(Asheville, North Carolina) Resurrected as an SUV, the Hornet gets a dose of sportiness to get noticed.

Dodge, an American manufacturer more than a century old, is preparing to play what looks very much like a jack-of-all-trades. On this model depends the maintenance in orbit of Dodge within the galaxy Stellantis.

Quick, quick, let’s turn the page! Ten years after the failure of the Dart – its last real novelty – Dodge returns to the fore with the Hornet. An SUV – are we surprised? – which the American brand has jointly developed with Alfa Romeo. The collaboration may seem surprising, but the positioning of these two companies is nonetheless similar (high performance and sportiness) in the eyes of their respective customers.

Although its aura has faded significantly, Dodge belongs to the restricted circle of major automotive brands. Wasn’t Dodge the first to (awkwardly) woo the fairer sex with La Femme? Wasn’t Dodge also, with the Caravan this time, launching the minivan segment in North America? And didn’t the Dakota start the midsize pickup class?

But Dodge is also and above all a story of (high) performance. From the 1969-1970 Charger Daytona, the first to break the 320 km/h mark in NASCAR competition. And what about the Viper or the maddening versions of the Challenger? They all embody the brand’s current mission: “to deliver raw performance at an affordable price”.

The Hornet presents itself as an attempt to reconnect with the great years of the brand. The first impression ? She’s pretty good.

In profile, the short overhangs and the slightly raised chassis make up a whole that inspires empathy. From the rear now, its designers invoke the Durango, but it looks a bit like a Porsche Macan. True to the tradition of the brand, the colors are of the pop genre.

The passenger compartment, rather cramped for the category, plays on its side with color contrasts to hide the low number of storage spaces and the lack of softness of the bench seat. The file of this pin at its top three headrests which interfere with rear vision. The reversing camera and blind spot sensors do not solve everything. The driving position, on the other hand, is not subject to any particular criticism, nor are the ergonomics of the controls and the user-friendliness of the infotainment system. On the other hand, in terms of presentation, the Hornet does not prove to be as rewarding as a Mazda CX-5, its main target. The plastics are generally of good quality, even certain details remain to be perfected, even to be refined.

The new Dodge prefers to base its difference on the power of its mechanics and its dynamic behavior rather than chasing after versatility or after illusory off-road skills.

Produced in Italy, along with its alter ego the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Hornet comes in two flavors. The more accessible of the two, the GT, raises its hood to a turbocharged 2.0L which mates with a nine-speed gearbox. A duo that delivers its finest performances as long as it is watered with super gasoline, which it does not save.

Raised by a few millimeters, quieter to drive and offering a slightly larger trunk, the GT should see its sales be much lower than those of the R/T, predicts its manufacturer. He believes that the R/T version with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain will be the most popular. Capable of traveling some 50 km in electric mode, this torque-rich power unit is also eligible for government rebates ($10,000).

The horses are not lacking in grip, but do not overthrow everything in their path. On board the R/T in particular, where the additional 300 kg generated by the presence of the hybrid hardware are more felt.

Faced with the swarm of soulless SUVs on the market, many will gladly welcome this SUV with very frank reactions. The steering, lively and properly weighted, largely contributes to the pleasure that we experience at the controls of this Dodge. It also benefits from a very sharp front axle and a chassis rigid enough to contain body movements. On the other hand, some will regret the dryness of the suspensions (R/T) and the improvisation of the nine-speed gearbox (GT). Both will be held responsible for the poor soundproofing of the cabin and the scratchy voice of their respective thrusters will be criticized. That last aspect, Dodge promises, is about to be fixed. “This vehicle has to look like a Dodge, drive like a Dodge,” say its designers. It must also roar like a Dodge, right?

From $37,995 to $55,995

9.8 L/100 km (GT), 8.6 L/100 km (R/T), 50 km range in electric mode (R/T)

March (GT), June (R/T)

Dynamic behavior Efficient connectivity Atypical proposition in the segment

Tight cabin Firm suspension (R/T) Weight (R/T)

An insider’s utility that only truly reveals itself to the person behind the wheel.

Older readers will no doubt remember the Hornet from its days when it wore the colors of AMC (American Motor Corporation), a company founded in 1954. Renault bought it in 1979 and then sold it, eight years later. later, at Chrysler. As for the Hornet, it had disappeared from the automotive landscape several years earlier. Presented in 1969, this compact had a career between 1970 and 1977. Its modular platform was dressed in several different bodies (sedan, coupé, wagon) and gave birth to several other vehicles of the brand, including the Gremlin. Chrysler came up with the idea of ​​resurrecting the Hornet in the 2000s as a subcompact. This project never saw the light of day.

As evidenced by this conceptual version of the Hornet, Dodge officials have an idea in mind. Dubbed GLH (Goes Like Hell), this bloated version of the Hornet will include several sets to boost performance. In addition to specific skins, this Hornet GLH will, among other things, offer its buyers the possibility of modifying the engine and transmission mapping. These transformations will be covered by the warranty, provided that they are carried out by an authorized technician of the brand.

La Presse will soon publish the test of the following vehicles: Ford Mustang, GMC Canyon, Hyndai Ioniq 6, Nissan Ariya and Toyota GR Corolla. If you own one of these vehicles or are considering one, we’d love to hear from you.