So little noise. The secret is no longer a secret. Giant shrimp that are as cold as ice. They are all examples of an oxymoron, which is a strange way of using words. For example, the only sporty thing about a Jeep Wrangler was getting a sunburn after a day of sneaking through rough territory with the roof and doors off. You could have added “sporty SUV” to that list a decade ago. Then everyone, but especially the Americans, went crazy for SUVs. Automakers can make more money by making sporty SUVs and crossovers, just like they can make more money by asking more for something that already exists. SUVs with a lot of power are more popular than ever, creating a new type. You can now get the Toyota RAV4 Prime in a faster version called the XSE. Today’s test will compare the best-selling Toyota to the brand-new 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T. Two crossovers with power show up… You might be curious about what a 2024 Dodge Hornet is. Start with Scott Evans’ First Drive of the Hornet, where he explains the buyer: “It’s the kind of person who wants the fastest, most powerful, and toughest-looking car in despite being in the same class as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.” What a great way to start comparing these two things. The Hornet is smaller than the RAV4 as a starting point for sportiness. Its length is almost 2 inches shorter, it is more than 4 inches shorter in height, and it weighs about 200 pounds less. The “open secret” is that the new Hornet is just a re-skinned Alfa Romeo Tonale. Even though 75% of the cars are brand new, Dodge and Alfa don’t want you to know that the Hornet and Tonale are built on the same basis as the Jeep Compass. It irritates me when the phrase “sporty Hornet’s origin story” is used. A person who has been to an Italian finishing school might be a better way to describe this person. The Toyota RAV4 doesn’t need much of an introduction. By 2022, more than a million will have been sold in the United States. The EPA says that the RAV4 Prime we’re looking at today is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a range of 42 miles on battery power alone. If you need to go further, a 2.4-liter I-4 with a naturally aspirated engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) will immediately start. Even though the package weighs almost 4,400 pounds, the 302 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque are incredible. The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T, a PHEV, has a battery range of 32 miles. On the other hand, the Dodge comes with a fast 1.3-liter turbo I-4 engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox that could be better. The Hornet R/T has a power output of 288 horsepower and a torque output of 383 pound-feet. At least on paper, the numbers look great and are about the same as the RAV4 prime. In terms of looks, the Dodge is by far the best, especially in Acapulco Gold. We think the Toyota might look better in color other than Ubiquitous White (just kidding, it’s Wind Chill Pearl), but we still don’t like the company’s robotic Robotech style. We should remember that the black Hornet on smaller wheels is not unusual and has been seen before. But if you pay what Dodge wants, $53,460, you will get an outstanding SUV. Oh, and neither car is cheap to buy. For example, the Toyota starts at $52,844. That used to be the same as a BMW 5 Series, but remember that a new car will cost an average of $48,000 by March 2023. When you look at either vehicle, does it scream, “I cost more than $50,000!”? Not outside (though we’re open to the idea that we’re just old and out of touch), and not inside the Toyota. There are a surprising number of Alfa Romeo parts in the Dodge. As the owner of an Alfa Romeo Giulia, it was strange and fun to see my car’s switches, steering wheel, and big metal shift buttons. Can you imagine the Hornet being sold for $5,000 less than a Tonale? Why wouldn’t you? Tests for Codes Remember how Evans initially said that the Hornet is for people who want the fastest car in the not-so-compact SUV segment? Okay, I get it. The RAV4 Prime only needs 5.5 seconds to hit 60 mph, while the Hornet R/T needs 5.6 seconds. And yes, we know that A “quickest” refers to top speed, not acceleration, and B almost everyone uses “quickest” when “quicker” would be a better word. The Toyota beats the Dodge in the quarter mile, with a time of 14 seconds flat at 99.8 mph compared to the Dodge’s 14.2 seconds at 96.1 mph. So, after 1,320 feet, the Dodge is not the fastest car. It was the last to get there. When it comes to how we measure movement, the story is backward. The brakes on the Hornet are strong enough to stop the car from 60 mph in 118 feet. On the RAV4, it takes 131 feet for the binders to do the same job. Dodge has a lot going for it. Dodge again does a great job in terms of grip. The Hornet pulled 0.84 g on our skidpad, while the RAV4 only pulled 0.75 g. Our figure-eight run takes 26.5 seconds for the Hornet R/T and 27.6 seconds for the RAV4 Prime. In short, the Hornet drives better than the RAV4 regarding dynamic speed. However, we can say a different thing about how it works in straight lines. What about going every day? In my drive notes, I called the Toyota RAV4 the “Toyota Novocain,” and Aaron Gold, a senior editor, agreed, saying, “I agree with Jonny; this car has a level of non-offensive just-OKness that stands in stark contrast to the Dodge’s spicy personality.” He says, “If you never drive anything else, this is one of those cars that is hard to find fault with and seems pretty great.” The RAV4 is made on the Toyota TNGA base, which can make driving a great experience. A GR Corolla is replacing my Alfa Romeo. The RAV4 Prime has an excellent, stiff chassis underneath its angular shape. Still, it is mainly hidden by the car’s harsh ride, which makes the steering wheel constantly vibrate from the rear wheels, its desperately thrashing engine, which the CVT keeps at a particularly dull note, and its loud tires. Since the movie Deliverance, I haven’t heard this much screaming. In 2024, how will the Dodge Hornet look? A truly one-of-a-kind event. Gold said the car is “way, way, way more fun to drive around turns than the Toyota.” I agree, and as I drove through some of the best roads in the Malibu hills, I thought, “I’m impressed.” There wasn’t much understeering or tire screaming. (Again, Gold: “I can hear lots of tire squeal, and it’s all coming from Jonny and the Toyota.”) Yes, Dodge (or was it Alfa? Alfa?) made a small plug-in hybrid SUV that is quick and fun to drive. No one was sure. The Hornet R/T is not a sports car, but if you want a vehicle that runs primarily on electricity, can carry the odd Costco package, and can cause a lot of trouble on country roads, you don’t need to look any further. Dodge should be thanked for making it possible. Michelin PS4 tires were not made by chance, after all. Would you rather have a few summers than all four? Who Wins? Now, a harsh and cruel truth has come to light. Both cars would be better off if they were all-electric. The Hornet’s weakest point is that it uses a gasoline engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox that are otherwise very good. The same could be said about the dull internal combustion engine in the RAV4 Prime. Please don’t mention that the Toyota weighs 17 pounds less than a Tesla Model Y Dual Motor and has an environmental effect of 4,391 pounds because of tire wear. If these two were pulling good V-12s with quick-shifting dual-clutch gears, I might be singing a different tune, but they aren’t and never will be. Also, PHEVs give the impression that they are suitable for the earth, but they are less helpful than they look on paper. When the people who own them take the time to link them up. During the first half of 2023, more Tesla Model Ys were sold than RAV4s. This includes all RAV4s, so people are more interested in the above. Even before incentives, the Model Y Long Range starts at $51,880, less than either plug-in hybrid we looked at. This is where I could pull a fast one on you and say, “Even though we liked driving the Hornet R/T much more, you should buy the RAV4 Prime because it has more cupholders.” Still, no. Gold adds, “I thought the 2023 Toyota RAV4 would have some practical advantage over the Hornet that would make up for its boring personality.” For example, it might have a much bigger trunk, a more excellent back seat, or a much lower price. But I don’t see any clear benefits. The RAV4 is as valuable as the Hornet. Amen. Dodge didn’t have to make the Hornet so fun and fast to drive. Dodge could have just given a Jeep Compass a new coat of paint and a new logo and been done with it. Instead, it went to Italy, which is always ruled by how people feel.
