Italian Under the Skin
Scratch the surface of the 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T and you will find the Alfa Romeo Tonale, with Dodge and Alfa Romeo two of 16 Stellantis automobile brands sold throughout the world. The Tonale’s Italian flair and DNA have not been lost on the sibling Hornet as it carries much of the look and feel, but with the Dodge badge that is familiar to Americans.
Propulsion Options
GT
2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline
298 horsepower (hp)/295 pound-feet (lb.-ft.) of torque
9-speed automatic
All-wheel drive (AWD)
0-60: 6.5 seconds
MPG: 21 city/29 highway/24 combined
R/T Plus – Plug-in-Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
1.3-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder gasoline
288 hp/383 lb.ft of torque (With PowerShot)
6-speed automatic
AWD
0-60: 5.6 seconds
MPG: 29 combined and 77 combined MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent, a measurement of how far a car can travel, electrically, on the same amount of energy as is contained in 1 gallon of gasoline)
Clean Fleet Report drove the Hornet R/T Plus PHEV 157 miles through Southern California, averaging 31.8 mpg. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the all-electric range (AER) at 33 miles. Through smooth driving and twice topping-off the battery we exceeded the AER by going 34 miles on pure electricity on our longest all-electric run.
We were able to go further than the 33 AER by staying off freeways, and driving close to the posted speed limits all while negotiating stop-and-go city driving. The regeneration on the Hornet R/T PHEV replenishes the battery when slowing or braking and is what contributed to that excellent range without using a drop of gasoline.
The primary way to charge the 15.5 kWh battery is by plugging in. The onboard 7.4 kW inverter will take 2.5 hour with a 120 volt, Level 1 charger for a full charge. A Level 2, 240 volt charger, found at public charge stations and, commonly, in homes will take 7.5 hours. DC Fast charging is not compatible.
Expectations Met?
Dodge was most recently the performance division of the old Chrysler Corporation. The ‘Brotherhood of Muscle’ is what the company calls its iconic, powerful models like the Viper, SRT, Hellcat and Demon and, going back a few decades, the Super Bee and original Challenger and Charger (remember the classic chase in ‘Bullitt’ through the streets of San Francisco? That was a Charger).
When Dodge says the Hornet R/T Plus PHEV is a “new breed” that is “ready to swarm, ready to sting and ready to electrify,” our interest was piqued. We were itching to get behind the wheel and see what this Italian/American crossbreed could do.
Hitting the Road
Not knowing what to expect, we were hoping the Hornet R/T Plus PHEV, even as the entry level Dodge model, would continue the brand’s performance heritage. Dodge did equip it with performance pieces such as an electronically controlled Chapman rear frequency damping suspension that uses a lower lateral link to determine wheel geometry, Koni FSD shocks, torque vectoring, all-wheel drive, bright red Brembo four-piston brakes and 20-inch alloy wheels with 235/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Total Performance all-season tires.
It has the necessary components to be a full-on sports compact utility vehicle (CUV), but is it? A good place to start is pulling back on the twin steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, then depressing the Sport button on the center console. That activates the PowerShot, which delivers a brief (15 seconds) boost of 25 horsepower for an oomph. You can hit it hard off the line or, when already up to speed, get to the full 288 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque.
Whether you will be using the Hornet R/T PHEV for in-town errands, short commutes or on the open road, Dodge has provided efficiency options to enhance the experience, which begins with using the driver-selectable drive modes. Three modes are found on a steering wheel button. When depressing the button, the center screen displays an image of the selected mode.
- Hybrid is the default mode to maximize efficiency and driving range. Note: We found this mode to be a bit sluggish, so we opted to use the Sport mode (see below) for in-town driving and Hybrid when on the open road.
- E-Save reserves the battery charge to be used at a later time. This mode also charges the battery when driving.
- All-Electric provides 32 miles of zero emissions driving at up to 84 miles per hour.
Right now we are investigating how sporty it is, which brings us to the fun drive mode.
- Sport mode, activated by a button on the center dash, adjusts the throttle response, transmission shift points and steering feel. As noted, this is also how the PowerShot feature is activated.
The drive and power modes described above present several options for tailored driving. In our search for performance, selecting the Sport mode delivered 0-60 mph times of 5.6 seconds for the 4,140-pound Hornet R/T. Dodge claims it’s the “quickest compact CUV (Compact Utility Vehicle).”
This is a good time to note that even though the Hornet R/T has standard all-wheel drive, it is not intended for off-road driving.
So, what is our conclusion? Is the Dodge Hornet R/T a sports CUV? The good news is the handling was solid with a lowered stance and near 50:50 weight balance. The ride was generally smooth, and the brakes strong and consistent. The AWD torque vectoring acts as an electronic limited slip differential. The ‘intelligent’ braking system, with its proper pedal feel, resulted in good control even when pushed above the posted speed limit on corners.
The negative was the exhaust note (when in hybrid mode), which was too loud and quickly became tiresome. The paddle shifters were unnecessarily large. The wide turning radius necessitated occasional three-point turns. The ride was choppy when on moderately uneven highway surfaces. Lastly, the PowerShot boost of power was not all it could be.
Overall, it is a fun CUV offering spirited driving, handling and sure braking. It will probably be used as a hauler for up-to four adults or for chauffeuring the kids in their car seats, but it’ll always be nice to know it can be taken to the mountains to do some carving.
Italian Design
The Hornet R/T is sharp looking with its Alfa Romeo roots coming through nicely. Taking design cues from crossovers sold in European markets, it has a smooth front end with two narrow upper grilles sitting over a larger fascia grille. It has an energetic, confident and sleek dynamic.
The color choices give an indication of what Dodge is trying to convey about the Hornet-fun and with personality. Where else can you choose between 8 Ball (black) and Q Ball (white) for no extra charge, although others have a premium price. Blu Bayou is $495; Blue Steele, $595; Gray Cray, $495; Hot Tamale, $495; and Acapulco Gold ,$595. The latter was on our tester and got a few “nice car” and “cool color” shout-outs.
The almond-shaped LED reflector head and daytime running lamps meld into the fenders that lead to smooth sides, sans chrome and cladding. The LED tail lights, with an illuminated Dodge logo, run the full width of the hands-free power lift gate.
There is no badging anywhere indicating the Hornet R/T Plus is a plug-in hybrid, which could be a lost opportunity to inform the public Dodge has entered the world of electrified propulsion. Even though they are both owned by Stellantis, the Chrysler Pacifica PHEV has badging on the rear lift gate identifying it as the only plug-in hybrid minivan on the market, as does the Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. Maybe the Hornet R/T will show its “electricness” at some point.
Interior
The Hornet R/T PHEV has a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument panel with integrated turn-by-turn navigation and a large 160-mph speedometer gauge. Additional information includes a G-Meter, tachometer, sport mode gauges with the PowerShot indicator light and the eDrive modes of Hybrid, EV Save and Electric only.
The 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen is home to the Harman Kardon 14-speaker sound system with UConnect that includes AM/FM HD radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, Amazon Alexa integration and TomTom navigation. The screen also displays climate controls and is the media hub for Bluetooth, streaming audio, vehicle settings and other controls. The Hornet R/T Plus has wireless phone charging and a universal garage door opener, but does not have a heads-up display or auto hold.
Our Hornet R/T Plus came with the Track Pack ($2,595) package that included black Alcantara ventilated seats with red accents, aluminum door sills, and a flat-bottom, heated leather-covered steering wheel that had controls for the radio and cruise control.
The driver gets a heated 8-way power adjustable seat with lumbar and memory, while the passenger gets 8-way power adjustments with lumbar.
The rear seat folds 60:40 and, when down, provides 50.5-inches of cargo space. Head and shoulder room is good in the rear seat. The fold-down center armrest has cup holders to go along with the rear ventilation vents and power ports in the back of the center console.
Interior Convenience
Interior features, standard or with a package, include remote start, a 360º rear view camera, compass, dual zone automatic climate control, tilt and telescoping steering column, height adjustable front seatbelts, 12-volt power outlets in the front and second row seating and cargo areas, and USB-A and C data and power ports (front and rear), and rear cargo area LED lights.
Safety and Convenience
The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T Plus was equipped with Active Driving Assist, a quasi-hands-free system that works up to 93 miles per hour. After setting the adaptive cruise control, hands can be released from the steering wheel for 10 seconds.
Additional safety features include seven airbags, drowsy driver detection, traffic sign recognition, a rear backup camera with rear park assist, forward-facing off-road camera, full-speed forward collision warning, blind spot and cross path detection, electronic stability control and roll mitigation, four-wheel ABS, a tire pressure monitoring system and hill start assist.
Pricing and Warranties
The 2024 Dodge Hornet comes in four models with several available option packages. Including the mandatory $1,595 destination fee, these are the base prices.
- GT (gasoline) – $32,995
- GT Plus (gasoline) – $37,995
- R/T PHEV – $42,995
- R/T Plus PHEV – $47,995
Clean Fleet Report drove the Dodge Hornet Plus R/T PHEV with $7,030 in options and packages for a total of $52,405.
The 2024 Dodge Hornet PHEV comes with these warranties.
- Hybrid System – Eight years/80,000 miles
- Powertrain – Five years/60,000 miles
- Basic – Three years/36,000 miles
- Roadside Assistance – Five years/60,000 miles
Observations: 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T Plus PHEV
One of the things to get straight early-on when driving the Hornet R/T PHEV is to not compare it to the fire-breathing, wheel-spinning Dodge high-performance cars of old (or even the recent years). The brand now is more subtle in its approach, but certainly not in the desire to make fun cars that are quick and spirited to drive.
So, did Dodge get over its skis in effusive marketing-speak saying the 2024 Hornet R/T PHEV is “Ready to swarm. Ready to sting. Ready to electrify?” Again, if not comparing the historical Dodge muscle cars, then yes, but in a far different way, the Hornet R/T PHEV is all of those.
If you were planning a road trip, say Los Angeles to San Francisco (381 miles) or Cleveland to New York City (462 miles) or Atlanta to Orlando (438 miles), start by plugging-in the 2024 Hornet R/T PHEV overnight for 42 miles of fully charged battery. Then fill the 11.2-gallon gasoline tank with 87 octane and head-out on the road. If you didn’t need to make a convenience stop, the combined 500 miles of electric/gasoline driving range would get you to these and many other cities without getting off the highway.
Now imagine plugging-in every night and going about your local in-town or commuting driving, and you can do the math on how much money you would not be spending on gasoline.
It is important you take the time to visit a Dodge dealer and see if the Hornet R/T Plus is right for you and your driving lifestyle. If so, you will have a comfortable road car with good handling that will be fun to drive while showing-off Italian style and flair with an iconic Dodge badge.
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Story and photos by John Faulkner.
Wonderful Plug-In Hybrid vehicles!
Glad you like this spicy Italian.