The Dodge Hornet R/T is a powerful vehicle that comes equipped with a PowerShot mode that can deliver an extra 30 horsepower for 15 seconds. It also features functional hood scoops and Koni dampers, and its in-house tuner parts will be branded with the old GLH moniker for “Goes Like Hell.” The first TV spot for the Hornet is based on the premise that its arrival is an apocalyptic event that terrifies the world. This is what happens when a company that builds 700-plus-hp Hellcats is tasked with building a vehicle to compete against the Honda CR-V.

The base $31,590 Hornet GT arrives first, as a 2023 model. It packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four that makes 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, hooked to a nine-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system that can send up to 50 percent of the torque to the rear axle. It hits 60 mph in a claimed 6.5 seconds and tops out at 140 mph. A Track Pack is available on any trim and includes 20-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires, four-piston fixed Brembo front brake calipers, Alcantara-upholstered seats, and electronically controlled dampers.

The R/T, which will debut as a 2024 model, gets a 177-hp turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-four and a six-speed automatic teamed with a 121-hp electric motor driving the rear axle. Pull both steering-column-mounted shift paddles to activate PowerShot, and the combined output rises to 288 horsepower and 383 pound-feet. Dodge claims that PowerShot shaves 1.5 seconds from the 60-mph sprint, dropping it to 5.6 seconds. Under normal circumstances, then, the $41,590 R/T isn’t as quick as the base model.

Even without PowerShot in effect, the Hornet R/T’s exhaust sounds surprisingly belligerent. There’s no active muffler bypass, but neither is the R/T exhaust tiresome—it tends to announce itself at around 1600 rpm, which is where it settles on a cold start, and then fade out at idle or higher rpm. Of course, you can also totally silence the exhaust by selecting EV mode, and the Hornet is certainly viable as an around-town EV, providing around 30 miles of electric range from its 12.0-kWh battery.

While the R/T will likely garner most of the attention, we’re guessing the GT will account for most of the sales volume. So it’s nice that Dodge doesn’t hoard the good stuff, like the Track Pack, for the flagship model. At the launch, Dodge also displayed a pair of Hornets outfitted with Direct Connection (read: factory aftermarket) parts, including plenty of GLH graphics that shout out to the old Dodge Omni GLH. The Direct Connection Hornet parts aren’t purely cosmetic—there’ll be a Stage 1 kit for the GT’s engine that increases horsepower and a lowering kit that should improve handling, in keeping with the Dodge GLH spirit.

The Dodge Hornet GT and R/T are front-engine or front-engine and rear-motor; all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagons that come with a base price of $31,590 for the GT and $41,590 for the R/T. The GT has a turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system that can send up to 50 percent of the torque to the rear axle. The R/T has a turbocharged and intercooled SOHC 16-valve 1.3-liter inline-4 engine that produces 177 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque, along with two AC or motors (44 and 121 hp) and a combined output of 288 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. It also features a 12.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 7.4-kW onboard charger.

The Hornet GT can hit 60 mph in a claimed 6.5 seconds and tops out at 140 mph. The R/T can hit 60 mph in a claimed 5.6 seconds and has a top speed of 128-140 mph. The GT has an EPA fuel economy rating of 24/21/29 mpg (combined/city/highway), while the R/T has an estimated rating of 26/23/29 mpg (combined/city/highway) and can travel up to 30 miles on electric power alone.

In conclusion, the Dodge Hornet GT and R/T are powerful vehicles that offer impressive performance and handling capabilities. They come equipped with advanced features like PowerShot mode, functional hood scoops, Koni dampers, and in-house tuner parts branded with the old GLH moniker for “Goes Like Hell.” With their stylish design and cutting-edge technology, these vehicles are sure to turn heads on the road.