Detroit: It has been a while since the Dodge brand launched a compact SUV anywhere in the world.
You might remember the Caliber and Nitro as distinctive but unexceptional offerings that were sold in South Africa for a few years.
But the Dodge Hornet is a different kettle of fish. Borrowing heavily from its Stellantis sister brand Alfa Romeo, the new Hornet is heavily based on the Tonale, and the resemblance is clear to see.
The Dodge Hornet is unlikely to come to South Africa any time soon, given that the US brand was discontinued here a few years back, but we will be getting the Alfa Tonale later this year – and you can read our driving impressions here.
Back to the forbidden fruit… The American Hornet is being marketed as a “gateway to Dodge muscle”, and this might be a sore point for long-standing fans as the company’s V8-powered muscle cars are set to be axed at the end of 2023.
Dodge claims the Hornet will be the fastest and most powerful compact utility vehicle priced under $30 000 in the US (about R500 000).
The base model is called the Hornet GT and it is powered by a 2.0-litre turbopetrol engine that produces more than 198kW and 400Nm. The all-wheel drive is standard, as is an electronic limited slip diff and, according to Dodge, the GT will run from 0-60mph (96km/h) in just 6.5 seconds.
There’s also a plug-in hybrid option called the R/T . Here we see a powerful electric motor pairing with a 1.3-litre turbopetrol for system outputs of more than 212kW and 520Nm. Featuring Graphite Grey 18-inch wheels, the R-T can sprint to 96km/h in 6.1 seconds when in overboost mode.
Other dynamic features include Koni shocks, dynamic torque vectoring and Brembo four-piston brake calipers.
The cabin comes with digital instrumentation and a 10.25-inch infotainment system with Android-based Uconnect 5 software. Available features include a Harmon Kardon premium sound system and Level 2 semi-autonomous driver assistance gadgets, including Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control.
Would you like to see the Dodge brand return to South Africa?