The 2023 Dodge Hornet is Creating Buzz at the Denver Auto Show

The Denver Auto show is back after some breaks for COVID-19 and potential buyers are happy to see it. One of the vehicles that is already creating buzz is a 2023 Dodge Hornet. The model on display is the GT, which happens to be the most powerful gas- powered vehicle in the compact-utility vehicle (CUV) segment.

Fernando Fernandez, Dodge Hornet Product Brand Manager gave a presentation about the all-new Hornet to the media.

"We thought, 'What was the next best step for the brand?' We looked at the compact utility vehicle (CUV) space, one of the largest segments in the industry, and it's also growing really fast. We knew we could go (into the CUV segment) and disrupt in a Dodge way. In order to do it successfully, we knew that the Hornet had to deliver on three key imperatives: It had to look like a Dodge, feel like a Dodge and drive like a Dodge."

In other words, the Dodge Hornet has to be faster than its competition and offer innovation in the segments where it competes.

2023 Dodge Hornet GT

The Dodge Hornet GT, which is the model being shown at the auto show, has the Hurricane 4 engine. The 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four cylinder, debuts as the segment’s most powerful gas engine with 268 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. Sport Mode offers a sharper throttle, optimized upshifts, tighter steering and electronic limited slip differential to go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, which is great for a compact SUV.

The Dodge Hornet carries some of the Dodge styling cues, such as a hood with integrated heat extractors. The Hornet interior has a driver-centric cockpit feel like the rest of the Dodge lineup. It has center stack controls, best-in-class 12.3-inch digital cockpit cluster screen and a 10.25-inch central display, both standard on R/T and GT.
Direct Connection factory-backed performance parts from Dodge are available through Dodge Power Brokers dealers to give drivers even more power.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet GT is already hitting dealers and an electrified R/T version of the Hornet is coming soon.
"The Dodge Hornet GT is the quickest, fastest and most powerful CUV under $30,000, pre-destination costs, and the top trim level Dodge Hornet R/T performance hybrid is the quickest and most powerful CUV in the segment, and is also the first electrified vehicle from the Dodge brand," said Fernandez.

The Dodge Hornet R/T Performance Hybrid

The Dodge Hornet R/T will use its electrification to boost performance. It will kick out 288 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque. The R/T can do 0-60 in just 5.6 seconds, making the Hornet R/T the quickest and most powerful utility vehicle in the segment while still offering more than 30 miles of all-electric range via a 15.5-kWh lithium-ion battery.

The Hornet R/T also leverages the Dodge brand’s first hybrid powertrain to deliver the class-exclusive PowerShot, an on-demand feature that lets drivers tap into the maximum electrical power and reach 0-60 mph in just 5.6 seconds. Standard AWD with dynamic torque vectoring, and available segment-exclusive features, like Brembo brakes and dual stage suspension, further enhance the overall dynamic driving experience. No wonder the small but mighty Hornet is creating buzz.

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Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.

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