Hey, remember the Dodge Hornet? No? It wasn’t discontinued all that long ago, but its time on the market was a blip on the radar. A compliance car, Dodge regarded this Alfa Romeo rebadge as nothing more than a way to keep the EPA happy, but we think it may be worth a second look, especially at these prices.
Dealers are looking to offload remaining inventory, so these SUVs are priced to move, creating the perfect opportunity to give the Dodge Hornet a try and see if it deserved more love than it got while it was in production.
Dodge Can’t Get Rid Of Its Remaining Hornets Fast Enough
Dodge Hornet, front quarter view, nightStellantis
If we check Dodge’s inventory page, we find pricing ranging from $31,590 to $50,775, with a total of 88 results. We turned up a few that are selling for under $32,000, all 2025 GT AWD models, while more expensive models include a $50,775 2025 R/T Plus in New Jersey, and a $47,325 Hornet R/T AWD in New York.
Note that these are the current list prices on the official Dodge inventory page. Checking with our own marketplace tool, we turned up the following deals.
- A 2025 Hornet GT is listed for $26,957 in Washington.
- A 2024 Hornet R/T is selling for $24,995 in Michigan.
- A 2024 R/T AWD is selling for $20,574 in Arizona with 465 miles on the odometer.
- A 2024 R/T AWD is selling for $22,470 in California with 602 miles on the odometer.
- A 2024 R/T AWD is selling for $22,798 in Virginia with 688 miles on the odometer.
Some of these listings, particularly those with anywhere from 100 to 1,000 miles on the odometer, were likely used for test drives or as courtesy cars, meaning loaners while your car is in the shop. If that concerns you, just stick to the models with fresh odometers.
Note that we’ve only provided these listings as an example of what’s out there. There’s no telling what will be available when you’re ready to buy, so you’ll want to run a search of your own.
!!!MODEL TAG!!! Listing Carousel 2024 Dodge Hornet
https://carbuzz.com/cars/dodge/hornet/2024/
Low Prices Are Driven By Low Demand
Press photo of Dodge Hornet GLH ConceptDodge
Supplies are limited, but they’re running out at a fairly slow pace. These low prices are driven by demand that’s almost non-existent.
Put bluntly, nobody cares about the Dodge Hornet. Dodge doesn’t care about the Dodge Hornet. Can you remember even seeing a TV commercial for this car? Apparently, they did make one, and it sits at around 30,000 views on YouTube, where it’s received almost nothing but jokey, dismissive comments making fun of the ad’s corny slogans, like “Now we’re torquin’!”
Dodge Never Really Believed In The Hornet
2025 Dodge Hornet pair in yellow and blue front 3/4 angle while parkedDodge
Automakers don’t make public announcements that they’re only offering hybrids and EVs to keep the EPA off their butt, and it’s a fine line between a compliance car and a legitimate contender. Sometimes, a car developed to keep the emissions regulators at bay winds up being a gem, like the 2023 Lincoln Aviator Hybrid, a 494-horse monster with a twin-turbo V6 under the hood.
What we’re saying is that it’s not really a yes-or-no kind of thing, and it’s not always clear what is or isn’t a compliance car. But, when Dodge announced the discontinuation of the Hornet due to a “changing policy environment,” it put everything into perspective.
The Hornet Didn’t Live Up To The Name
Press photo of Dodge Hornet GLH ConceptDodge
The Hornet first hit the market as a rebadged Alfa Romeo Tonale for the 2023 model year, and went on to sell 9,336 units in its first model year, 20,559 units in 2024, and 9,365 units in 2025. With the introduction of tariffs, the evaporation of hybrid and EV tax credits, and a relaxing of certain emissions regulations, the Hornet just didn’t make sense at such a low sales volume.
Early 2026 brought the announcement that we all saw coming a mile away: the Dodge Hornet was officially canceled. We can debate the wisdom in borrowing a legendary nameplate and slapping an R/T badge on there, but the bottom line is that Dodge never really cared if the Hornet succeeded or not. Add that to a crowded segment, and you’ve got a car that was destined for a short run and low sales.
We Actually Like The Dodge Hornet
2025 Dodge Hornet side angle in blue while drivingDodge
The Dodge Hornet may have been a slow seller, and we’ve never met anyone who names it as a favorite SUV. But the Hornet’s limited market success and early discontinuation shouldn’t be taken to mean that the car itself was a dud.
The 2025 Dodge Hornet GT packs a 2.0-liter Hurricane four-cylinder producing 268 hp and 295 lb-ft, it’s standard all-wheel drive, and it features a nine-speed automatic transmission rather than a CVT.
As our Features Editor, Gerhard Horn, puts it, “I don’t understand why the Dodge Hornet failed to find a space in the compact crossover market. Perhaps it’s because Dodge used a name that used to be connected with something enthusiasts thought was sacred, or it could be the heavy tariffs because we all know this is actually an Alfa Romeo in a Dodge suit. All I know is that I really enjoyed my time with the Hornet, because I could feel the Alfa DNA underneath.”
Gerhard notes that the ICE version of the car is the more appealing of the two power plants, not least because of its lower price.
“I’d avoid the complex hybrid and buy the (much) cheaper Hurricane-4 powered model. Like the Stelvio, it feels a lot more like a hot hatch than a crossover, and the steering is excellent. It’s so sharp, direct, and responsive. It may be a bit too sharp for some, but if that’s the case, get a vanilla Toyota Corolla Cross.”
Ultimately, the car wins as a midsize daily driver that’s not a chore to drive. “If you love driving, and you need something in this particular segment, I’d recommend the Hornet without the hybrid components.”
The Hornet Could Turn Out To Be A Cult Favorite (If It’s Reliable)
Press photo of Dodge Hornet GLH ConceptDodge
The Dodge Hornet never really set the world on fire in its first go-around, but it’s easy to envision a future where these cars hold some resale value in response to higher demand on the used market. The car’s potential status as a cult favorite may be dependent on whether it proves to be dependable in the long run.
For 2024, the Hornet holds a “Fair” rating of just 66/100 with JD Power, but RepairPal estimates an annual maintenance cost of just $634, with diagnostics and inspections ranging from $122 to $269 as the most expensive common fixes.
The most worrying NHTSA recall we can find for the car covers 4,129 Tonales and Hornets, dated 2023 to 2024, with loose battery cables posing a fire hazard. Chances are, this recall will already have been addressed by the time you get behind the wheel, and it’s not relevant at all if you’re buying a 2025 model.
There was also a recall for 21,069 Tonales and Hornets, for the 2024 and 2025 model years, pertaining to loss of brake function. Notification letters for this recall were issued back in 2024, so it’s unlikely any new models still have this recall open on the VIN.
The Hornet Is An Attractive Buy (For The Price)
2025 Dodge Hornet interior view of the front cabinDodge
Realistically, we wouldn’t expect used Dodge Hornet prices to skyrocket at any point. The car wasn’t just under-marketed, it was also regarded as simply unremarkable by much of the automotive press, and by most people who test-drove one.
To those people we say: we get it. The nameplate offers a more muscular driving experience than you’re actually getting, and there’s not that much about this SUV that helps it to stand out among the competition. But at these prices, it’s a very attractive daily driver, and may be worth a second look if you’re someone who wrote this SUV off a couple of years ago.
Then again, dropping the price didn’t seem to help that much a year ago. So we’ll see.
Sources: Dodge, NHTSA, RepairPal.
