August 16, 2022 , Auburn Hills, Mich. – The Dodge brand is holding nothing back as it enters the compact utility vehicle (CUV) segment. The all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet delivers best-in-class standard performance in both of its powertrain options, as well as a unique new PowerShot horsepower boost feature on the Dodge Hornet R/T plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the brand’s first electrified performance vehicle.
R/T Turbo PHEV
The Dodge Hornet R/T achieves a segment-leading 285-plus horsepower and 383 lb.ft. of total torque, and has the capability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. The Hornet R/T also offers more than 30 miles of all-electric range. The Hornet R/T features a 1.3-liter turbocharged all-aluminum engine, part of the Stellantis Global Small Engine (GSE) family, which includes exclusive third-generation MultiAir technology that improves combustion efficiency by adjusting valve lift and timing.
An electric induction motor powers the rear axle; the 90-kW electric motor can deliver 1,844 lb.-ft. (2,500 Nm) of torque from 0 rpm. The 15.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is fitted with a refrigerant gas cooling circuit to keep the battery at its optimum temperature. A starter generator delivers torque to the engine belt, aiding in dynamic response and recharging of the battery. A high-power inverter and 7.4-kW charging module allows for a full battery charge to be reached in approximately 2.5 hours using a Level 2 charger. The R/T PHEV system is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that optimizes the performance and efficiency of the turbocharged engine.
A Sport Mode for the Hornet R/T PHEV is performance focused and accessible by a dedicated button on the center console, unlocking a sharper throttle, optimized shift schedule, access to the hybrid system’s optimized power and torque and a tighter steering wheel feel.
PowerShot
The Hornet R/T has extra “sting” in reserve, ready to be unleashed through a class-exclusive PowerShot feature that provides a boost of 25 horsepower and delivers instant torque. Available only for the R/T, the PowerShot feature:
- Shaves one second off the normal 0 to 60 mph times by boosting horsepower and acceleration using bursts of extra power deployed by the battery and electric motor
- Provides 15 seconds of extra horsepower, and can be repeated after a 15-second cool down period
- Activates by pulling both steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters and performing a pedal kickdown
- System checks battery charge and temperature levels before performing PowerShot function
- When activated, a PowerShot symbol in the instrument cluster provides real-time feedback to the driver
Hybrid Drive Modes
Drivers also have the capability to select from among three hybrid driving modes to customize the Hornet R/T PHEV to best fit their driving needs. Operated by a dedicated button conveniently located on the steering wheel, available driving modes include:
- Hybrid Mode: Provides maximum combined efficiency of the conventional engine and e-Motor, minimizing fuel consumption by setting electric priority until a minimum battery level is met
- Electric Mode: Offers an all-electric, zero emission mode, and automatically switches to hybrid when the battery is depleted or when extra power is requested by driver pedal kickdown
- E-Save Mode: Gives priority to the conventional engine to preserve battery charge, with a Passive option to maintain the charge and an Active option to help recharge the battery
The Hornet R/T PHEV also works to replenish battery power with a regenerative braking feature that recovers kinetic energy and stores it in the battery for future deployment, as well as an e-Coasting function, activated during throttle release, that allows for shorter stopping distances and additional energy recovery.
GT Hurricane4
The entry-level Dodge Hornet GT model offers more than 265 horsepower and is the industry’s quickest, fastest, and most powerful utility vehicle under $30,000. The GT is powered by the Hurricane4 engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder with direct fuel injection and engine stop-start technology, providing iconic dynamic performance to the tune of 265-plus horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, combined with low emissions.
The engine’s turbocharger features an electric-actuated waste-gate for increased performance and responsiveness. A dedicated cooling circuit (the water-to-air intercooler) lowers the temperature of the intake air, throttle body and turbocharger unit, which is mounted directly to the cylinder head to improve durability and reduced emissions. The high-pressure direct-injection fuel system produces better fuel atomization and mixing. Double overhead camshafts include dual independent camshaft timing, combined with cooled exhaust-gas recirculation.
The foundation of the engine is a low-pressure, cast-aluminum block with cast-in iron cylinder liner. Each cylinder bore includes gallery-mounted piston oil cooling jets to manage piston temperatures, which helps reduce spark knock and increase piston durability. The engine is mated to a fully electronic nine-speed transmission that offers a performance driving feel.
The Hornet GT also features a Sport Mode, easily reachable by a dedicated button on the steering wheel, that unlocks a sharper throttle, optimized shift schedule, access to full power and torque and a tighter steering wheel feel, helping the GT to move from 0 to 60 in 6.5 seconds.
All-wheel Drive
Both powertrains feature standard all-wheel drive. The Hornet R/T PHEV all-wheel drive system adjusts power automatically between the 1.3-liter engine that powers the front axle and the electric motor that drives the rear wheels, providing instant torque and optimal traction and control to all four wheels.
The all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet will be built at the Giambattista Vico Stellantis plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, Naples, Italy. The 2023 Dodge Hornet GT will open for orders on August 17, 2022. The Dodge Hornet GT will begin arriving in dealer showrooms in late 2022, with the Dodge Hornet R/T scheduled to hit showrooms in spring 2023.
Dodge//SRT
For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.
Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT versions of every model across the lineup. For the 2022 model year, Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and the Dodge Durango SRT 392, America’s fastest, most powerful and most capable three-row SUV. Combined, these three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.
In 2020, Dodge was named the “#1 Brand in Initial Quality,” making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). In 2021, the Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market), making it the only domestic brand ever to do so two years in a row.
Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.
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