Four years ago, Dodge Brand CEO Tim Kuniskis said the compact SUV scene was experiencing explosive growth. “It’s a million-unit segment that’ll grow 50 percent in five years,” he explained at the time, “so, we thought it was the perfect segment to disrupt”. That disruption would arrive in the form of the Dodge Hornet, a new compact SUV designed to be the “Dodge of the segment”, standing apart with advantages in style, handling, performance, and brand image; the exact attributes that attract enthusiast drivers to Dodge showrooms.

The idea was, more or less, to launch the Hornet as a “Hail Mary” that would bring a cool, powerful, attitude-filled crossover to the scene. The execution hit plenty of turbulence, and the Hornet was recently discontinued after just three model years. As we reported a few months back on the Chevrolet Malibu, leftover discontinued models like the Hornet can be a last chance for shoppers to save big, if you’re willing to roll the dice.

The Hornet Was Built For The Fans, But Its Audience Never Materialized

As the new-for-2023 Hornet readied for launch, marketing data was revealing something interesting: among Dodge shoppers, “overall power and acceleration” was rated the third most important reason for purchase. Among the compact utility market in general, that same factor was rated at 38th place. Dodge said many of those enthusiast drivers were also very interested in electrified vehicles, which is why the highest-performing Hornet R/T was an AWD-equipped Plug-In Hybrid. All models were Italian-built, and the Hornet injected plenty of Dodge DNA into the Alfa Romeo Tonale’s package.

Athletic Alternatives in the Compact SUV Segment

• Dodge Hornet GT: 2023–2026 (268 hp)
• Dodge Hornet R/T (PHEV): 2024–2026 (288 hp)
• Mazda CX-30 Turbo: 2021–Present (250 hp)
• Toyota Rav4 Prime: 2021–Present (302 hp)
• Hyundai Kona N: 2022–2023 (276 hp)
• Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line: 2022–Present
• Alfa Romeo Tonale: 2023–Present

Based on internal data shared by Kuniskis in 2022, about 40 percent of the brand’s shoppers fell into a demographic known internally as “All In & Active”. This demographic loves their Chargers and Durangos, and more broadly, how their vehicles make them feel. They make up four in 10 Dodge shoppers – about double the norm for the segment. Translation? Dodge products tend to attract enthusiast drivers to showrooms at a higher-than-ambient rate.

Trouble is, compact SUV shoppers at large were mostly buying because of familiarity, brand trust, and cargo space – not emotional factors like power and style. While the Hornet was tuned for Dodge’s “All In and Active” crowd, those buyers weren’t so interested in compact SUVs, and the ones who were, were mostly not Dodge’s people. Unfortunately for the Hornet, this marketing mismatch wasn’t the machine’s only problem.

The Hornet’s Pricing Didn’t Help

In 2023, you’d theoretically pay $31,000 for starters for an entry Hornet GT AWD, and $45,000 for the top-line R/T PHEV with AWD. That’s expensive. Prices crept up slightly in 2024. Compounding the issue of the Hornet’s high pricing were dealer markups on the Hornet GT, and limited stock of the most affordable, low-option, base-model units that came in around the Hornet’s starting price. A Hornet at the $31,000 starting price was tricky to find, and options, upgrades, and dealer markups quickly pushed the ask even higher.

The result? Hornet pricing exceeded more proven competitors, even as the model quickly gained a less-than-stellar reputation for reliability out of the gate. More on that later.

The Hornet R/T with PHEV power would compete directly against machines like the Rav4 Prime, Tucson PHEV, and Escape PHEV, each of which had a longer EV range, a better reputation, and more trust in the hybrid space. The connection to the Alfa Romeo Tonale also didn’t help: Hornet shoppers tended to find the model too expensive for a Dodge, and Tonale shoppers tended to find the model too pricey, considering it used so many Dodge parts. The platform sharing was intended to be a selling feature, but high pricing diluted value on both sides of the coin.

“Production of the Dodge Hornet, built in Italy, has ended due to shifts in the policy environment. Dodge is committed to ensuring Dodge Hornet owners continue to receive customer support, service, warranty coverage and sustained parts supply. All Dodge Hornet models carry a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

“Dodge Hornet R/T PHEV upgrades to 8-year/80,000-mile warranty on hybrid components and 8-year/100,000-mile warranty for battery. “

– Dodge spokesperson

Discounts, incentives, and lease deals arrived to help drum up some volume, but it was too late: the Hornet was now being avoided by shoppers because of its reputation for major glitches, and a changing economic environment and tariffs were the final nails in the Hornet’s coffin.

Problems Started Out Of The Gate

The Hornet’s launch didn’t generate the results Dodge was hoping for. Many shoppers were still feeling the effects of the Covid pandemic, and choosing to spend their car and SUV dollars on machines that would reduce uncertainty in their lives. Most chose to buy more familiar and proven models than the Hornet. Electronics problems abounded, too, with many owners requiring multiple software updates to stabilize their experience from the infotainment system, driver assist features, and elsewhere.

Some owners reported driver assist systems that wouldn’t initialize, random triggering of the car alarm, infotainment system glitches and crashes, communication faults related to the hybrid system, and failed 12-volt batteries that would leave the Hornet dead, and unable to be jump-started. Multiple trips to the dealership were often required, sometimes with glitches remaining after numerous updates.

There was even a particularly concerning recall for the high-performing PHEV-powered R/T model, addressing a defective brake pedal that could collapse to the floor while driving, causing a dangerous crash. The associated NHTSA recall noted that some of the involved vehicles were in dealership “new vehicle” inventory, and couldn’t be sold until the problem was corrected.

Anecdotally, a past test-drive of an early-build Hornet R/T in your writer’s custody ended prematurely when the power tailgate stopped working, followed shortly by a Christmas-tree’s worth of dashboard warning lights and a system failure message advising that the machine needed to be seen by a dealership technician, and shouldn’t be driven. My tester Hornet sat at my local dealership for weeks worth of software updates, which fixed most (but not every) issue that had popped up.

Should You Roll The Dice On This Steal Of A Deal?

Today, the Hornet is a low-demand, abandoned product with a poor reputation. High supply and low demand mean there are deals to be had. If you’re shopping new, call around to some Dodge dealers and ask if they have any of those “leftover Hornets” they’d like to make a deal on. To help negotiations, be sure to mention that the Hornet is an abandoned leftover of a dead product line that has a less-than-stellar reputation.

“New vehicle prices remain near record highs, presenting a challenge to shoppers seeking a good deal on a new car,” said iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer. “But if dealers are struggling to move an older, leftover 2024 or 2025 model, it can be an opportunity for buyers who want new car peace of mind and warranty coverage at a reduced price.”

Back in late 2025, iSeeCars released a report on which vehicles made up the largest portion of unsold, new-vehicle inventory in the country. The December 2025 report showed that of all unsold 2024 model year units languishing on dealer lots across the country, more than 82 percent were Dodge Hornet Plug-In Hybrids. This is a stark contrast to the industry average of 0.4%, indicating that supply for this specific compact SUV had vastly outpaced demand.

So What Does Used Pricing Look Like Today?

As of this writing, Dodge still has 2025 Hornet models available to build on their website. The Hornet GT is priced from $29,995, the GT Plus at $35,985, the R/T at $41,645, and the R/T Plus at $47,485. There’s a $6,250 bonus cash allowance incentive on the R/T AWD model, with plug-in hybrid power, bringing its price down to $35,395, plus freight.

That’s still pricey. Want to save thousands? You can pick up a used 2024 Hornet GT for $24,000 with just 19 miles on its odometer. That’s a savings of $6,000 versus brand new, and no freight charges added (since it’s a used car). A brand new 2026 Hornet GT Plus will cost you nearly $36,000 (plus freight), but an identical 2023 model year unit with 21 miles can be had for $9,000 cheaper, and with no freight charges. A 2026 Hornet R/T will cost you $35,395 (plus freight) with the cash allowance factored in, but a used model with a few hundred miles on its odometer can be had for $25,000 all day long, no freight charges required.

Buying a used Hornet may or may not be a smart move for you. On one hand, a nearly-new Hornet R/T with all recall work performed and all software updates applied, should turn in cut-price access to a high-tech PHEV driving experience that’s tuned for plenty of fun, while saving you plenty of fuel. There’s also eight years of warranty coverage on the major hybrid parts. Just consider resale value for down the line, and the distance to your nearest dealership, in case of any trouble.

Sources: Stellantis, NHTSA, iSeeCars