2025 Dodge Hornet: Manahawkin Buyers Guide

A small SUV built for errands, not expeditions

Not every household needs a truck-based 4x4 to get through a Tuesday. The Hornet was built for the other list: dropping kids at school on Beach Avenue, threading the Acme parking lot on a Saturday, making the Route 72 commute to Stafford or Toms River without burning through a tank of gas by Thursday. It's genuinely small on the outside and reasonably roomy on the inside, which is exactly the combination that makes it easy to park in Manahawkin's tighter lots and easy to live with day to day.

What separates it from the usual compact crossover is the drivetrain menu. Dodge gave the Hornet standard all-wheel drive on every single trim, gas or hybrid, which is unusual at this price point and worth something on a wet Parkway on-ramp in November. Manahawkin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, at 188 Route 72, is a family-owned store that's been at this location for about nine years, part of the DiFeo Auto Group's 60-plus years in business, and it's currently one of the more practical places on the shore to compare the remaining Hornet stock in person before it's gone. Browse what's on hand in the new inventory ahead of a visit if you'd rather show up with a shortlist.

Two very different engines under one nameplate

The 2.0L turbocharged four in the GT and GT Plus is the straightforward choice: 268 hp, 295 lb-ft, a 9-speed automatic, and a 6.5-second run to 60 mph, with EPA ratings of 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined on regular unleaded. It's the engine to pick if you want a normal gas fill-up routine and nothing to think about.

The 1.3L turbocharged plug-in hybrid in the R/T and R/T Plus is the more interesting story. It pairs a smaller gas engine up front with an electric motor driving the rear axle, no mechanical driveshaft connecting the two, for a combined 288 hp and 383 lb-ft and a 5.6-second 0-60. Plug it into a Level 2 charger and it's ready again in about 2.5 hours, with roughly 33 miles of EPA-estimated electric-only range and 77 MPGe in electric mode. Once the battery runs down it keeps going as a regular hybrid at 29 mpg combined, with close to 360 miles of total range between the battery and the tank. For a household that mostly drives around town but occasionally needs to reach Philadelphia or New York without a charging stop, that's a genuinely useful split.

Pick your 2025 Hornet

What local buyers are saying

Manahawkin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram carries a strong reputation across hundreds of Google reviews, and the Hornet specifically shows up in it. Daniel C. leased a Hornet R/T through Erik K. and wrote, "The process was smooth, the price was great, and Erik made everything easy and stress-free. I love the vehicle and couldn't be happier with my decision." Delilah A., who bought her Hornet from Chris, described a no-pressure visit: "I didn't feel rushed. Chris let me take my time to figure out if I really wanted to move forward with purchasing the vehicle... every step of the way Chris was kind and knowledgeable." Both reviews point at the same thing: a small-town dealership that doesn't rush a decision, which matters on a vehicle worth actually comparing trim to trim.

Buying the last of a model line

Dodge ended Hornet production in January 2026, closing out the nameplate after this model year, a decision the company tied to steep year-over-year sales declines and new tariff pressure on the Italian-built model. That's not a reason to avoid it; the underlying vehicle didn't get worse, and every 2025 still carries Dodge's full 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage regardless of what happens to the nameplate. It is a reason to treat remaining inventory as finite rather than assuming next year brings another shipment, because it won't. The pricing & leasing guide below breaks down what a Hornet actually costs to drive off the lot in New Jersey, and the service & repair guide covers keeping one running well past the day production ended.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Dodge Hornet a good car?

For the right buyer, yes. It's a genuinely quick, all-wheel-drive compact crossover with a well-equipped standard feature list and, in the R/T models, a plug-in hybrid option most rivals in this size class don't offer at all. The tradeoff is that Dodge discontinued it after 2025, so long-term nameplate continuity isn't part of the pitch the way it is with a Wrangler or a RAV4.

Why is Dodge discontinuing the Hornet?

Dodge cited a steep drop in year-over-year sales along with new import tariff pressure, since the Hornet is built in Italy on the same production line as the Alfa Romeo Tonale. Production ended in January 2026, making 2025 the final model year.

What's the difference between the GT and R/T lines?

It's the powertrain, not just the trim. GT and GT Plus use a 2.0L turbo gas engine with standard mechanical all-wheel drive. R/T and R/T Plus switch entirely to a plug-in hybrid system with an electric rear axle, adding roughly 33 miles of electric-only range and noticeably quicker acceleration.

Does every 2025 Hornet have all-wheel drive?

Yes. All-wheel drive is standard across all four trims, mechanical AWD on the GT and GT Plus, and an electric rear axle (eAWD) on the R/T and R/T Plus. Dodge doesn't sell a front-wheel-drive Hornet.

Where can I see the remaining 2025 Hornet inventory near Manahawkin?

At Manahawkin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 188 Route 72 in Manahawkin, open until 8 PM Monday through Thursday. Because this is the final model year, calling ahead to confirm trim and color availability is worth the two minutes.

The bottom line

The 2025 Hornet is a capable, standard-AWD compact crossover with a genuinely clever plug-in hybrid option in the R/T line, arriving at the same moment Dodge is closing the book on the nameplate. That combination makes it worth a real look rather than a pass: the vehicle itself is sound, the warranty is unaffected, and the four trim guides below go deep on which one fits.