Pour one out for another discontinued SUV. The Dodge Hornet is officially going out to pasture. It was the most affordable model in the lineup. Trump tariffs are being blamed for its demise. However, I believe that other factors also contributed to its decline. 

The Dodge Hornet gets discontinued due to tariffs 

Please observe a moment of silence for the Dodge Hornet. After three years, the sporty little SUV is officially being cut from the lineup. 

It’s built in Italy, and Stellantis shares that production is ending due to shifts in the policy environment. Basically, the blame is being placed on Trump’s tariffs. The 2025 Hornet starts at $31,990, but now faces a 25% tariff, impacting its margins. 

But I think there’s more to the story, and this may have happened without the tariffs. The Hornet debuted in 2023, well before the tariffs were enacted. Plus, Dodge postponed its production last summer. The new tariffs started in August, at the end of the summer. 

Also, while the Hornet is enticing with a turbocharged engine and a PHEV powertrain, it never really took off. According to Good Car Bad Car, the Hornet sold 9,314 SUVs in 2023. This figure increased to 20,559 in 2024, but plunged to 8,488 in 2025. 

Deliveries were down by 52% during the first quarter of 2025. It only sold 551 units in the first months of the year, compared to 2,371 in 2024. I reviewed a GT model, and it was fun and comfortable. But it seemed to lack a few luxury touches and tech features for its price. 

While tariffs certainly didn’t help the Hornet, they aren’t the sole reason for its death. Stellantis simply dropped the ball on this rebadged Alfa Romeo Tonale.