Back in 2006, Dodge released a five-door mini MPV concept car named the Hornet. While previous attempts to further develop the Hornet were unsuccessful, the 122-year-old American automaker is now expected to bring a sting to the market with the release of a 2023 Dodge Hornet that will take inspiration from Alfa Romeo's Tonale.
A production edition of the Dodge Hornet is expected by the end of 2022. Here's what we know so far.
Potential Specs Of The 2023 Dodge Hornet
Based on a spied edition of the 2023 SUV (as reported by Car and Driver), the Hornet is set to feature a 2.0-liter inline-four engine just as the Alfa Romeo Tonale does. In addition, the Hornet may be offered with a plug-in hybrid engine. The Tonale is due to hit the market in 2023, with the Hornet hopefully arriving later this year. The Hornet and Tonale will both be released under the Stellantis umbrella.
While we can only speculate as to the specs of this Dodge ride, the Tonale will feature a similar powertrain, and that is a 256-hp GME-T4 offering 295 lb-ft of torque. Mopair Insiders believes that the Hornet may feature an enhanced 270- to 280-hp performance, which would bring the Hornet's performance stats closer to that of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Car and Driver believe that the Hornet will have a starting MSRP of around $30,000.
The Dodge Hornet Will Face Tough Competition
While little is known about the Hornet so far, it will be a relatively small SUV and sit below the Durango, Dodge's mid-size SUV. This would square the Hornet up against the likes of the Mazda CX-30, Volkswagen Taos, and Kia Seltos. The CX-30 has a starting price of just under $23,500, with the Taos beginning from about $25,000 and the Seltos starting at almost $24,000.
On this basis, the Hornet may be more expensive than its rivals; however, the official price tag of the Hornet has not been announced, with the $30K figure being mere speculation. However, if the price is closer to $30,000, then the Hornet will need to offer some awesome specs to give it an edge over its rivals, although simply being a Dodge already gives it some unique value.
We hope to learn lots more about this 2023 Dodge in the coming months. This will not only provide us with a clearer idea as to what the Hornet will offer and whether it's worth the price, but it will also allow for a more accurate comparison with its rivals.
The Hornet will probably take inspiration from the Durango, in which case we might find that the entry-level model of this SUV will be an SXT variant, which would be followed by GT, RT, and Citadel trims. The Citadel is a more luxurious version of the Durango and, if offered as a Hornet variant, may come with a starting MSRP of about $40,000.
All in all, though, we're excited to find out more about the 2023 Hornet when Dodge releases further information so that we can provide you with a more in-depth breakdown of this up-and-coming SUV.