The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T Is A $42,000 Plug-In Hybrid
The Dodge Hornet was sort of unexpected in Dodge’s lineup. Here’s a brand that isn’t as product starved as its Chrysler sibling, but still in need of something new. So by way of —rather controversially— Alfa Romeo, the brand gained the small crossover. Now Dodge has released more details and pricing on the 2024 Dodge Hornet PHEV.
Dodge calls the Hornet plug-in the Hornet R/T. It’s available in two trims. Including $1,595 for destination, the Hornet R/T starts at $42,530; the top of the line R/T Plus starts at $47,530. Dodge bills the Hornet R/T as its “first-ever electrified performance vehicle.”
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The centerpiece of the Hornet R/T is its powertrain. Utilizing a 1.3 liter turbocharged I4 that gets paired with a 90 kWh electric motor on the rear axle and a 15.5 kWh battery, it’s all enough to give it 32 miles of EV driving range. Total system output is 288 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. When it needs to be charged, a 7.4-kW charging module plugged into a level 2 charger will fill the battery in 2.5 hours. Unlike many other plug-in hybrids, you won’t find a CVT here; the Hornet’s powertrain gets paired with a six-speed automatic.
With this being Dodge, it’d be out of the brand’s character if there wasn’t some kind of performance extras. The Hornet R/T comes with what’s called a Powershot feature that gives bursts of 30 extra hp for an unknown amount of time. However long it lasts, Dodge says it’s enough to move the Hornet R/T to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds.
If you want even more driving performance from your Hornet, you can option the Track Pack. Available on both the R/T and R/T Plus as well as the gas powered Hornet GT Plus, the $2,595 package ( or $3,590 if you get the R/T Blacktop Track Pack bundle) gets you 20-inch black wheels, black Alcantara seats with red accents, a dual-mode suspension, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The only letdown with this package is the fact that those 20-inch wheels are wrapped around 235/40R20 All-Season Tires. But those tires may not be a problem as Dodge says the R/T will pull 0.90gs on a skidpad.
Other than these performance features and the plug-in hybrid tech, the rest of the Hornet R/T trims are standard Hornet fare, though the R/T plus does come with a bit more luxury extras like cooled front seats, Harmon Kardon sound system and a hands-free power rear liftgate.
While the Hornet R/T is an attractive package, some may find a downside in its pricing. A fully loaded Hornet R/T Plus will set you back just under $52,000. While that is a high price for such a compact crossover, it is good to see another plug-in hybrid model on the market. The 2024 Dodge Hornet is set to go on sale later this summer.
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