Dodge Hornet GT Plus AWD

When they first brought the  2024 Dodge Hornet GT Plus AWD to my house, I was surprised by the color. Dodge calls the color Acapulco Gold, but depending on how the sun hits the vehicle, you could say it was mustard yellow or even electrum (a gold-green color). It took a day or so for the color to grow on me, and by the day it departed, I was in love with the Hornet, color and all!

As I tried to find commonalities between the Hornet vehicle and its namesake, the hornet the insect, I found myself merging entomology and automotive engineering into this write-up.  So, join me as we climb onto the magic school bus and learn about the Hornet/hornet!

Hornets are shy, peaceful creatures. They tend to avoid conflict and only attack when absolutely necessary.

Looking at the Dodge Hornet, because of its design, you might think that it’s just your normal run-of-the-mill compact utility vehicle.  While the gold color is loud and garners a lot of attention on the road, the engine isn’t loud, the design isn’t jaw-dropping, and in any other color, it would seamlessly blend with other vehicles around it.  The Dodge Hornet has a 4-cylinder engine, which is great for the CUV because 4-cylinder engines tend to be fuel-efficient, and the Hornet efficiently generates 268 horsepower. This isn’t too far off from it’s cousin the Jeep Cherokee which has a maximum horsepower of up to 270.  When you need a jolt of speed to either merge onto the highway or show off what’s under the hood to the naysayers, you’ve got the horsepower to do so (within reason).

Hornets are a breed of social wasps living in large, highly organized colonies.

The Dodge Hornet is a compact utility vehicle built in Italy.  Yes, an “American muscle” vehicle built in Italy.  The parent brand of Dodge is Stellantis.  Stellantis is the world’s fourth-largest automaker by sales (2023) and has a lot of brands under its belt, including a few Italian ones.  So this “social wasp” is under the umbrella of some of your top brands, including Maserati and Alfa Romeo.  Does that mean your Dodge Hornet will have a race car-inspired engine? NOPE!  But it does mean that there are a lot of opportunities for the Hornet to grab innovative technologies from some of the more expansive brands under the Stellantis portfolio as the model evolves. YEP!

Hornets help rid the world of unwanted garden pests that damage resources within an agricultural setting.

While the model I reviewed wasn’t hybrid or all-electric, the 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T is available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.   The R/T offers an EPA-confirmed 32 miles of all-electric range.  The Dodge Hornet R/T can accelerate to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds and produce up to 383 pound-feet of torque. It can also gain an additional 30 horsepower with the exclusive PowerShot feature, bringing the total horsepower to 288. Additionally, it is equipped with electric all-wheel drive for extended driving range. This means you’ll generally see better fuel economy, it’s environmentally friendly, produces lower emissions than a regular fuel-powered vehicle and hybrid vehicles generally have a higher resale value.  

As I step away from this impromptu science lesson, I want to focus on the Dodge Hornet’s interior. When you open the door, you’re greeted with an all-black interior and red accent stitching. It’s the attention to detail that makes this CUV stand out from the rest. It doesn’t look typical. Many standard CUVs seem to forgo picturesque interior designs as if that market isn’t concerned with those tiny details.  

With enough seating for up to five people and 27 cubic feet of cargo space, I found it easy to pack in a few of my kids and my mother for a comfortable day-long errand trip. And yes, my mother said she liked the seats and ease of getting in.  She chose to sit in the back this time because she has learned that when a vehicle has a sports mode button, I will see just what that brand’s interpretation of “sports mode” is.  Sitting in the back allows her to close her eyes and pretend she’s anywhere other than there at that moment.  The Hornet did not disappoint!

I’m a sucker for a show when I turn on a vehicle.  So, yes, I would like the instrument panel to light up, sing to me, and remind me what car I’m in!  I’ll give bonus points if it does a similar song and dance when I change drive modes.  And yes, the Dodge Hornet does both.  It may not be of importance to you, but I like the boastfulness of it all.  

As far as technology goes, it is pretty standard. The infotainment center features apps similar to those in most newer vehicles, including ApplePlay and Android Auto. If you have the hybrid R/T, you’ll also get a battery power usage screen to help you understand your driving habits and battery consumption. The 10.25” color touchscreen allows up to 5 profiles, perfect for those sharing this vehicle.  

I enjoyed the Dodge Hornet. Although my trip down Entomology 101 may not have been the true inspiration for the Dodge design team, it did help me put a few things into perspective and appreciate what the brand has to offer.