Demand For The Dodge Hornet Is Already Through The Roof

Dodge has finally re-entered a hugely popular segment with theHornet, a compact SUV promising plenty of performance and style. Based on the same platformas its upmarket Italian cousin, the Alfa Romeo Tonale, it's shaping up to be arather impressive little offering- especially when you consider the low starting price of less than $30,000.

So it comes as no surprise that Dodge has already received 14,000 pre-orders for the Hornet. This not only reinforces the popularity of compact SUVs but underlines the demand for performance-minded alternatives with plenty of attitude and personality. CEO Tim Kuniskis has said he's confident Dodge will be able to shift 40,000 units annually. With the 14,000 pre-orders in mind in just over a day since its reveal, it seems the automaker may exceed that estimate.

And it's not just the range-topper who can boast impressive performance figures. A 6.5-second sprint to 60 mph has become fairly commonplace among hot hatches. but is still considered rather brisk in this class, particularly for the entry-level Hornet GT. The turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine has plenty of pokes, with outputs of 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.

As Dodge is keen to point out, this makes this sub-$30,000 compact SUV more powerful than the Pentastar V6-powered Challenger and Charger models. This won't matter to many Dodge fans, though. For many, a Dodge without a V8 isn't worth the metal it's made out of. But the Stellantis-owned brand is going after an entirely new demographic; with young families demanding more space. However, instead of alienating its fans and focusing on gas mileage, Dodge wants to make this practical segment fun.