2023 Dodge Hornet

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes in two trim levels and starts at an MSRP of $31,590. The base trim is GT and the higher trim is named GT Plus and comes with more features of comfort and convenience. You will see more trim levels when Dodge introduces R/T trim levels next year. The biggest strength of the Dodge Hornet is its strong list of standard features even with the base trim level. It gets all the common features in the segment as standard with the car. The Dodge Hornet also offers a long list of standard safety features and driver assistance features. The GT trim level brings some cosmetic changes and some additional creature comforts to the package. 

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The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes at a relatively expensive price tag when you keep it against its rivals. But it also offers an impressive value for the price as it gets all the basic features as standard with the car. We recommend going with the base GT trim level of the Dodge Hornet as it gets everything you need to ensure a comfortable drive. But those who can spend more can get the GT Plus trim to get additional creature comforts. 

The 2023 Dodge Hornet is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged Inline-4 engine. The engine is quite powerful for its segment and one of the strongest points in the favor of the Dodge Hornet. It produces 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of peak torque. The engine comes mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels. The engine moves pretty quickly once you get it in the turbo range. It can go from 0 to 60 mpg in claimed 6.5 seconds which is an impressive figure for the segment. The quarter-mile run takes 15.1 seconds and the claimed top speed is 128 mph. This is the only powertrain option for the 2023 model year. The buyers will get a new hybrid powertrain next year with the R/T trim level. 

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with the most powerful engine in its segment and that too with a significant margin over its rivals. It is also the fastest car in the competition taking only 6.5 seconds to complete the 0 to 60 mph sprint. The 2023 Mazda CX-50 takes the second spot completing the 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 6.6 seconds which is not a significant difference. The 2023 Kia Sportage takes the third spot with a significant margin taking 7.4 seconds to go from a standstill to 60 mph. The Volkswagen Tiguan is the slowest car in the competition taking over 9 seconds to reach 60 mph. 

2023 Dodge Hornet Ride and Handling

Performance has always been a strong point for Dodge cars but the story starts to go against the automaker when you talk about the handling department. But the 2023 Dodge Hornet has the capability to turn the story around as it comes with Italian roots. It shares the platform with Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo has a rich racing heritage and that surely seems to help the Dodge Hornet in the initial test so far. The Dodge Hornet feels confident and the stability is quite good even at higher speeds. 

The passengers can feel a bit bouncy at higher speeds while going over the bumps as it is tuned more towards comfort. However, it never crosses the limit where the driver starts to lose confidence. The steering wheel communicates pretty well with the driver. The Dodge Hornet is not a great car for high-speed cornering and the higher ride height does not help the car in being stable on the corners either. The ride quality is pretty comfortable and it soaks the road undulations pretty well. 

2023 Dodge Hornet Braking Performance

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with decent size brake rotors for its class. It gets 12-inch brake rotors at the front and 11-inch brake rotors at the rear. The braking hardware is quite capable. The curb weight of the Dodge Hornet is 3715 pounds which is pretty much similar to the rivals. The braking performance is not clear though as of now. The feel from brake pedals is quite good and they give good confidence while cornering. You also get an option to upgrade the braking system to bigger and more capable Brembo brakes to enhance the braking performance. You can get more detail on the braking performance once the car is available for test runs in the market. 

The braking performance of the 2023 Dodge Hornet is not available as of now and you can get more clarity on this in the future. The 2023 Mazda CX-50 seems to be the most capable car in terms of braking performance as of now. It does not get the largest brake rotors in the segment but when you look at the braking performance it offers, it is way ahead of the competition. The CX-50 takes only 161 feet of distance to bring the car to a complete stop from 70 mph. The 2023 Kia Sportage takes 176 feet to do the same while the Volkswagen Tiguan takes 183 feet. 

The 2023 Dodge Hornet focuses more on performance than fuel economy. It is not like other family crossover SUVs that are focused on achieving higher fuel economy figures. The Dodge Hornet returns a decent fuel economy figure considering its size and performance. It can return 21 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg of combined fuel economy. These figures are not that impressive compared to other rivals but quite decent for what it offers. The Dodge Hornet comes with 13.5 gallons of fuel tank capacity. It can deliver a maximum highway range of 392 miles on a full tank of fuel. The fuel tank capacity could be a little bigger as you will have to take frequent breaks on highway trips. 

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with one of the lowest fuel economy figures and it also gets the smallest fuel tank capacity in the segment. The 2023 Kia Sportage returns a slightly better efficiency than the Hornet and also comes with a slightly bigger fuel tank capacity. It helps the Sportage deliver a longer highway range touching 400 miles mark. The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan comes next delivering a maximum highway range of 459 miles on a full tank capacity. The Mazda CX-50 returns the best fuel economy figures and it also comes with the largest fuel tank capacity. The CX-50 can go for 477 miles on a full tank on the highway which is the best in the class. 

The interior of the Dodge Hornet feels sporty and premium at the same time. As you open the door you get used to soft-touch materials on the door with some metallic finish on the door handles. The red stitching in the middle gives it a sporty look and enhances the overall look. The top of the dashboard might not impress some buyers as the quality is not among the best but the design of the ac vents look cool. The dashboard is inclined towards the driver. The red stitching continues throughout the dashboard as well. The front seats are pretty spacious and offer enough space to stretch out. The space in the rear seats feels cramped though. 

The interior dimensions of the 2023 Dodge Hornet are not available as of now. The 2023 Kia Sportage comes with the most spacious cabin for the front and rear-row passengers. The Kia Sportage also comes with the most spacious cargo area in the segment which makes it a practical choice for the segment. The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan is the only compact crossover in the competition that comes in a 7-seater configuration. The third row is not that practical but helps you get more cargo room when you fold the last row. The 2023 Mazda CX-50 also comes with a decently spacious cargo area in the segment.

Standout interior features:

• Front bucket seats
• 60-40 split-folding rear seats
• Manual tilt/telescoping steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Day-night rearview mirror
• Air filtration

2023 Dodge Hornet Infotainment

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display as standard. It also gets a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that gives you all the driver-related information. The dual-screen setup gives it a modern look and it comes loaded with technology. You also get many physical buttons on the central console to control the infotainment system and the climate control. The infotainment system runs on the Uconnect 5 system and the user interface feels pretty intuitive. It gets all the required information as well. You can connect your smartphone to the screen using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It gets a 6-speaker audio system as standard on the base trim but the GT Plus trim gets a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. 

Standout infotainment features:

• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot connectivity
• Uconnect 5 user interface
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
• Bluetooth wireless phone connectivity

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with a beautiful and elegant design language. At the front, you notice the complete LED lighting setup including LED headlights and LED daytime running lights right from the base trim level. As you move to the bottom, you see fake vents in black color. The center gets a massive black grille on the lower side and at the top, it gets a honeycomb grille with iconic red Dodge badging. The hood gets functional heat extractors with some sporty lines that give it some resemblance with Dodge’s muscle car legacy. The side remains simple and gives you many customization options for the wheels and braking system. The rear gets a roof spoiler with a carved-out tailgate design. The tail lights extend across the tailgate. 

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan is the longest compact crossover in the competition. The 2023 Mazda CX-50 on the other hand comes with the longest wheelbase and is also the widest of them all. The Mazda CX-30 also sits highest to the ground sharing the spot with the Kia Sportage as both these crossovers get identical ground clearance. The Volkswagen Tiguan sits lowest to the ground. The Kia Sportage also has similar dimensions to the rivals with not much difference. The 2023 Dodge Hornet is the most compact crossover SUV for the segment in every dimension. 

Standout exterior features:

• 17-inch aluminum wheels
• LED headlights and daytime running lights
• Deep tinted glass
• Rain-detecting wipers
• Black grille
• Lip spoiler
• LED brake lights

Both Dodge and Alfa Romeo have a good history of making safe cars and that shows in the 2023 Dodge Hornet. The 2023 Dodge Hornet is a completely new car so it is not tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as of now for their safety ratings. However, the safety features of the Dodge Hornet feel quite strong and you will not have to compromise with safety if you buy the 2023 Dodge Hornet. It also gets a long list of standard safety features and advanced driver assistance features to ensure the safety of the passengers. It gets advanced features like automated emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection as standard. 

Safety features include:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot warning
• Rear cross-traffic warning
• Lane-keeping assistance
• Forward collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking

2023 Dodge Hornet vs. 2023 Kia Sportage

The Kia Sportage is known for its practicality and premium cabin at an affordable price. The 2023 Kia Sportage can accommodate five passengers with better comfort inside its cabin and the ride quality is also better than the Dodge Hornet. The Kia Sportage also offers a more spacious cargo area which can go up to 74.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded which is the best in the class. However, the Kia Sportage is not a fun car to drive. The acceleration is also significantly slower than the Dodge Hornet and it also lacks the driving dynamics. Instead, it is a more comfortable and easy-to-drive car that you can use to reach your destination with utmost comfort. Performance lovers will find Hornet a better choice and those who like practicality will prefer the Kia Sportage any day. 

2023 Dodge Hornet vs. 2023 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 comes with a less powerful engine compared to the Dodge Hornet. But when it comes to the acceleration figures, the Mazda CX-50 is not that far behind the Dodge Hornet. The Mazda CX-50 is pretty close to the Dodge Hornet in terms of performance. The CX-50 also comes with a more spacious rear seat configuration and the cargo area is more spacious too. The driving dynamics of the Mazda CX-50 is one of its strongest points and it goes ahead of the Hornet in that department too. When you compare these two crossover SUVs, it is hard to recommend the Dodge Hornet over the Mazda CX-30. 

2023 Dodge Hornet vs. 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan is the only crossover SUV in the entire competition that comes in a 7-seater configuration. It is a big advantage favoring the Tiguan over its rivals when you look at it on paper. But in reality, the third row of the Volkswagen Tiguan is only suitable for kids or you can consider it as an extra cargo area when you fold down the seats. But when you keep it against the Dodge Hornet, it is obviously the more practical option of the two. It offers a more practical cabin with an impressive cargo area. But on the other hand, there is no comparison in the performance department. The Dodge Hornet is miles ahead of the Volkswagen Tiguan in the 0 to 60 mph acceleration. Performance lovers should consider the Dodge Hornet while the Tiguan makes more sense for buyers who wish to buy a better family car. 

The 2023 Dodge Hornet comes with an impressive overall package in the market. The biggest highlight of the Dodge Hornet remains its more powerful engine compared to its rivals. The Dodge Hornet seems to leverage that power pretty well when you look at the acceleration figures as it is the fastest crossover SUV in its segment in the 0 to 60 mph sprint. The driving behavior of the Dodge Hornet is also a lot better compared to other Dodge models as it shares the platform with Alfa Romeo. The advantages of the Dodge Hornet do not end here and you will also appreciate the impressive list of standard features right from its base trim level. It also gets all the basic safety features and driver assistance features as standard with the car. When you look at it as an overall package, the 2023 Dodge Hornet makes good sense for its price.