It seems like Dodge just can’t catch a break. Production of the 2026 Hornet will be delayed due to the ongoing tariff war, reports Automotive News. It’s one of only three models Dodge still sells; the current Durango is a dinosaur that’s been in production since 2011, and the electric Charger Daytona just isn’t selling, both due to its much higher price than the previous model and its current lack of a Hemi under the hood.
Of course, the Dodge Hornet isn’t really a Dodge, but a rebadged Alfa Romeo Tonale. Both are built in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy, and therefore subject to a 30% tariff beginning on August 1. Dodge may be a brand as American as baseball and apple pie, but it’s where the car is built that matters, not the country where the brand is based. The Hornet joins the Charger, made in Canada, as yet another model that’s being delayed due to tariffs that are supposed to be protecting the U.S. auto industry, not hurting it. When Car and Driver asked Stellantis whether the Hornet would be delayed or skip the 2026 model year entirely, it would not say.
Poking a hornet’s nest
The Hornet hasn’t exactly been flying off showroom floors, either. Dodge sold just 1,539 Hornets during the second quarter of 2025, down from 4,299 last year. Despite this, it’s still the second-best-selling Dodge, since Charger sales have been so low. The Durango may be a dinosaur, but it’s the only thing keeping Dodge afloat these days with consistently good sales.
Dodge needs a shot in the arm to keep going. New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa seems to get it. Potentially shoving a Hemi into the Charger, despite previous vows not to, is a great start. The Durango never lost it, which is partly why it remains popular. If the Hornet comes back, I think Dodge should shove a Hemi into it as well. Sure, it may not fit, but that’s also what Dodge said about the current Charger. In fact, a Hornet Hellcat may be even more ridiculous than the Caravan Hellcat I’ve been suggesting for years.
Yes, I’ve seen the comments on previous articles complaining that the Hemi isn’t really all it’s hyped up to be. There are certainly more powerful, more technologically advanced engines out there. But people who buy a Dodge want a Hemi. Why not give them what they want?
