A Dodge Hornet Owner Asked Me What He Should Replace His Car With, Here Are My Suggestions

Building cars is hard, and when manufacturers don’t get it right, regular people suffer. Yesterday, I wrote about the troubles affecting owners of the new Dodge Hornet crossover, from blinded adaptive cruise control to allegedly throwing more than 200 codes. No, that’s not a typo.

It’s really a shame that the Hornet is off to a rocky start because it adds a certain verve to the compact crossover segment. Sure, it’s expensive compared to a CR-V, but it’s cheap compared to an Alfa Romeo, and it should drive with substantially more juice than its competition. Unfortunately, few owners buy compact crossovers for sporting prowess, and the joy of driving is easily overwhelmed by the agony of having a brand new car sitting in the shop.

Now, many of the Hornet’s issues should be possible to patch out with revised firmware, but that doesn’t help owners right now. Take Hornet owner Matt, who wrote to us via email seeking a little bit of help.

Yes, you are spot on. I’m another person in the repurchase process.

What you don’t acknowledge is it is an incredibly fun car to drive. It has great road manners and it is very solid feeling and quick. If only there was an analog version out there.

Also, the suite of extras that you get for five grand when you buy the plus edition is insane.

Looking for another car with fully adjustable seating for both front passengers. I’m probably going to have to buy a pre-owned European luxury compact SUV to get this feature. Not even available on the Lexus 250h. Otherwise, first year model Buick Encore GX seems like a risk.

Unless you have a brilliant suggestion? Seriously, I’m listening…

Matt, I’m terribly sorry to hear about your Hornet predicament. While it has brilliant performance credentials for a mainstream compact crossover, nobody should pay nearly $40,000 for a new car that turns into a lemon. That being said, let’s make some lemonade. You’re working on a buyback, there are plenty of cars on the road that could get you out of this jam, and some of them are even fun.

While American marques are typically good at offering height-adjustable front passenger seats, I’d certainly avoid the Buick Encore GX, since it’s about as fun as syphilis. Seriously, although I like the new Chevrolet Trax, the Buick Encore GX is absolutely nothing like it. Don’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. Likewise, once you’ve tried something even moderately quick with decent body control, it’s hard to go back to comfort-first commutermobiles.

An entry-level Lexus hybrid may be fine for Alan Partridge, but if you find yourself pining for something analog, you likely won’t give a UX250h much love. However, not all hope is lost. Here are four potential options to ease the pain of being stung by a Hornet.

2017 Infiniti QX50

Nearly seven years on, the newest possible FM platform Infiniti QX50 still does the business. Never mind the alphabet soup name, it has the nutrients you want in an analog, reliable Dodge Hornet alternative. Strong and reliable 325-horsepower V6 with robust aftermarket? Check. A longitudinal platform shared with a full-on sports coupe? Check. Weighty hydraulic power steering? Absolutely. But don’t just take my word for it, read what Car And Driver had to say back in 2015.

After 25 years, Infiniti still may not know quite what it wants to be. But the QX50, which admittedly sells in really tiny numbers and dates back many years, is sort of an unpretentious alternative to cars like the Porsche Macan, offering 80 percent of the driving experience for about 60 percent of the price.

Yep, that’s adrenaline sorted. So, what about the other requirements? Well, models with the Deluxe Touring Package got an eight-way power passenger seat, so that’s the fully adjustable shotgun throne sorted. Look for a plastic coat hanger recessed into the back of the driver’s headrest, as that’s the most obvious sign of a Deluxe Touring Package car. It sounds like you love a good gadget, so you’ll likely also be pleased to know that Deluxe Touring Package cars got a 360-degree camera system, swiveling HID headlamps, an 11-speaker Bose stereo, an air purifier, 19-inch wheels, and a motorized tilt and telescopic steering column.

Did the late QX50 have any noteworthy near-universal reliability foibles? Weirdly, no. It came well past the changeover to a more robust oil gallery gasket, which ironed out the final kink in the VQ37VHR V6. The seven-speed automatic has proven sturdy, as has the optional all-wheel-drive system, as have the body electronics. It’s the definition of a mature product, and it’s an absolute bargain because Infiniti isn’t exactly on the tip of every car shopper’s tongue. You can find models with less than 50,000 miles on the clock for new base-model Hyundai Elantra money, sometimes even less. The only downside here is age, but if you’re interested in something more analog, a 2017 QX50 is definitely worth test driving. Besides, one of those snazzy drop-in OEM-look CarPlay integration kits goes a long way towards modernizing a slightly older vehicle.

Certified Pre-Owned Porsche Macan

Of course, if you’re willing to spend roughly new Dodge Hornet money, you can skip the Japanese Macan alternative and get the real thing. On paper, the Macan has its pros and cons over the Infiniti QX50. You likely won’t get one of the fast ones for sensible money, so you’ll have to be satiated by the Volkswagen Group corporate two-liter turbocharged four-banger. Oh, and this is a German car, so running costs likely won’t be its strongest suit. Sure, Porsche has done exceptionally well in recent quality surveys from the likes of Consumer Reports, but Porsche parts and Porsche service come at Porsche prices. Whatever, you’ll forget all about pricey oil changes as soon as you grab a Macan by the scruff of its neck and see what’s what.

Despite sharing the same MLB platform as a decade-old Audi Q5, the Macan doesn’t feel like a warmed-over slice of understeer, but instead a hot hatch on stilts. It’s the sort of car that will make you a bit mad, because you’ll toss the keys back on the sales rep’s desk and wonder why every compact crossover can’t drive this well. From the strong engine to the swift double-clutch gearbox to the impeccable body control, the Macan is modern day proof that every Porsche is a Porsche. Granted, every Porsche being a Porsche is a double-edged sword. As Porsche specialist PCarWise reports, issues are cropping up with Macan power transfer units and transmissions. Sure, these issues are still relatively rare in the grand scheme of things, but wouldn’t you rather not be on the receiving end of a massive bill in the event that everything goes to hell?

Now, I normally wouldn’t recommend buying a second-hand German car without either a warranty or strong masochistic tendencies, and since it sounds like a Hornet replacement would be your daily driver, a warranty it is. Porsche equips every certified pre-owned car in the U.S. with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty that’s pretty much bumper-to-bumper on top of any remaining factory warranty coverage, and you can slap another year of coverage on top of that. Play your cards right, and for roughly Hornet GT Plus money, you could get yourself into a four-cylinder Macan with an actual Porsche warranty. Yep, that could scratch the itch.

Certified Pre-Owned 2018+ BMW X3 M40i

For the first 14 years of its life, the BMW X3 was a hateful, cynical car. Sure, it had the same badge on the hood as an equivalent 3 Series, and the original X3 even used plenty of E46 3 Series bits, but it never had the panache of its low-slung counterpart, certainly didn’t ride brilliantly, was barely more practical than a 3 Series wagon, and looked horrifically inbred. The second-generation model kept the moronic looks, but was substantially worse to drive than the original, and mostly came with the spiteful N20 turbocharged four-banger that liked to eat timing components. However, after nearly a decade and a half of trying, BMW finally struck gold with the third-generation X3.

Was it the move to the new CLAR platform shared with the outgoing 5 Series, the massively improved cabin, the inoffensive styling, or the excellent B48 four-cylinder and B58 six-cylinder engines available from the start that made the third-generation X3 better? I reckon it was all of the above, and the M40i trim was the cherry on top. Sure, the steering isn’t anything worth writing home about, but we’re talking 355 horsepower, 389 lb.-ft. of torque, zero-to-60 mph in less than five seconds, the excellent ZF 8HP automatic transmission, and an engine architecture good enough for Toyota.

While the B58 turbocharged three-liter inline-six and ZF 8HP automatic transmission have excellent track records, there are a few things to keep in mind. The headlights are prone to condensation, and as they’re LED units, the bill for replacement involves a comma. Thank goodness the U.S. didn’t get the preposterously expensive laser headlights on the pre-facelift X3, am I right? In addition, a handful of owners on Bimmerpost have reported unwanted vibrations once certain examples are broken in, which might be rectified with CV axle replacement.

Yep, this is another car I’d recommend going certified pre-owned on, especially since BMW offers something called CPO Wrap, an extended warranty program offering unlimited mileage and up to seven years of coverage from a vehicle’s initial registration. Granted, it’s not quite bumper-to-bumper, only offering limited interior and exterior coverage, but it does cover nearly all the expensive bits. Best of all? A CPO example of this six-cylinder slingshot of a crossover goes for four-cylinder CPO Macan money, or about new Hornet GT Plus money. Think of the X3 M40i as a happy medium — it doesn’t seem as scary as a Porsche Macan, but it probably won’t be as faultless as a 2017 Infiniti QX50.

Kia Stinger GT

However, what if you don’t necessarily need a crossover, but need a bunch of space and a multi-way passenger seat? Weirdly, another manufacturer that’s good at including front passenger seat height adjustment is Kia. Every single Stinger GT has a wildly adjustable front passenger seat, with a choice of eight-way or twelve-way adjustment. Comfort box ticked, but what about space? Well, the Stinger GT actually features more cargo space with the rear seats up than the Hornet, 23.3 cu.-ft. to the Hornet’s 22.9. You can even get it with all-wheel-drive, so that’s deep snow sorted.

Oh, and this liftback properly shifts. How could it not, with a 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 and an available limited-slip rear differential? Even better, the V6 has this burly, calculated midrange that makes overtaking absolutely effortless. Pull the left paddle shifter thrice, stand on the loud pedal, and a tsunami of thrust rockets you past slow trucks and other irritating traffic. As for ride and handling, it could use a little more damping in the rear, but it’s still a brilliant sports sedan with a certain connectedness you just don’t get in most crossovers. Oh, and you can even find them for under $30,000 with plenty of the ten-year/100,000-mile factory powertrain warranty left. Sure, it doesn’t offer an elevated driving position, but it’s one hell of a car for the money.

So, let’s say you had to replace a new Dodge Hornet with something fun, practical, and with a seriously adjustable front passenger seat. What are you picking? I reckon the seriously sensible money is on either the Infiniti or the Kia, but it’s entirely possible that something has slipped my mind. Let’s help Matt out here, because buying a lemon sucks.

(Photo credits: Dodge, Infiniti, Porsche, BMW, Kia)

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