Dodge has carved a strong reputation for itself thanks to its muscle cars, but that’s on the verge of changing. The Brotherhood of Muscle will soon be expanding after distilling itself to just three performance models: the Challenger, Charger, and Durango. All of them offer a Hellcat V8; none of them are hybrids. But electrification is coming to Dodge, just as it is everywhere. The automaker has been planning on bringing back the Dodge Hornet after a trademark application was filed back in 2020 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for naming rights. Then we learned that the Hornet would be heavily based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale.
Dodge Hornet: Hybrid SUV First Look
Recently, two images of an uncamouflaged Dodge Hornet have leaked on social media, showcasing the car’s front end, which has a very similar design to that of the Tonale. Despite the blur, it’s clear that the Hornet’s headlight design is somewhat unique and as CarBuzz pointed out, the large Alfa Romeo “Trefoil” triangular grille is absent. In addition, we can see a pair of hood vents on the hood, and the hood itself is noticeably more sculpted than the Tonale’s. The vents are likely just for show, but they still look cool.
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There is also a single photo that showcases the interior of the vehicle and it, too, is quite similar, however, restyled to that of its Alfa Romeo cousin. The steering wheel doesn’t have any paddle shifters on either side, and it looks like there’s a redesigned HVAC section beneath the touchscreen. The steering wheel is identical to the Tonale’s, minus the Dodge double slash emblem placed in the center.
The Dodge Hornet will be one of nine new plug-in electric vehicles (PHEV) for Stellantis by 2024. The Hornet is expected to feature a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the Global Medium Engine (GME) lineup, also known as the Hurricane engine. This turbo-four can deliver 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque without electrification, with an EPA estimated 31 MPG on the highway in the Jeep Cherokee. Since the Hornet will undoubtedly be lighter than the popular SUV, it’s safe to say these numbers will be higher from a performance standpoint.
