2023 Dodge Hornet GT Review: Mopar Builds a CR-V

Dodge rejoins the crossover market with an Italian-born cute ‘ute.

Published August 13, 2023

It may sound surprising in this era where Dodge is known almost exclusively for muscle cars, but the brand has a surprisingly deep history of crossovers. The Journey and Caliber may not have been beloved by the media or masses in their days, but both offered a reasonably compelling blend of car and SUV traits — the sorts of vehicles that buyers continually flock to in greater and greater numbers.

Still, the latest SUV addition to the Dodge family, the Hornet, differs in a couple ways from those Dodge crossovers of the past. Perhaps most obviously, this small SUV aimed at American families is actually from Italy; it is, effectively, a rebadged and slightly restyled Alfa Romeo Tonale. While the Alfa is currently only available as a plug-in hybrid and the Dodge packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, the PHEV system will shortly be coming to the Hornet as the R/T trim, thus reducing the differences between them pretty much down to their front and rear fasciae.

2023 Dodge Hornet GT: What We Think

The Hornet GT packs a dash more style than your average compact crossover, and is a bit more fun to drive, as well. But that, perhaps, begs the question: are the people who buy this type of car actually interested in a family crossover that prioritizes pace over space, vim and vigor over cargo capacity and fuel economy?

Some buyers, no doubt, will find that idea appealing — the sort of folks who quixotically attempt to convince their partners that a Civic Type R would be a fine family car. For most crossover shoppers, though, the appeal of more efficient SUVs (both in terms of space and fuel) will likely take precedence … even if, deep down inside, part of them would rather have something playful.

The Hornet is more style-forward than many a compact crossover

Mainstream crossovers aren’t exactly renowned for sexy designs. After all, utility is the SUV’s middle name, and the sort of sleek, shapely forms that we associate with sporty cars rarely mesh well with utilitarian goals like maximizing interior volume or ground clearance. Credit, then, to Dodge — well, really to Alfa Romeo and Dodge, since the Alfa designers did the heavy lifting in terms of shaping the Tonale/Hornet’s lines — for making a crossover with some visual panache, with muscular haunches and flowing curves.

It’s not perfect, of course; the front end does have a bit of carp face going on, with its gaping lower air intake dwarfing the thin headlights and grille. Still, it’s overall a more eye-catching look than the hordes of generic blob-cars and aggressively edgy designs that make up much of the SUV market these days.

This Dodge drives like the Italian car it really is

Granted, you’re not likely to confuse it with a Ferrari 296 from behind the wheel, but pay close attention and you’ll notice the Hornet packs many of the traits that often set Italian macchina apart from the rest of the world’s vehicles. The steering is light, quick and direct, while the handling is tauter and more involving than your aver-a-ge bear of an SUV. (The window sticker for my test vehicle was proud to point out the car had Koni FSD shock absorbers, which is the first time I can ever recall a crossover bragging about the specific brand of shock absorbers it had.) If you go looking for a good time behind the wheel, you’re more likely to find it here than in, say, a Kia Seltos.

The turbo four makes solid power for the class; the 295 lb-ft of torque is arguably more impressive than the 268 horses, as it’s that mid-range punch that makes the bigger impression in around-town driving. Just be sure to make use of the Sport button mounted, in a sports car-esque touch, on a dedicated stalk low on the steering wheel; the turbocharged four-cylinder needs to stay in the meat of the powerband to move quickly, but the nine-speed automatic seeks tall gears quickly unless you use Sport mode to tell it otherwise. Paddle shifters, sadly, aren’t in the cards, although you can slap the shift lever into a manual gate for direct control. (But with nine forward cogs to choose from … you probably won’t.)

The Hornet’s interior is driver-focused and well-designed, if a bit dark

Stellantis — or at least the parts of it that used to be the Chrysler group — has generally delivered strong interiors in recent years, sticking with physical buttons and clean, intuitive layouts. The Hornet largely sticks with that trend, serving up an easy-to-master layout. Buttons are prominent; the widescreen touchscreen infotainment system mounted high for quick reference while in motion; materials feel generally pleasant to the touch. Space is reasonable, if not expansive; four regular adults can fit inside well enough, although those in the back seat might feel a little claustrophobic due to the sweeps of the sheetmetal around the C/D pillar.

The flaws are few and minor, but still worth noting. Given it’s among the most-used controls in a car, the choice to make the volume knob a rotating drum placed awkwardly by the shifter seems an odd decision. And the interior as a whole is a bit dark, thanks to its high beltlines in back and the prevalence of black trim. The only way to introduce any color is by spending $495 for red leather seats, which a) means spending more money and b) is certain to clash with some exterior colors.

2023 Dodge Hornet GT: Alternatives

The Hornet has the pleasure (or perhaps displeasure) of competing in a class packed with great options. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are both exceptionally strong choices, as their status as two of America’s best-selling vehicles will attest. The Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage are also both excellent vehicles in their own right, regardless of the category they play in. The Chevy Blazer comes closest to the Hornet in terms of being a sporty two-row domestic crossover. The Ford Escape and Mazda CX-5 are growing long in the tooth, but the Mazda in particular still presents a strong case for itself. And the Nissan Rogue … exists.