There’s a big gap in the small crossover market that Dodge plans to fill with the launch of the new Hornet model — and in an unexpected answer to a journalist’s questions Tuesday evening, brand boss Tim Kuniskis confirmed that a plug-in hybrid version of the new model is in the works.
But Kuniskis left a few other things unanswered — notably whether we might get a look at the already announced battery-electric Dodge muscle car later this year.
The new Dodge Hornet is expected to make its bow sometime in mid-August, according to Kuniskis, though the precise details are still being worked out.
Filling in the gaps
There’s not much to the Dodge line-up these days: a pair of muscle cars and the big Dodge Durango. But Carlos Tavares, the CEO of the brand’s parent company, Stellantis, has made it clear that more vehicles are on the way. That includes both an all-electric muscle car due to market in 2024, as well as the Hornet which targets the fast-growing compact crossover segment.
Tavares set the rumor mill on fire when, last August, he revealed that Dodge would introduce a plug-in model this year. Speculation, not surprisingly, turned to the Hornet.
“I think we’ve actually even said when we get back into the small compact space this summer when we launch the Hornet, we will have a PHEV or variant of that,” Kuniskis said on Tuesday evening. In fact, there had been no official confirmation until he spoke.
Shared drivetrain
Specific details are yet to be revealed but it was widely expected that the Dodge Hornet PHEV will use the same, basic drivetrain as the plug-in version of the new Alfa Romeo Tonale. It uses a 1.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 gas engine to power the front wheels, with an electric motor driving those in the rear. The Tonale will make a combined 272 horsepower in U.S. trim, but there’s plenty of flexibility in the hybridized system that could be uniquely tuned for the Dodge Hornet application.
Dodge hasn’t confirmed where the Hornet will be built, meanwhile, but speculation centers around Italy where it could roll down the same assembly line as the new Alfa Tonale.
As to pricing, Dodge is expected to start Hornet at or under $30,000 — though the plug-in version likely will be pricier — and very well could be positioned as the sportiest version of the new crossover, taking advantage of the instant torque its electric motor will be able to punch out.
Timing
Timing is another question. Dodge wants to have the new Hornet ready for the 2023 model year, but Kuniskis noted that this could depend upon the fragile automotive infrastructure — which has seen plenty of product delayed during the COVID pandemic because of shortages of semiconductors and other components.
“This grey hair you’re seeing, it’s not lockdowns, it’s not COVID, it’s supply lines,” the Dodge boss said with a sigh during the media event.
Even the unveiling of the Hornet is yet to be locked into place. The goal is to lift the covers during what has come to be known as “Speed Week” in Detroit. That starts Aug. 15 with the Roadkill Nights street racing event near the suburb of Pontiac, and wraps up the following weekend with the annual Woodward Dream Cruise.
Jeep’s unexpected success
Since Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and France’s PSA Group merged last year, the newly formed Stellantis has begun ramping up its electrification program. The struggling Chrysler brand, for one thing, will go all-electric by 2026. But even the marques known for high fuel consumption are moving in that direction. Both Jeep and Ram plan to roll out an assortment of plug-in and pure electric models over the coming years.
And Dodge is also moving towards battery power. The Hornet PHEV will serve as its first test and, if the success of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe is any indication it could click with consumers. That plug-in SUV is now the country’s best-selling PHEV.
