Dodge Hornet Concept

qbrozen

I think this is the nicest looking compact Dodge has ever come up with.

The video review says it will be about the size of a Mini and, like the Mini S, come with a supercharged 1.6.

Personally, I'd like it to be just a hair bigger than the Mini. As it is, in the video, it looks like the rear seat has much more legroom than the Mini, so maybe it is a big bigger in reality. The nonexistant legroom in the rear seat of the Mini is my biggest complaint.

I'd also like to see the turbo 2.4 find its way into this vehicle.

My biggest fear is that it will have the interior quality of a Neon or PT Cruiser (which, obviously, I find horrible in both cases).

What does everyone else think about this concept?

qbrozen

here it has spent quite a bit of time as edmunds "featured video" and its generating zero chat. That doesn't bode well for its incarnation.

twain

What does everyone else think about this concept?
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I like it a lot. I like the RADs (Rear Access Doors). That gives it an advantage over the Mini and the ZX3.

I might prefer a larger base engine (maybe 2.0) with a turbo option. 140hp base and 200 in the turbo.

netdude

I've been wanting a Mini Cooper for years, but I needed more space. This is the exact vehicle I've been looking for! Why hadn't anyone else done a Mini Cooper with 4 doors and a usable backseat before now??

They could produce it as-is and I would be buying one today! As qbrozen said, those rear access doors are great. I hope this makes it to production and they don't keep this in Europe.

harrychezt

I like it, but concur about size.They should maybve try to make this thing around 165 inches total length(maybe 10-12 inches shorter than the Caliber, but larger than this concept by 10-12 inches).

I would probably, at the very least, in any configuration, check one out.

I feel the same about the Ford Reflex(it is 155 or so inches? It is small, smaller than the Focus).

thefaf

"Why hadn't anyone else done a Mini Cooper with 4 doors and a usable backseat before now?? "

That one is called the Scion xA.

Mark

netdude

The Scion XA is too slow and looks more like a miniature station wagon then a small hot hatch. The proportions on both the XA and XB look off imho.

iluvmysephia1

Dodge Hornet and I am finding that no one has too much to say about it up to now. I like it's overall shape and I am one who has shown a little interest in the Scion xA, so I'm not scared off by the Hornet's small size.

Toyota not only has the Scion xA as a small 4-door but their 5-door liftback Yaris and their tall, Ractis wagon is another example of a small, 4-door (maybe not along Mini-Cooper lines completely, but small and still trying to utilize a back seat). This new Hornet might produce some interest here in the States if gas prices stay high as a city car to fit into tight places and get great gas mileage. DCX should stress getting maximum gas mileage out of it and sales would be brisker for the Hornet. That is if they decide to produce it.

IIRC the thing has 19-inch wheels! :surprise:

harrychezt

Or about the same size? I was told by a the Toyota/Scion dealership that we get our tC tuned up at, that they had heard(on the net?) that the t2B(xB replacement) Might become larger, and talk of RWD?

Hmmm... enter Hornet(FWD?) to take the xB's place? xB sells over 50K units per year, or around there.

Who knows? Chrysler had a PT Coupe, that looked good at the autoshow, but I doubt that they'll make that, either(but, ya never know?).

TCNO:(take-care/not offense).

iluvmysephia1

it would be interesting to see how the Dodge Hornet concept stacks up against the established Scion xB in overall size and dimensions, length by height by width, etc.

I like small cars and I like this one's initial styling. That passenger door is kind of funky, huh? I'd like to see how that one works, open up from the inside only? That's what it looks like it has to work. Anyway, there's much to still learn about this new Dodge Hornet. I would welcome it to the car market.

harry, BTW, I test drove the new Scion tC RS 1.0 a month or two ago. It really had a nice driving "feel" to it, plenty of available power for me. It's just not what I want, I want 4 doors, for one thing. Earlier that day I drove the 2006 Scion xA in Polar White color and 5-speed tranny. That little car was fun to drive but the other half wanted to keep the '01 Sportage 4x4. I still love our Sportage 4x4 and we're a one-car at a time couple, so we'll just drive it and maximize our purchase price out of the small Korean SUV. Might as well.

I do love to look at all the new cars, though, and this new Hornet concept has caught my eye.

harrychezt

yeah.... these newer concepts are sharp. Just hope they eventually follow through, on them, to some degree.

That Hornet is a sharp little vehicle.

Yeah, the spouse has the tC for work, and it is not a bad vehicle.
Last car that was sort of similar to the tC, that we drove, was the 93 Sentra SE-R.

Have been wondering about that upcoming(revised Golf...) Rabbit. 5 cylinder, 2.5 liter.... well(?) over 30+ mpg,
It looks good, but the interior photos , well, the new Elantra looks better.

See ya.

iluvmysephia1

but my own personal jury is still out on that rig. Tonight at Mega-Low-Mart I was reading a car mag and saw a picture of the Elantra from the front view. Something disturbed me that has disturbed me before about the new Elantra body design.

If you look at it from the front view you will see that the headlight cluster flows up and out towards the sides but the turn signal lights underneath turn in a disturbingly non-aesthetically pleasing manner. They go the opposite direction-they turn out and down. The front hardware doesn't flow properly, man! It may sound goofy but I love good flow in design and I'm afraid this new '07 Hyundai Elantra doesn't flow with authority and beauty from up front. In contrast the cousin car, the Kia Spectra does have a nice up-front design flow to it.

Since pictures don't give the whole story and a look in person does, I will withhold further judgement on the car until it actually comes out, which I heard is fairly soon.

OTOH-the new Dodge Hornet for Europe(and hopefully the U.S.A. as well)does have a nice, quirky design that has a good funky flow to it, and Dodge has pulled off making a small, funky econobox to compete with the Scion xA and xB. The tC blows the Hornet away with it's beautiful lines, it really is a beautiful car IMO. Scion has done well with it. Nice that you have one, huh?

Let's hope Dodge decides to bring the Hornet here-I may actually want one if they do I think. Need more info., though, before I will say I actually would want one.

harrychezt

yeah, the tC is a very nice small car. The FUSE (next tC?) is really wild looking.

Dodge needs a "Scion" fighter. The Caliber is selling well, but after a test drive, and few months of getting used to seeing a few, and then sitting in them at autoshows, just not for me/us.

Just like Ford's Reflex sporty show car. Nice, and could (with the right equiptment) be 14-18K, Scion fighter.

Let's just keep our fingers crossed.

Seems people overseas sometimes get the better cars, or at least the largest selection.

TCNO

iluvmysephia1

cars overseas. But I think that's changing, with the higher price of gas and everything. The other nations will still get all of their small cars but finally the U.S. is starting to catch up. There's nicer new smaller cars coming out all the time.

The Obvio! cars from Brazil will be here in another year. They are really wild looking!

iluvmysephia1

This Hornet from Dodge has the capability to fold down the passenger seat in front and also the back seats so you can stow bigger items in from the hatch in back. It also carries the functionality of being able to turn the back seats around and stow them down flat so you can have nice vertical storage space right behind the front seats if you want, too. Very nice feature!

It weighs 3,100 lbs., not exactly svelte, but it's powered by a 1.6L, 170hp "Tritec" 4 cyl., the same engine that powers the Mini-Cooper from BMW. 163 lbs. of ft.torque enables this little dynamo to achieve 0-60mph times of only 6.7 seconds. BTW-it is only being advertised in concept form as being equipped with a 6-speed, manual transmission. Whoo-hoo! What's not to like, here! :shades:

The more I look and read about this little car the more I like it. Build it, Dodge! Read more here:

http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/dodge/hornet.html

harrychezt

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Daily_Edition/Daily_Edition_May_30_200- - - 6.S173.A10476.html
I posted this link on auto news forum(cars you like/dislike?)....thread... posted here just in case no on traverses that thread, butlooks at this one. Anyhow....

Seems the Hornet is a go, just depends on who will get to build it.

I had heard that Chery Automotive is also in talks with Chrysler to build this Hornet, and supposedly a 3rd, yet un-named company is bidding.

Why don't they just have Hyundai build it on their Accent Sedan platform?
Throw that 170HP engine in it....(or maybe the new GEMA 172HP turboed I-4, like they use in the Caliber R/T? ).

Hmmmmmm. Hope it is not too short(total length).
If this thing is at least around the upcoming SX-4(Suzuki) suv(alittle over 13.5 feet total length).... I will look, if/when it comes out.

If it is say Rio5,(under 13 feet total length) or smaller... no.
Not enough length to feel safe on the road.
Too many large vehicles out there these days.

iluvmysephia1

engine sounds louder than the Dodge Viper's? What up?

170 horses in a small package and 0-60 in 7.5 seconds, with a 6-speed tranny to boot. What's not to like so far here? Supposedly going to sell for $4,000 less than a Mini, with an exact engine as a Mini inside, too.

merkur_xr4ti

Three words sum up this little bugger! Butt [non-permissible content removed] Ugly! I have zero interest in these little door stop cars. It has a 1.6L supercharged lawn mower motor?? LOL! Are they kidding?? What is the point? I'd rather get a scooter or hop on a bus than buy one of these things. The Pontiac Solstice is about as small as I would go and it's underpowered. How is it they can consider something like this and build the Crapliber yet cancel the Razor is beyond me.

netdude

The razor was a nice looking concept. But, the people like myself who are looking at the Hornet like it because it actually has a usable back seat, and should hopefully be a pretty fuel efficient vehicle with go-cart like handling. With gas prices the way they are and especially the traffic I face everyday, I don't need a gas guzzling sports car or SUV. I just need something that handles better than a Camry is pretty roomy, fuel efficient and quick enough for all practical needs. I also would like the car to have some good styling to it. This is where personal preference comes into play. You may not like its size or styling, but those are exactly what appeals to many on this particular forum. That's why the automakers have so many different makes and models of vehicles.

That's my 2 cents..

mmyk72

This car has the design that I think can work here. Perfect for the day to day commute when people mostly travel alone anyways. When it comes time to haul stuff, just fold down the seats and push the cargo thru the big back and side doors.

I'd love to drive one of those popular mini cars like xA, Versa, etc. to save money on gas. It's just that they are not that practical for those once in awhile instances when you need to carry something big. I think the Hornet is a dream come true. Just hope that Dodge learned its lesson from the Caliber and know better to make a car with cheap looking interior and expect customers to not notice.

nippononly

until just the other day that the Hornet is no longer a concept - it is scheduled for production in Europe as an '07 model! Wow! That was quick.

This is exactly the sort of car the American companies need more of, and I hope they bring it here even THOUGH the Caliber is selling well. But I fear the same thing mmyk fears: they will put in a dirt-cheap, hard-plastic Dodge interior for the U.S. market.

cjshow

I totally agree. I love the techno styling on the Hornet way better than the toy-look of the Honda Fit, or the mini-minivan look of the xB. I agree that the flexible seats are a real selling point. I think Dodge missed the boat in bringing the Caliber here first instead of this cool true subcompact. The caliber is definately closer to mid-sized especially when you see it in person. I'll keep my ears and eyes open to see when they finally bring the Hornet here.

mmyk72

Agree...the Caliber is not that small in size or in gas consumption. Now that gas price is going to stay close to $3, more people will look for cars with greater than 30 mpg.

One more thing, I hope there's an option for auto transmission.

iluvmysephia1

but the Dodge Hornet is a keeper. It is a welcome addition to the American family of cars.

nippononly

you have all seen the news - Dodge is "shopping around" for someone to partner with to build and sell the Hornet for U.S. sale - it is not cost-effective for them to go it alone, I guess. The front-runner is VW apparently - they would build it in Mexico on the Polo chassis, or something?

iluvmysephia1

and as far as the Polo chassis goes you're talking Greek to me there. I don't know what rig the Polo even is.

I just think that the Hornet body design will be a hit and I think that the ghastly mileage will be welcome in the current state of ghastly we're observing.

The thing is is there can always be another refinery fire or another ship full of widgets sink or somebody's second cousin decide to root for the Steelers instead of the Seahawks and the "fuel traders" will artificially drive up the cost of ghastly being traded in order for them to maximize their earnings and burn the average fuel consumer.

Thus the Hornet should be a welcome sight for sore automotive eyes.

nippononly

VW's smallest car, sold in Mexico (and Canada?) and all aroudn the world, but never federalized for U.S. sales as VW did not consider it profitable in this market. Many VW fans have been calling for it to come now that all the other new subcompacts are entering the market here.

Actually iluv, now that you are so near the Mexican border, you should keep your eyes open and you will probably see a Polo. I have extended family in El Paso, which as you know is right on the border, and whenever I visit there I see a bunch of Polos and other Mexico-only cars.

It is a competitive chassis to hang the Hornet's looks on - I hope they bring the Hornet in, and unlike the Caliber, PT Cruiser, and now the Patriot and Compass, I hope they put some materials inside that AREN'T trash can lid plastic.

iluvmysephia1

we were in Douglas, Arizona, yesterday. It's right on the border and I think I saw a VW Polo. I thought it was a Jetta, then realized it wasn't and we just drove on by. I think I read 'Polo' on it's rear end. My wife and son are not any where near the car nut I am so I just muttered to them real quickly "what kind of car is that...", then I saw the Polo name on the back of it. Not a bad looking car!

We have discovered the old mining town of Bisbee, Arizona and it has us captivated. Lots of really cool old buildings built into the weirdest places on the sides of reddish-colored hills. A town that puts you back in time with it's amazing historicity-I can't get enough of it. It is about 85 miles from Willcox, though.

I guess I'll just have to trade the Sportsman in on a 2006 Scion xA with a 5-speed right quick and start getting that 36 mpg! Another valid reason to take the plunge!

nippononly

the Polo is about to be redesigned, and it is the next-gen platform for that model that is the current front-runner for also going under the U.S.-market Hornet. I sure hope they go ahead, although having VW build them in Mexico might not be the best formula for build quality and reliability! :sick:

imcarcrazy

I love this concept car as is. The key is will the accountants allow it's manufacture. What I most like about the car aside from it's "Mini Cooper" power is its expanded room. Being close to retirement I like value. As I travel when I read "Motel 6" rooms going for $59.95-$89.95 I think that with the Hornet I could easily "car camp" every other day while on the road and still not be any less "offensive" as camping in the dirt. I know those of you with mega bucks and weak stomachs think me crude but if I can save $60-$100 bucks every other day while getting great gas mileage then I won't have to resort to eating cat food in my retirement, lol. For now my only mode of transpo is a 1999 Yamaha Royal Star Venture which is hardly the platform to lay on lengthways without falling in the dirt anyway. Therefore, bring on the Dodge Hornet Concept.

nippononly

the best-looking Dodge in years, and yes, I'm including the Charger in that remark.

iluvmysephia1

that it would catch on here in the States.

One interesting point when reading one of the Hornet articles is regarding it's engine. It is the "Tritec" motor that BMW puts in the Mini-Cooper and it's jointly developed by Chrysler and Rover; it's made in a $500 million, highly-automated Brazilian factory jointly owned by Chrysler and BMW.

Another interesting point is the weight of the Hornet-3,100 pounds. Yet it pulls of a 0-60 mph time of only 6.7 seconds. Whoa-this little squirt is going to have some pop to it. If Dodge can build this car for production that will do 0-60 times in the 6 to 7 second range like that then I think the future of this car is very, very bright indeed.

iluvmysephia1

and other small cars is the Hornet's motor, the 1.6L Tritec, is also being installed in the new Brazilian Obvio! 828/2, the economy Obvio! currently under development.

It is now much more believable that both the Hornet and the Obvio! 828/2 will possess some pop to their getup when one realizes that the same motor is installed in the BMW Mini-Cooper. And the BMW Mini-Cooper is not bashed for it's lack of available peppiness. Maybe for a lack of backseat space or something like that, not for a sluggish engine.

The inevitable small car revival looks to be in full bloom now and there will be some good choices to choose from coming right up here. Already Kia and their Rio and Rio5 and Hyundai and their Accent and Scion and their tC and Suzuki and their hot new SX4 are providing excitement in the industry(add to these Honda with the Fit, Toyota with the Yaris and Nissan with the Versa), but the arrival of the Obvio! 828/2 and possibly Dodge with the new Hornet only warms up the scene that much more so.

nippononly

Before we get too thrilled about the "Mini connection" here:
A. The next-gen Mini, available here February '07, will use a new 1.6L developed as a joint project between PSA Citroen and BMW, and built by the French.
B. Drive a Mini Cooper some time. It gets maximum accolades for style and other-world handling. Engine peppiness is not one of the pluses of the Cooper, in fact sluggishness is one of the first things I noticed when driving the base model, ESPECIALLY with the A/C running. And if the Hornet is going to get to 60 in under 7 seconds with that engine and 500 extra pounds, it is going to be geared to spin like MAD and burn a ton of gas. It will probably be one of those cars that turns 3500 rpm at 65 mph and can't beat a V-6 Chevy sedan for fuel economy...

iluvmysephia1

I think that those early 0-60 numbers on the Hornet are just that...early 0-60 numbers. I really doubt that the 3,100 lb. Dodge Hornet will be able to do anything close to 6.7 seconds in the 0-60 mph race.

Having said that, I would not disqualify the Dodge Hornet from possible purchase if it did have a certain sluggishness off the line. This insane push in America for quick starts off the line is hideous and is very wasteful as well. It is not a buying criteria of mine...at all. What the Dodge engineers could place in the Hornet by way of a 1.6L 4 cyl.would do me just fine, I am pretty sure of it. A test drive should show up any glaring deficiencies.

I'd be more interested in it's steering tracking and it's handling and such in my Hornet test drive. This looks like all systems go for Dodge and it looks to be an exciting new design that should easily outsell the Neon and PT Cruiser combined. Americans are waiting for a small car sold by the Big 2 and a half like this one.

Now, will Daimler keep Chrysler long enough for this little pup to be built? There was this goofy story last week about Daimler booting the Chrysler division? Did I hear that on the news last week?

nippononly

Normally I would totally agree with you, but this car suffers from the same malady as most of the cars produced by the domestics: obesity. A car this small should NEVER get to 3100 pounds, and for a 3100-pound car, a 1.6L engine is on the smallish side - you are going to be working an engine that small pretty hard a lot of the time in a car that heavy.

Now as for the stoplight-racing comment, I am totally with you - I was just responding to a comment someone made (you?) about the 6.7 second 60 mph sprint. For me, 0-60 anywhere under 10 seconds is plenty for anything I am going to commute in.

iluvmysephia1

that is going to be one of the things I'm going to be looking at when the test drives start on the Hornet-the weight issue. It will be interesting to see if tester's find it way too sluggish. OTOH-0-60 in 6.7 seconds estimated is a pretty zippy 0-60. Seems to me that that time will not really be possible with a 3,100 lb. car. The weight would be all right with me but not if it's gas mileage suffers greatly because of the weight. If this car has gas mileage in the upper 20's it will be a lot less interesting car for me to look at. Smaller size should translate to improved gas mileage.

Haven't heard who Dodge is going to hire to help build this car yet. VW?

nippononly

I think they are going to have the Chinese build it. Latest I heard, VW is out. In fact, Hornet could be the very first car manufactured by the Chinese and sold on American shores.

That 0-60 time could be for an optional turbo-engined model or something. I bet the base engined Hornet won't be that quick.

iluvmysephia1

I would bet it will be more like 0-60 in 9.5 seconds or something like that. With the base model Hornet with the 1.6L 4 cyl."Tritec" motor.

Well, what better car to start out the Chinese car manufacturing craze than the Dodge Hornet? Really, it is going to be interesting to see the response of American consumers if it is built in China.

If it turns out successful it could help pave the way for capable Chinese cars coming to America from China. Easier said than done, yes.

nippononly

by now everyone has heard that DCX has signed an agreement with Chery Automobiles of China to build a new small car for them? They SAY it isn't the Hornet, but c'mon DCX! What OTHER small cars do you have in the works for the NA market??!!

So who here would buy a Chinese-built Hornet? :-P

unoengr

For those of you questioning the approximate 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds, it is a real number in the MINI Cooper S (MCS). The MCS has a curb weight of 2679lbs. The supercharged 1.6L (same one proposed for the Hornet) propels it very quickly. I've driven a Mustang V6, before the bump in power in 2005, and I know the MCS will outrun it. I wouldn't hesitate to take on the newer Mustang V6 with its 210hp and 240lbs of torque. The Mustang has an extra 800lbs against it. Besides, it's not all about hp and torque. Proper gearing helps. I've always been amazed at how slow the Mustang V6 is. Seems like it should be faster.

Having said that, the Hornet's weight is expected to be about 500lbs more than the MINI. If Chrysler gets the gearing right, and maybe sheds a few pounds, the supercharged version of the Hornet will be more than enough for most folks. Add a sport muffler, reduced supercharger pulley, a better cold air intake, and a ECU remap (about $2k altogether) and the Hornet will be p*ssing off, or should I say buzzing past, a lot of bigger sports cars.

I get about 25/30 mpg in my MCS and my foot is always in the gas. Just can't help it. As others have said, the supercharged 1.6L begs to be driven. I was suprised to find out it was designed/co-design? by Chrysler. It has a reputation for being "bulletproof".

unoengr

By the way, I don't know if I could buy a car built by the Chinese. I do like the Hornet, and given its proposed 1.6L Tritec and 6 speed Getrag tranny, I think it will be reliable as far as not leaving you stranded. I would question the build quality of the rest of it (I'm a disgruntled ex-Jeep Liberty owner).

I do get tired of the effort it takes to put my 2 year old in his car seat with my MINI Cooper S. From what I see of the Hornet, the backseat leg room and back doors would make life as a parent easier. Not to mention my fat brother-in-law would actually be able to get in the back.

And I do like the Hornet's looks. That is one thing about Chrysler, they know how to make a good-looking car.

unoengr

I did a little research on Chinese built cars. Read this article @ http://www.motorauthority.com/news/industry/three-out-of-four-chinese-cars-have-- defects/

Claims are that 3 out of every 4 Chinese cars have defects. For every 100 sold (in first 9 months), 338 defects reported. That's UP from 246 defects per 100 sold. The global average is 124 defects per 100 cars built.

Daimler-Chrysler must not listen to its engineers. Bean-counters must control the quality check process. "Who cares about the defects, increase the bottom line."

The Dodge Hornet, if built by the Chinese, will be a dismal failure. Even if the Chinese decrease the defects over a 4 year period, the first impression will ruin its reputation so badly the Hornet will never recover.

That's sad to say. I love the concept. No way in Hell would I buy it if made by the Chinese.

iluvmysephia1

as far as buying a new Dodge Hornet built by Chery Motors of China...I would say this. If Dodge offers a great Warranty on the powertrain and a good bumper-to bumper Warranty and pledges to back it up, it would help matters a whole bunch with me. Also, if early test drive reports show the car to have average acceleration and pretty good pep, good steering tracking at different speeds and road surfaces, and the Hornet is priced competively aggainst Scion, Kia and Suzuki, I would give it a serious look.

As far as being afraid of trying a Chinese-built car, I'd say get over it and try them. It's a free market economy and I know Dodge will be watching quality very closely on this car.

Same thing Bricklin was going to have to tackle(quality issues)but was shown the door by Chery, kinda sorta. I have read that the Chinese carmakers are roughly about as good as the domestic makers as far as quality goes, right now. I don't know if I believe that comment but I know that both the domestics and the Koreans and the Chinese all have to keep improving their quality control. They know they have to...I think Dodge engineering will need to be vigilant with it. Very vigilant. It is a hard one to call, whether or not to buy a Chinese-built Hornet, oh yes it is. I would totally understand it if someone didn't trust Chery enough to build a solid Dodge Hornet right off the bat.

I gave Kia a try in 1999 when a lot of people didn't trust them and it worked out just fine with me. I am still enjoying a Kia product with my '01 Sportage 4x4. It has been said that the Chinese are learning and growing very quickly as automakers. Indeed, not an easy call to make. But I am open to it.

nippononly

You trust DODGE to watch the quality carefully?? These ARE the people who built and sold the Neon, you know. Warranty will be key. Loooooong warranty!

ethan8

I wouldn't buy one for the first few years. I would wait and see what the quality is like. I'll let someone else go through the pain of ownership. I was one of the poor saps that bought a Neon in 1995. I'm still sour from that.

iluvmysephia1

I did. "Tough call to make", etc. I know it is going to take a giant leap of faith for many.

One thing about that is that I've already been there and done that with Kia and Kia is doing great. A lot of the criticism against Kia and Hyundai has been goofy, paranoia-type things that don't have merit. I have loved both of my Kia's and might just get a third new Kia in a row. So taking a leap of faith on a Hornet built by Chery would be something I would at least think about.

I don't think Dodge will offer me a Warranty I would like and that would kill a deal for a new Hornet for me right away.

twain

Why not use the 1.8 or the 2.0 that is currently available in the Caliber? That should be peppy enough with decent economy.

Mainly i hope they leave the styling alone, especially the rear doors. That sets it apart from the mini.

iluvmysephia1

yeah, I guess a test drive would be the best way to see if the 1.6L would be enough pep to push the little bee along. But, like you say, a 1.8L or 2.0L would do fine in the small rig. I think Dodge is going to go with the 1.6L "Tritec" motor that BMW puts in the Mini-Cooper. But, yeah, I agree, this is really not the type of car that I would worry about engine size with. I agree with you, what is way more important with this car is it's unique styling. This car is styled with that wonderful quality embedded that causes me to want to study it's body design. Study the details.

Scion designers did that with the xA and of course the tC as well. The Hornet's styling is unique and cool looking. I am very interested in this little car but those of you who know me here on Edmunds know that that doesn't necessarily mean a purchase is going to be in order. I like way too many new cars to ever get them all and it's too nice to have a little SUV like the Sportage 4x4 running great and paid off. That will happen this summer for my wife and I. Once the wheels start falling off the Sportsman I'll loook in earnest for a new car. And no, I don't think I'm gonna go the used car route. I bought my first new car in 1994(Ford Escort wagon in Brilliant Blue)and, except for a slightly used Ford Escort sedan I bought with 18,000 miles on it in 1997, every car I've bought since that Escort wagon has been a new car. So I think I'll be buying new again, whenever that may occur.

The Dodge Hornet will be one for me to watch very, very closely though. If Dodge prices this little stinger competitively(to me that means around $14,000-$15,000 for a loaded with nice standard features base model with an armrest and 5-speed tranny)and it looks to be well-built(that's the tough part, but like I posted earlier, I've been there before and it came out well, so I'm game for a Hornet, ya know what I mean?)I may just think about popping for one of these. I like the body style enough and I'm also not wanting Dodge to change the Hornet body much, if at all.

darthclutch

Dodge has proven that their economy cars do not stand the test of time. Whoever heard of a quality Dodge used car with 80K miles on it? Every older Neon I see around town looks like hell. Ick. Imagine what a Hornet would look like with 100,000 miles and bad paint... like a Yugo!

I like the styling of the car, but it doesn't seem all that original. It looks like they took an Element and stuffed it into the shell of a Mini. Of course, if they are going to immitate other cars, I think they made the right decision. I like the functionality of the Element, but it seems kind of ugly and bloated. I like the Mini's style, but it's too expensive a car for me to even think about owning or maintaining, besides that it's too small to be a practical car for a three person family.

In the end, I don't think I could bring myself to buy a Dodge, no mattter how cool it looks. I'll stick with my xB and enjoy the mileage, interior space, and low depreciation, thank you very much.

Now if Nissan were to make it, I'd seriously consider it, but they have seemed to taken the stance that their customers want really huge, expensive cars. Whatever happenned to the guys that built the Datsun 510? I drove one for 7 years and put 100,000 miles on it. The only reason I got rid of it was because it was 35 years old and at 190,000 miles, it was starting to fall apart AND parts are becoming too scarce to make it a practical car. Dodge could learn something from them. The 510 ran forever, even when I just plain abused it. It just kept asking for more!

iluvmysephia1

my plan now is to trade my '01 Kia Sportage 4x4 in on a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer, so I'm out of the wait for the new Dodge Hornet anyway. I have fallen hard for this new Lancer GTS model. It looks great and I think it will be built very, very well. My only remaining question is how much will it cost.

The new Hornet will be a big 'ole question mark for reliability I'm afraid.