If Dodge Wanted To Compete With the Toyota RAV4, It Came up Short

Dodge's new Hornet compact SUV is a nice little crossover, but it falls short of its main competitor.
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Dodge
seems to have fallen short in its attempt to compete with the Toyota RAV4.
The new Dodge Hornet compact SUV is Dodge's first all-new model in a decade. The Hornet, essentially a rebadged Alfa Romeo Tonale, is the most powerful crossover available for under $30,000 per
Road & Track
.

Dodge's next SUV

Its internal combustion
Hornet GT
model is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine making more than 265 horsepower. But the plug-in hybrid R/T model is even more formidable; the manufacturer states an output of over 285 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque.
The R/T powertrain uses a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor powering the rear axle and producing a total all-electric range of around 30 miles. 
While it's not as powerful as the Toyota RAV4, it's a little cheaper; the RAV4 starts at just over $40,000 compared with the Hornet's sub-$30,000 asking price.
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Hornet vs. RAV4

The Hornet is a nice little crossover SUV, but it falls short compared with its direct competitor, the Toyota RAV4. The RAV4 is more powerful, with its Prime model producing 302 horsepower. It also has a longer electric-only range of 42 miles compared with the Hornet's 30 miles.
While Dodge is attempting to market the Hornet as an "enthusiast" vehicle by advertising its PowerShot temporary boost function, the RAV 4 still hits a 0-to-60 time more quickly at 5.4 seconds. The Hornet R/T, with PowerShot engaged, hits 60 in 6.1 seconds.

What can redeem it?

But not all is lost for the Hornet, as it still boasts some pretty cool features for such a small SUV. It has an electronic limited-slip differential, dynamic torque vectoring, Brembo brakes, and Koni shock absorbers. R&T reports that its weight distribution is supposedly best-in-class.
Exterior colors include Q Ball, 8 Ball, Hot Tamale, Blue Steele, and Acapulco Gold—a few of which might be ambiguous references to drugs or pop culture. Edgy, but plausibly deniable. The rear also has the signature Dodge light bar with the Dodge badge in the middle.
The interior, according to R&T, has all the familiar trappings of other Dodge vehicles. The dashboard is positioned toward the driver. Red accents give the vehicle some added aggressive styling.

Availability and pricing

The Dodge Hornet GT hits dealer lots in December 2022, with the plug-in hybrid R/T following in Spring 2023. The gas-powered iteration will likely be the model starting at under $30,000, but opting for higher trim levels (or even the R/T plug-in hybrid version) could see that base price rise quite a bit.
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