In some ways, it seemed like the Dodge Hornet had a chance at being a success for Dodge. Billed by as a sporty alternative in the crowded compact SUV segment when it debuted as a 2023 model, it’s relatively attractive, and it shares much of its mechanicals with the Alfa Romeo Tonale, an Italian bred crossover that we’ve lauded as fun-to-drive. It was also the only way to get an electrified Dodge until the Charger Daytona came along, thanks to its R/T plug-in hybrid trims.
But it was cramped in the second row and cargo area, and keeping the price competitive meant making some compromises. For whatever reason, the Hornet never caught on with buyers, and sales have been slow at best. Then came tariffs, which appeared to be the final nail in the Hornet’s nest.
This news of the Hornet’s demise is probably no surprise to those who kept up with news from Stellantis (the parent company of Dodge). During the summer of 2025, production of the Hornet was paused due in part to the 25 percent import duties placed on vehicles coming in from Italy. If you’re unaware, the Dodge Hornet was produced at the same Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy, plant as the Tonale.
We reached out to both Dodge and Alfa Romeo since this news could affect both vehicles, but for now at least, the Tonale will continue to be sold in America. A Dodge spokesperson confirmed that the Hornet would not extend beyond the 2025 model year due to “shifts in the policy environment.” This all but confirms that the 25 percent tariff policy in place indeed played a role in the decision to end Hornet production.
Dodge went on to say that it will continue to honor warranty coverage and provide support, service, and parts for Hornet owners. This includes the eight-year, 80,000-mile warranty on hybrid components and eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the battery on the R/T PHEV.
The Tonale Totally Stays in Production
Alfa Romeo, on the other hand, will continue production of the Tonale, but only models equipped the automaker’s 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine and AWD powertrain. In October of last year we learned the Tonale would no longer offer the plug-in powertrain, and Stellantis later announced that it would phase out PHEV versions of all its U.S. products. Dropping the electrified version of the Tonale has also reduced the available models to just three for 2026: Sprint, Sport Speciale, and Veloce. Intensa, the former top trim that the PHEV model was attached to, is being phased out.
It’s More Expensive to Get into a New Dodge Now
With the 2025 model year being the last year of Hornet production, there are no longer any Dodge models below the $35,000 mark. The cheapest Dodge you can get is now the 2026 Durango that starts at $38,995 for the V-6 GT RWD. While that’s relatively affordable for a brand-new midsize family SUV, it’s a rather dated vehicle (having been in production since December 2010 without major updates) and that nearly $40,000 sticker is a lot of money to ask given the wealth of far newer options available at that price point.
While there’s certainly a whole lot of uncertainty swirling around the Dodge lineup as a whole in the near future, one thing’s for certain, the Hornet will no longer be a part of it.
