On the second day of muscle car announcements during Speed Week, the all-new Dodge Hornet was introduced to the world. The company that offers the quickest, fastest and most powerful sedan and large SUV has now turned its attention to the insanely hot compact SUV segment, bringing the same high performance inspiration, sans the HEMI^® power.

Small cars have been replaced as the go-to daily driver in the United States by small SUVs/crossovers, leading to a booming segment of compact, efficient models that offer a ton of interior space and great fuel economy with a low purchase price. Most people who buy these small SUVs aren’t too worried about power, driving dynamics or overall performance, but that is because most of the vehicles in the segment are weak, boring and are absolutely no fun to drive. Buyers in that segment don’t focus on performance because there really isn’t much performance to be had, but that all changes with the 2023 Dodge Hornet.

The small SUV segment has the youngest average buyer age among all of the segments and the Dodge brand has the youngest average buyer age among major brands. Small SUVs are one of the quickest growing segments, and until now, no automaker has made a real effort to make an affordable, fun to drive option. That is where the new Dodge Hornet comes to save the day, finally bringing some driving excitement to the small SUV segment.

Dodge Hornet GT and R/T

When the Dodge Hornet goes on sale for the 2023 model year, it will be offered in two basic trim levels – GT and R/T.

The Hornet GT, starting at just $29,995, is powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that delivers at least 265 horsepower and at least 295 lb-ft of torque (final power numbers will be announced closer to the on-sale date). Those figures make the Hornet GT the most powerful gasoline-powered model in the segment, along with being the quickest and fastest in the segment under $30,000. The Hornet GT will sprint from a stop to 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds while reaching a top speed of 140 miles per hour. Kuniskis also said that the Hornet would offer best-in-class handling, thanks to sport-tuned Koni shocks and standard all-wheel-drive.

The Hornet R/T, starting at $39,995, features hybrid power, with a turbocharged 1.3-liter gasoline engine working with a 6-speed automatic transmission and a rear axle-mounted electric motor to offer at least 285 horsepower and at least 383 lb-ft of torque. In addition to offering more power with the hybrid system, the Hornet R/T can go up to 30 miles using only electricity, but on the performance end, the E-axle helps this sporty little SUV strong low-end acceleration. The hybrid R/T also has the new Power Shot system, which allows the driver 15 seconds of full output from the electric rear axle, adding 25 horsepower in these short bursts. The system, which works via a button on the steering wheel, cuts the 0-60 time of this PHEV to 6.1 seconds while having a top speed of 128 miles per hour.

Those 2023 Dodge Hornet buyers who want even greater performance – whether they are buying the GT or R/T – can opt for the Track Pack. This adds 20-inch wheels, a specially tuned adaptive dual-stage-valve suspension system with driver-selectable damping, Brembo front brakes and Alcantara interior trim. When equipped with this system, the Hornet GT can reach 0.87 Gs on the skidpad while the sportier R/T will get to 0.90 Gs.

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There is also a Blackout Package available for the GT and R/T, which adds 18-inch Abyss alloy wheels, gloss black badging, mirror caps and DLO molding.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet is available in seven uniquely named exterior colors, including Acapulco Gold, Blu Bayou, Blue Steele, Gray Cray, Hot Tamale, Q Ball and 8 Ball.

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Like all modern compact SUVs, the new Dodge Hornet will come packed full of modern technology, including a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen running the UConnect 5 system and a premium Harman Kardon sound system with 14 speakers and 465 watts of power.

Finally, Dodge is showcasing the Direct Connection GLH Concept package for the Hornet. This builds on the gasoline-powered GT model and adds cat-back exhaust, a high performance engine calibration and lower springs. Again, the team didn’t offer up any power or performance numbers, but Kuniskis did give us a few hints. He stated that the Hornet GLH will have a better power-to-weight ratio than the classic Omni GLH while offering more than double the torque output of the GLHS.

For those readers who are not familiar with the classic Omni GLH, it was one of the earliest American hot hatchbacks, built for only 1985 and 1986. The GLH, which stands for “Goes Like Hell”, offered 145 horsepower and 168 lb-ft of torque, but the Shelby-tuned GLHS packed 175 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. It also had some lightweight components that got the curb weight down around 2,200 pounds. In other words, the Omni GLHS had a power-to-weight ratio of about 12.6 pounds per horsepower.

If the new Dodge Hornet GLH has double the torque of the classic Omni GLHS, it will have upwards of 350 lb-ft. As for the curb weight, we know that the GT model on which the GLH is based weighs 3,715 pounds. With the classic GLHS having a power-to-weight ratio of about 12.6 pounds per horsepower, the modern model would need a ratio at least 12.5 pounds per horsepower. The additions of the Hornet GLH package don’t seem like they would add much weight, but for the sake of discussion, let’s say that the exhaust, brakes and wheels add 100 pounds. That would lead to a curb weight of roughly 3,815 pounds. A ratio of 12.5 pounds per horsepower in a 3,815-lb vehicle would require roughly 305 horsepower. With the Hornet GT offering at least 265 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, a free-flowing exhaust system and an engine tune should be able to add the extra 40 horsepower and 55 lb-ft of torque.

Most small SUV owners don’t prioritize power and performance because if they did, they wouldn’t have any options in the small SUV segment. With the Dodge Hornet, there is finally a small SUV that is fun to drive and with those unique performance characteristics, loads of modern technology in a sharp looking package.