2024 Dodge Hornet

The volume GT trim uses the 2.0L Hurricane4 turbo four at 268 hp; the R/T plug-in hybrid tops the range at 288 hp combined. Strong for a compact SUV, mid-low against the SUV-wide band.

295 lb-ft from the GT's 2.0L turbo is well above mainstream compact rivals (CR-V 179, RAV4 184 lb-ft).

Manufacturer 6.5 s for the GT is quick for the compact class, where most rivals run 7.5–9 s.

Reviewers note turbo lag off the line before the 2.0L pulls hard; once on boost it is strong but not especially polished. Mid-pack refinement for the class.

The GT's 9-speed automatic mostly shifts quickly but reviewers report occasional hard or hesitant shifts at low speed; paddles were not standard on the 2024 GT.

2,000 lb rating is at the low end of the SUV field and typical of small crossovers.

AWD is standard on every 2024 Hornet — a mechanical AWD system on GT and through-the-road eAWD (rear motor) on R/T. No FWD base model; no low range or terrain modes.

Pavement-focused performance crossover: moderate ground clearance on GT (lower on R/T), no skid plates, no off-road trim or terrain management beyond drive modes.

Two distinct powertrains: 2.0L turbo gas (GT/GT Plus) and a 1.3L turbo plug-in hybrid with 32 mi electric range (R/T/R/T Plus). No conventional hybrid or EV.

EPA combined 24 MPG for the volume GT AWD is below most compact-SUV gas rivals, which cluster around 28–30 MPG.

Weak city figure for the class, a product of the turbo four, standard AWD and the GT's weight.

Highway is the Hornet GT's best EPA number but still trails mainstream rivals by a few MPG.

A small 13.5-gallon tank and modest economy give a short total range for the segment. EPA publishes no range field for gas models, so this is tank × EPA combined.

EPA's $2,800 annual estimate is on the high side for a compact SUV; EPA rates it as costing $2,000 more over five years than the average new vehicle.

The 2.0L turbo runs on 87-octane regular (EPA rates it on regular), but Dodge recommends 91+ premium for full performance — premium recommended, not required.

NHTSA never published NCAP star ratings for the 2024 Hornet — overall, frontal, side and rollover are all 'Not Rated' — so no stars are credited rather than borrowing a figure from another vehicle.

IIHS never crash-tested the Hornet (or its Alfa Romeo Tonale twin) during the 2023–2025 production run, so there are no crashworthiness results and no Top Safety Pick award. Untested status earns no credit for Good results, though no published evidence of a structural weakness exists either.

Every 2024 Hornet, including the base GT, comes standard with forward collision warning and AEB with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, adaptive cruise, rear parking sensors and traffic-sign recognition. Lane centering (Active Driving Assist), driver-attention monitoring and the surround-view camera require the Tech Pack.

Full-speed AEB with pedestrian detection is standard, but IIHS never published a Hornet front-crash-prevention result (vehicle-to-vehicle or day/night pedestrian), so performance, especially at night, is unverified.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection are standard on every trim, better than many rivals that reserve them for upper trims, but they function as warnings; there is no rear automatic braking for cross traffic or safe-exit alert.

Lane departure warning with lane keep assist is standard, but sustained lane centering only comes with the optional Tech Pack's Active Driving Assist, and the Stellantis/Alfa system shared with the Tonale is criticised for a short hands-on timeout that limits its usefulness.

Adaptive cruise is standard and the Tech Pack pairs it with lane centering and traffic-jam assist as a Level 2 Active Driving Assist; reviewers note the radar/camera cruise can be foiled by direct sunlight, a rough edge versus segment leaders.

No hands-free highway driving system was offered on the 2024 Hornet; Active Driving Assist is a hands-on Level 2 system.

LED headlamps with automatic high beams are standard, but IIHS never rated the Hornet's headlights, so beam performance is unverified; redesigned LED headlights only arrived for 2025.

Reviewers find it easy to get a seating position with a good view of the road ahead, but the sloping, sporty rear quarters limit rearward sightlines; the surround-view camera that compensates is a Tech Pack option.

Two outboard LATCH positions with top tethers are standard, but the rear seat is snug for three and tight for taller occupants, so fitting multiple car seats, especially rear-facing, is a compromise; IIHS published no LATCH rating.

Two-row, five-passenger compact crossover; no other seating configuration is offered.

Below-average front headroom for a compact SUV; the low, sporty seating position helps taller drivers.

Adequate front legroom, mid-pack for the class.

Published rear headroom is reasonable on paper, though Consumer Reports found limited rear headroom in practice under the sloping roof.

Published 38 in is competitive, but testers describe the rear bench as flat and snug for three; Edmunds lists a lower 36.8 in figure.

Two-row SUV with no third-row option on any trim.

Narrow body limits cargo; 27 cu ft trails the CR-V/RAV4/Tucson class by up to 10 cu ft.

Max cargo is near the bottom of the compact-SUV class.

Conventional bins and cupholders with a small armrest bin and no underfloor tricks; wireless charging pad only on GT Plus.

Front sport seats have good bolstering, but base GT gets cloth with limited adjustment and testers found the narrow seats tiring after a couple of hours; rear bench is flat.

Firm, sport-tuned ride; frequency-selective dampers take the edge off, but Consumer Reports found it bouncy and busy over bumps.

Road and wind noise are above class norms at highway speed.

Dual-zone auto climate standard, but heated seats/wheel and remote start are a Cold Weather Group option on GT; ventilated front seats only on Plus trims.

The 2024 Hornet GT (2.0L turbo, standard AWD) opens the lineup at $32,330 with destination. Below the segment midpoint, though above FWD entry rivals because AWD is standard on every trim.

Scoring the gas powertrain class, the GT Plus (leather, Harman Kardon audio, larger screens) is taken as the representative gas trim. Across both powertrains the R/T PHEV actually outsold the gas GT in 2024 (57% of sales), but that is a different scored class.

Above the segment average. The Hornet shares its platform and 2.0L turbo with the Italian-built Alfa Romeo Tonale, and the turbo four recommends premium fuel. Parts and service cost more than for a RAV4 or CR-V.

One of the weakest residuals in the compact-SUV class. Slow sales, large factory cash on new units, and the nameplate's 2025 production halt and January 2026 cancellation all pull used values down; an orphaned import loses more value than a continuing model.

Standard Stellantis basic coverage, the bottom of the compact-SUV segment; Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi offer 5 years.

Stellantis's 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage trails Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi's 10 years. The gas GT gets no battery-coverage extension.

There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance. Owners get 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance tied to the powertrain warranty and short Uconnect connected-services and SiriusXM trials. The one-day Dodge driving-school course arrived with the 2025 Track package and does not apply to 2024.

$37,330 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (37% retained, or about $13,812) leaves about $23,518 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,900 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $29,418 in total.

Consumer Reports lists a middling 3/5 predicted-reliability score for the 2024 Hornet, but bases it largely on Dodge brand history and thin early owner data, and its later outlook for the nameplate is below average. With 2024 only the second year of a new Italian-built platform and a heavy early recall load, the outlook sits at the bottom of the average band.

Dodge lands mid-to-lower pack: exactly at the industry average in J.D. Power's 2024 VDS, but in the lower third of Consumer Reports' 2024 brand rankings. Dodge's historical standing also rests on the old, simple Charger/Challenger/Durango, which tells you little about this imported, Alfa-derived crossover.

MY2024 is covered by eight NHTSA campaigns, all shared with the Alfa Romeo Tonale. They include a brake pedal that may collapse and cause loss of braking (24V752, all 2024–2025 Hornets) plus a second pedal-collapse campaign on the PHEV, and a 12-volt/high-voltage cable fault on the PHEV. That is a heavy, safety-relevant recall load for a young model, even though several campaigns are only label or rear-camera fixes.

The volume GT uses the 2.0L turbo four from Stellantis' Global Medium Engine family (also used in the Jeep Wrangler/Cherokee and Alfa Giulia/Stelvio) with a 9-speed automatic. The engine family's long-term record is mixed but has no catastrophic pattern. The Hornet application is new and low-volume, so its high-mileage record is unproven.

The Tonale-derived cabin has an attractive design and a soft-touch upper dash, but Dodge cut content to hit its price. Reviewers point to hard plastics on the lower dash and door panels, and to switchgear that feels cheaper than the Mazda CX-50 and Honda CR-V offer.

Built alongside the Tonale at Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy. Owner complaints cover rattles and electrical/infotainment glitches, and two of the recalls are tire-placard labelling errors at the factory, which points to uneven assembly quality control. Generally solid otherwise.

The Hornet is serviced through Stellantis' dense nationwide Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealer network, so access is easy almost anywhere in the US. Service satisfaction at those dealers is mid-pack rather than strong.

Common GME engine service parts are widely stocked, but chassis, body and trim parts come from Italy and are unique to the Hornet and Tonale. Expect longer lead times and dealer-only pricing, and with production ended in 2025 after low sales, aftermarket support is minimal.

Mid-size 10.25-in Uconnect 5 screen standard; the larger 11.5-in unit arrived only for 2025 Plus trims.

Uconnect 5 is widely praised as quick and logical, though Consumer Reports flagged small icons and some menu lag.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on every trim.

Amazon Alexa built in on all trims; native navigation is a GT Plus feature, so most owners on GT rely on phone projection.

Base six-speaker system is ordinary; the 14-speaker, 465-W Harman Kardon system is standard on GT Plus.

A configurable 12.3-in digital cluster is standard on all trims.

Uconnect 5 supports infotainment and map OTA updates; no evidence of feature-adding whole-vehicle updates.

Dodge/Uconnect app offers remote lock, locate and (where equipped) remote start, but services move to paid subscription after the trial; no digital key.

USB-A/USB-C up front and in the rear row; wireless charging only on GT Plus and no household outlet.

Proximity entry and push-button start standard; remote start and the hands-free liftgate come on Plus trims or with options.

Rear camera and four rear sensors standard; 360-degree camera and front sensors require the Tech Pack.

No head-up display offered on any 2024 Hornet trim.

Rear doors and LATCH are fine for forward-facing seats, but rear-facing infant seats crowd the front row and the narrow 27-cu-ft hold limits stroller-plus-groceries runs.

Strong standard ADAS (AEB, BSM, RCTA, adaptive cruise) but neither NHTSA nor IIHS crash-tested the 2024 Hornet.

Firm ride, high road/wind noise, flat rear bench and limited cargo make longer family trips a squeeze.

Compact footprint and quick steering suit traffic, but the GT hesitates oddly from a standstill and the firm ride wears over bad pavement.

24 mpg combined is below the compact-SUV norm, where hybrids reach the high 30s; premium fuel recommended for full performance.

Short 178-in length and a ~38-ft turning circle make it easy to park; thick pillars and an optional-only 360 camera hold it back slightly.

Modest 2,000-lb tow rating and small cargo hold; usable for a small utility trailer only.

Young, Italian-built platform with no fleet track record; early-build recalls and below-average predicted reliability.

No onboard AC power or work provisions; accessories limited to roof bars, hitch and mats.

Standard adaptive cruise helps, but ~324-mile range from a 13.5-gal tank, road noise and seats that tire after two hours limit it as a tourer.

Standard AWD and a generous 8.0-in ground clearance on GT handle gravel and snow roads; no off-road hardware.

Split-folding rear seat and ski pass-through, but a narrow load bay and only 54.7 cu ft max limits bulky gear.

Among the sharpest-handling mainstream compact SUVs: composed body control and a well-tuned AWD system.

Quick 13.6:1 rack with natural weighting; reviewers single it out as a highlight.

Firm, easily modulated pedal and short panic stops; Brembo calipers available with the Track Pack.

Strong midrange from the 268-hp turbo four, but a pronounced delay pulling away from a stop and an occasionally hard-shifting nine-speed.

Turbo four sounds coarse when worked, though it settles at cruise.

Mid-pack turning circle for a compact SUV.

Driver-canted dash and good forward view, but limited seat adjustment on base cloth seats and a too-close footrest compromise the position for some drivers.

Genuinely entertaining for the class: quick, sharp-steering and eager, with the launch hesitation the main spoiler.

The $32k GT comes standard with AWD, a 268-hp turbo, a 10.25-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital cluster, dual-zone climate, blind-spot monitoring and forward-collision warning. That is competitive kit for the price, but MotorTrend notes Dodge cut content in places to hold the price down, and Tucson and Sportage match the ADAS and screens for less.

The gas GT delivers class-leading power and standard AWD at a fair price. Reviewers still call the Hornet pricey for its cabin quality and cramped rear seat, and a GT Plus at $37k overlaps better-finished Tucson, CX-5 and CR-V trims. The R/T PHEV at $42.5k–$47.5k is a tougher value case.

There are four trims (GT, GT Plus, R/T, R/T Plus) across two powertrains (2.0T gas and 1.3T PHEV), with Track Pack and Blacktop options. That is a reasonable spread with even ~$5k steps, but there is no FWD price-leader and option flexibility is narrower than Korean or Japanese rivals.

2024 was the Hornet's best year at only 20,559 US units, a fraction of CR-V/RAV4 (~400k) and mid-pack rivals (~150k+). It repeatedly topped lists of the slowest-selling US vehicles, and the model was cancelled after the 2025 model year.

Dodge's muscle-car image carries over awkwardly to a rebadged Italian compact crossover, and the brand was mid-transition in 2024 after the Hemi Charger and Challenger ended. Brand perception among crossover shoppers is neutral at best.

Slow sales brought very buyer-friendly deals. 2024 Hornets carried $4,250–$7,750 in customer bonus cash plus loyalty and select-inventory offers, and R/T leases fell to $199/month. Buyers routinely paid well under sticker.

The 2024 model year was the second of a generation that launched for 2023, so the platform and Uconnect 5 tech were current. It is a carry-over year, though, and the nameplate was discontinued after 2025, so it never got a full refresh and has an orphaned-model risk.

Reviews were mixed. Critics praised the punchy turbo and sharp handling but criticized the price, cabin materials, rear-seat space and the PHEV's short electric range. It was not a comparison-test winner or a major award recipient.