Hornet is a five-door, five passenger, all-wheel drive compact crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Dodge beginning with model year 2023, as the brand's smallest vehicle — marketed exclusively in North America and manufactured in Italy as a rebadged variant of the Alfa Romeo Tonale.
Overview
The Hornet was designed by Jeff Gale, whose father Tom Gale had designed the Dodge Viper,[2] and released in August 2022.[1]
Available in four trim levels, GT (entry-level), GT Plus (entry-level luxury trim), R/T (plug-in hybrid), and R/T Plus (plug-in hybrid luxury trim), the Hornet is the brand’s first new model in more than a decade, arriving three years after the discontinuation of the Journey mid-size crossover.[1] The Hornet is also manufactured at the same Italian factory as the Tonale, and is based on the same platform as the Jeep Compass (MP).
It is the first ever electric vehicle by the brand, and the R/T trim will have dual electric motors. Unlike its luxury sibling, the Tonale, the Hornet will exclusively be an all-wheel-drive vehicle.[8] The Hornet also has different specs, pricing and luxury from the Tonale. According to Dodge, the Hornet R/T will have over 30 miles of range.
In late 2022, Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis announced plans for a more powerful model, the Hornet GLH ("Goes Like Hell").[10] The Hornet R/T GLH was unveiled on March 22, 2023. It is a concept car that features visual upgrades, such as lowered springs, 20-inch wheels, special graphics and a louder exhaust.[11]
After Fiat S.p.A. acquired Chrysler LLC in 2009, models of trucks and cargo vans were no longer designated as Dodge, but exclusively as Ram. A timeline of these models can be found here.