The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- GT’s turbo power
- AWD is standard
- Lots of features
- Good infotainment system
Dislikes
- Is it too Alfa-like?
- PHEV needs more refinement
- GT’s transmission can annoy
- Small rear door openings
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2025 Dodge Hornet is a fun but flawed small SUV.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Dodge Hornet? What does it compare to?
The Hornet is Dodge’s smaller crossover SUV, a sportier and decidedly costlier rival to the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, and Mazda CX-30.
Is the 2025 Dodge Hornet a good SUV?
The Hornet is fun to drive and interesting to look at, though it can be quite expensive against like-size competitors. It earns a TCC Rating of 6.4 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Dodge Hornet?
Not much. Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are now included with the Track Pack option on Hornet GT models.
The Hornet’s styling is quite similar to that of the Alfa Romeo Tonale, which is no surprise since the two models leave the same Italian factory one after the other. It has some American cues, like a pinched grille and narrow headlights that somewhat recall the automaker’s new Charger. Overall, though, the Hornet is pleasant if far from distinct outside. Inside, the cabin’s handsome and trimmed in materials that best less expensive competitors.
The Hornet comes in two flavors: GT with its zippy 268-hp turbo-4 and the quicker, plug-in hybrid Hornet R/T with its smaller turbo-4 bolted to a pair of electric motors. You’ll find a somewhat clumsy 9-speed automatic transmission in the GT, while the R/T has a smoother 6-speed automatic. Still, the R/T’s powertrain can struggle to shift between gasoline and electric power, which makes driving smoothly a challenge.
All models are nimble and fun, and they ride pretty well even with the available 20-inch alloy wheels. Neither is remotely off-road-ready, though all-wheel drive is standard.
The GT isn’t particularly thrifty at 24 mpg combined. R/T models offer up to 33 miles of range on a full charge and 29 mpg combined thereafter, which is quite good.
Inside, the Hornet has a classy interior with nice materials and comfortable front seats. The rear seat is spacious enough, but the door openings are too small. Behind them, the cargo area is decent but not particularly spacious—and the R/T’s battery pack takes away about four cubic feet.
Hornets are quite well-equipped with driver-assistance technology, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control. A package adds a more robust suite of driving assistance tech plus a surround-view camera system.
The 2025 Hornet has not yet been crash tested.
How much does the 2025 Dodge Hornet cost?
Dodge offers the Hornet in GT, GT Plus, R/T, and R/T Plus models. The GT starts at about $33,000 and the Hornet can climb to about $55,000 for an R/T plug-in hybrid with every option selected. It’s a decent enough value its lower GT trims, though, with a good infotainment system, plenty of crash-avoidance and driver-assistance tech, a nice interior.
Where is the 2025 Dodge Hornet made?
In Naples, Italy, alongside the Alfa Romeo Tonale.
2025 Dodge Hornet Styling
The Dodge Hornet has some—but not a ton of—Italian style.
Is the Dodge Hornet a good-looking car?
This Italian-American SUV has a pleasant enough overall appearance to score a 7 on the TCC scale, with points above average for its interior and its exterior.
In profile, the Dodge Hornet looks like a hatchback on stilts, with considerable flair. Narrow headlights and a skinny grille up front tie it into the company’s sporty Charger without cheapening either. The rear roof pillars, however, are lifted right from Alfa’s Tonale, and they give way to a wide band of lights at the rear. Obligatory unpainted lower trim gives the Hornet a vaguely rugged look, but this is definitely no off-roader. It looks best with bigger wheels and darker paint, the latter of which masks a front end that can look a bit fussy in light hues.
Inside, the Hornet has a busy dash with no shortage of style. The widescreen display sits high like a tablet on a charging pad, while a business-like three-spoke steering wheel fronts a configurable digital instrument cluster. The cabin looks great in red leather where available, too.
2025 Dodge Hornet Performance
The 2025 Dodge Hornet works better in base than high-zoot form.
The 2025 Dodge Hornet is a tale of two small SUVs, depending on which one you choose. It’s a 7 on the TCC scale since it’ll scoot to 60 mph with good power in reserve and it handles quite well.
Is the Dodge Hornet 4WD?
Yes, all Hornets are all-wheel drive.
How fast is the Dodge Hornet?
The base GT uses a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that pushes out 268 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s teamed with a 9-speed automatic transmission that responds far too slowly when left in the default driving mode. Tap it into Sport mode—which, unfortunately, you’ll have to do every time you hop behind the wheel—and it’s a different animal. Shifts are quick and crisp, and it responds with quick downshifts when the throttle is stabbed.
The R/T version is heavier and fitted with a smaller gas engine, but it is more powerful and quicker. Its 1.3-liter turbo-4 pairs with a 44-hp front motor and a 121-hp rear motor for a system output of 288 hp and 383 lb-ft, which slices a second or so off the 60 mph run. It’ll do the deed in just 5.6 seconds. This setup is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission that behaves well enough. The problem here isn’t the gearbox, the gas engine, or the electric motor. It’s when all three work together. Transitions from gasoline to electric power can be clunky and unpredictable. It’s somewhat hard to drive this version smoothly, unless you’re driving it hard.
The e-Save mode uses only electric power for 33 or so miles, which is great for commuting. It only uses the rear motor, though, so plan ahead before encountering snow. When the battery is mostly full, you can pull back the shift paddles to unleash PowerShot mode that adds about 30 hp for 15 seconds, providing slightly more rapid responses. It’s a gimmick, but a fun one.
All models handle well, too. Quick steering means the Hornet responds rapidly to inputs. It leans just a bit in corners but settles in nicely. The R/T sits a bit lower, which helps it handle better. Ride quality is fine even with bigger wheels and tires, particularly with the available adaptive dampers.
2025 Dodge Hornet Comfort & Quality
The 2025 Dodge Hornet has a classy cabin with good space for the size.
Though it’s priced more like a midsizer, the 2025 Dodge Hornet stretches a mere 178.3 inches long and rides on a fairly short 103.8-inch wheelbase. It’s a small crossover, but it makes decent use of its cabin space. We score it 7 thanks to its comfortable front seats and its SUV-size cargo area.
Front-seat riders have firm, supportive thrones, though the base GT lacks power adjustments. That’s a shame, especially since the seats are somewhat low and taller drivers may need to adjust their thrones all the way up. The rear seat is spacious enough, but the door openings are quite tight. Bigger passengers will find it difficult to climb in.
Out back, the Hornet GT has a reasonable 27.0 cubic feet of cargo space. Subtract four cubes from the R/T as a result of its battery pack. Fold the rear seats and either version tops 50 cubes. Those aren’t great numbers, but they’re still enough for a point on our scale.
Hornets have nice materials inside whether the seats are wrapped in cloth, real leather, or a combination of leather and synthetic suede. If anything, Dodge should have done more to make the R/T stand out; the GT is darn near as nice inside for so much less money.
2025 Dodge Hornet Safety
The 2025 Dodge Hornet lacks the latest crash-test data.
How safe is the Dodge Hornet?
We’ll let you know when the IIHS and the NHTSA crash test the 2025 Hornet. For now, we can’t assign a score here.
All models have standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control.
An available package adds rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, and an upgraded driver-assistance suite that allows for short spurts of hands-off driving.
2025 Dodge Hornet Features
The 2025 Dodge Hornet is well-equipped, though don’t look for bargain-basement pricing.
The 2025 Dodge Hornet scores an 8 out of 10 for features here thanks to its big touchscreen with terrific software, many standard features, and decent array of options. Its base pricing at around $33,000, starts about where mainstream rivals end.
Standard equipment includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, cloth and synthetic leather upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is nothing special, though.
The Hornet’s standard touchscreen has the same simple but feature-loaded software we’ve come to appreciate in other products made by parent company Stellantis. The screen is bright, easy enough to sort through, and responds quickly.
Which Dodge Hornet should I buy?
The $5,300 leap to the GT Plus buys navigation, 14-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, a sunroof, a power hands-free liftgate, and dual-zone automatic climate control. That seems worthwhile to us.
How much is a fully loaded Dodge Hornet?
The R/T starts at a rather hefty $43,000, while the R/T Plus that’s equipped about like the GT Plus is over $48,000. Even then, Dodge will charge you up to $600 for special paint and it’s not hard to add features like 20-inch alloy wheels, a surround-view camera system, parking sensors, and a limited hands-off driving assistance system that push the price to $55,000 or so. That’s luxury money.
2025 Dodge Hornet Fuel Economy
The base Dodge Hornet is fairly thirsty, but the R/T is quicker and thriftier
Is the Dodge Hornet good on gas?
That depends. The GT is estimated at just 21 mpg city, 29 highway, 24 combined based on the 2024 model. That’s a 2 on the TCC scale. Don't expect 2025 ratings to change.
The R/T would rate higher if evaluated independently. It delivers up to 33 miles of range on a full charge and 29 mpg combined thereafter. Moreover, the R/T may qualify for various incentives that help soften its pricing blow.
