Detroit Free Press Hornet review

I can only wish for a successful launch. Who knows, maybe its looks will grow on me?
If you read the write-up, also check on the reader comments at the end.

Will be looking at this as a possible commuter car. Waiting for the R/T to become available.

ImperialCrown said:

I can only wish for a successful launch. Who knows, maybe its looks will grow on me?
If you read the write-up, also check on the reader comments at the end.

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The reader comments are basically the same as what is said in comments about other Chrysler products that are tested. Same stuff, foreign owned, Dodge is junk etc etc.

The only vehicle in this segment that I would choose over a Hornet is the Rav4 Prime, and even then....
I'd rather own a Hornet.
I wish I could easily make a switch with my Compass.

I guess the old excuse about the small CUVs being heavy because they had to meet Jeep standards also applied to Dodge?
Or they just design heavy vehicles because that’s the cheapest and easiest way?

I like the driving impressions. It's interesting how it can essentially be a FWD or RWD vehicle if you want. The near 50/50 weight distribution is nice too. This really looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. Just not on the dragstrip. Let's face it, no one cared if the Charger and Challenger handled well on curvy roads. This is new territory for Dodge, and Alfa might not be a bad teacher for it.

I want this, but I do NOT want the R/T Plus...essentially I'd be paying $5k for one thing I want (vented seats), one thing I do NOT want (power tailgate, hate them), and several things I never use (can't do qi charging on my phone, podcasts won't care about premium sound, and I never open my sunroof). Not sure who thought up the feature mix but they didn't have me in mind.

npaladin2000 said:

This is new territory for Dodge, and Alfa might not be a bad teacher for it.

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It really isn't though. The Neon, Viper, and Dart (to a lesser extent for obvious reasons lol) are all examples of Dodge's ability to make a vehicle that handles with their own know-how. I'm probably even forgetting or unaware of other models (some of the 80s Turbo Dodges come to mind), but regardless, I think it's more a matter of how important handling is for a given project. If handling was an important factor for the T/A package they would've treated it as such.

I'm not saying Alfa isn't helpful here, but this idea Dodge doesn't know how to make a good handling car is antiquated. Dodge may not have many models that are at or near the top for handling, but they have had such models in the past, and not too distantly at that.

Cody's Car Conundrum said:

It really isn't though. The Neon, Viper, and Dart (to a lesser extent for obvious reasons lol) are all examples of Dodge's ability to make a vehicle that handles with their own know-how. I'm probably even forgetting or unaware of other models (some of the 80s Turbo Dodges come to mind), but regardless, I think it's more a matter of how important handling is for a given project. If handling was an important factor for the T/A package they would've treated it as such.

I'm not saying Alfa isn't helpful here, but this idea Dodge doesn't know how to make a good handling car is antiquated. Dodge may not have many models that are at or near the top for handling, but they have had such models in the past, and not too distantly at that.

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Maybe so but it's been a long time, and as you pointed out, the last one was the Dart...which was also the last new model Dodge had until now. And it didn't go over well. Whether it was marketed correctly or tuned incorrectly can be argued, but it did flop. That also means the Hornet could flop too...I hope not, but it could. Frankly I liked the Dart and came THIS close to buying one...but I just can't bring myself to buy something with a trunk. Anyway, the days of the Omni GLH and the Neon SRT-4 are long gone, and the Hornet needs to bring those days back.

People better like the Hornet or there may not be another new Dodge until 2033. I figure they can launch 10 more years of packages on the current cars just like they did the last 10 years.

valiant67 said:

I guess the old excuse about the small CUVs being heavy because they had to meet Jeep standards also applied to Dodge?
Or they just design heavy vehicles because that’s the cheapest and easiest way?

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It's a Jeep Compass adapted to Alfa adapted to Dodge, so yes, Jeep standards.

valiant67 said:

I guess the old excuse about the small CUVs being heavy because they had to meet Jeep standards also applied to Dodge?
Or they just design heavy vehicles because that’s the cheapest and easiest way?

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Thankful that this is the last vehicle on an ancient, multiple times adapted platform dating back to the Fiat-GM days that has not produced a strong seller yet.

valiant67 said:

People better like the Hornet or there may not be another new Dodge until 2033. I figure they can launch 10 more years of packages on the current cars just like they did the last 10 years.

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So is the Charger EV not looking likely? I'm pretty interested in that.

Adventurer55 said:

The reader comments are basically the same as what is said in comments about other Chrysler products that are tested. Same stuff, foreign owned, Dodge is junk etc etc.

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That's bad news, because Chrysler (along with Plymouth and Dodge) made their last huge sedan in 1981, yet I remember it being around 2010 before less-informed people stopped dismissing Chrysler cars as nothing but "land barges".

somber said:

So is the Charger EV not looking likely? I'm pretty interested in that.

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They can build it but given the reaction from what is presumably their target market, would you build it? A lot of people are in the "V8 Or Die" crowd right now, and wouldn't even accept a HO Hurricane6.

valiant67 said:

People better like the Hornet or there may not be another new Dodge until 2033. I figure they can launch 10 more years of packages on the current cars just like they did the last 10 years.

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somber said:

So is the Charger EV not looking likely? I'm pretty interested in that.

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I was kind of joking.
But there were supposedly other vehicles planned for after Dart that never saw the light of day.

Does anyone really think the quality of an Italian built new model will be a quality success? MT's test car had electronics glitches and their review was far less positive. The freep and CD "reviews" were little more than puff pieces that listed features and had little true driving impressions. I have no doubt it drives well, but a compact SUV needs to do boring things well and be reliable. The back seat and cargo area is smaller than most of its competition. Mazda has tried to capture the niche performance market for its SUVs and they remain a niche player. But at least Mazda has a rep for decent quality.....Dodge not so much. The last new car, the Dart with its Italian turbo 4 was a quality disaster at first.

Rob Johnson JR said:

Does anyone really think the quality of an Italian built new model will be a quality success? MT's test car had electronics glitches and their review was far less positive. The freep and CD "reviews" were little more than puff pieces that listed features and had little true driving impressions. I have no doubt it drives well, but a compact SUV needs to do boring things well and be reliable. The back seat and cargo area is smaller than most of its competition. Mazda has tried to capture the niche performance market for its SUVs and they remain a niche player. But at least Mazda has a rep for decent quality.....Dodge not so much. The last new car, the Dart with its Italian turbo 4 was a quality disaster at first.

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Mazda has actually been inching away from that performance niche and trying to move "upmarket" whatever that means. That does leave a little room for Dodge, and I think the Hornet GT and Mazda CX-30 are direct competitors. Also, while Mazdas do tend to be well put together, it's not something anyone talks about and I'm not sure it's really a priority for their buyers. We're not talking Toyota here, where their entire reputation is centered on quality and reliability (personally I think it's because they don't have much else). It's more of a side benefit.

The problem with the Dart was the lack of a higher output engine option on the higher trim levels. And yes quality. I owned a Neon R/T (not the SRT turbo) and it had more than enough power to be fun especially with the manual transmission and an after market air intake. It handled like it was on rails. Awesome. I also had some bad experiences with quality on that car. I would have gotten a Dart if it was a little quicker and not so many scary quality stories for the first model year. The Hornet could be a fun little SUV for people who used to buy hot hatches and hot compact tubro 4s, if the quality is there and they market it as the sporty alternative to a sea of boring little SUVs. Time will tell. Yes I agree Mazda has this market to itself right now.

Oh I forget to say I would go for the GT over the R/T also. Performance is similar if you disregard the electric boost feature whatever it is called which seems complicated to use.