Hornet Tops The Top-10 Slowest-Selling Vehicles List Again

Fiat 500X Comes In Second, With The Maserati Coming In Eighth...

Robert S. Miller April 17, 2024

2024 Dodge Hornet R/T eAWD Blacktop. (MoparInsiders).

For several months, Stellantis has been dominating the slowest-selling vehicles list in the U.S. However, while fewer Stellantis vehicles are on the list for April 2024, the Dodge Hornet continues to lead the chart with a 646 market-day supply on dealer lots, according to CarEdge.com.

Make	Model	Market Day Supply	Average Selling Price	Total For Sale	Total Sold (45 Days)
Dodge	Hornet	646	$42,093	14,994	1,045
Fiat	500X	558	$29,786	560	46
Volvo	C40	429	$58,665	1,572	165
Ford	Ranger	422	$45,059	4,933	526
Subaru	Solterra	363	$50,103	3,937	488
Audi	SQ8	350	$110,976	1,564	201
Genesis	GV60	347	$61,934	1,521	198
Maserati	Levante	333	$97,396	770	104
Nissan	Titan	285	$56,022	5,718	903
Nissan	LEAF	272	$31,877	2,832	468

Dodge Hornet –

The new Alfa Romeo Tonale-based crossover was supposed to be the vehicle to bridge the gap between internal combustion (ICE) powered vehicles and the brand’s path towards electrification thanks to being the brand’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) with its R/T offering.

Unfortunately, the formula for Hornet is not working. The Italian-built Dodge currently shows a 646-day supply of inventory, waiting to find a new home. Several issues are facing the Hornet at the moment. While the Hornet does feature best-in-class performance numbers and standard all-wheel-drive (AWD), that C-UV segment has never been one that prides itself on performance. Instead, most customers looking for a C-UV want something based on value. The Hornet is one of the pricier vehicles in its class, and the data shows that it has an average transaction price of $42,093.

It’s no secret that Dodge needs a few high-volume mainstream vehicles to impact the brand. After discontinuing the brand’s volume vehicles (Grand Caravan and Journey) in 2020, the brand focused everything on the Charger, Challenger, and Durango. Without its high-volume mainstream offerings, Dodge’s U.S. sales have fallen from 422,886 units in 2019 (Grand Caravan and Journey making up 197,334 of those units) to just 199,458 units in 2023.

Fiat 500X –

While the Hornet might be the newest vehicle on the list, the aging Fiat 500X has been ranked second. The 500X, which has been dropped from North America for 2024, currently holds a 558-market-day supply on lots. According to the data provided by CarEdge, only 46 units have been sold in the past 45 days.

The 500X, a sibling of the Jeep® Renegade, is one of the few affordable vehicles left on Stellantis North America dealer lots at the moment. With an average transaction price of $29,786, those looking for a good deal on a compact crossover might be able to score one on a 500X.

Maserati Levante –

The last Stellantis vehicle to be on the top-10 list is the Maserati Levante. The E-segment luxury SUV has never been a strong seller in the U.S., however, the Levante is truly showing its age against the competition. Maserati just released the final run of high-performance V8 models, as the Italian luxury marque shifts towards electrification.

Looking at the numbers the Levante currently has a 333-day supply of vehicles on dealer lots in the U.S., when you break that down by current sales and the 770 units of inventory. Keep in mind, the Levante is a luxury SUV with a $97,396 average transaction price, placing it out of the reach of many.

Source: CarEdge.com

14 replies

Join the discussion →

Loading new replies...

bill burke Apr 17, 2024 #1

Too big a leap I guess, as at first blush thought the Hornet was going to sell well.
Time to say flop.
Too close to the Alfa Romeo which is priced appropriately for its market, so clearly price difference reluctance from AR and spin off styling was an issue. Perhaps a big price drop, emphasis on gas power and a hybrid and FORGET the electric paper weight and a serious styling change could save all the investment. Maybe it is replaced by the.. hold on..Chinese - Mexican Journey. I know, bad idea. Just reaching for straws here. Dodge is really in bad shape with the new Charger facing stiff pushback, no marketable crossovers and the Challenger banished to nowhere land. What a series of bad decisions almost anyone with some auto business savvy could have predicted. Bad time for a flop, but a flop it is.

Reply 1 Like

click to expand...

M Mopar392 Apr 17, 2024 #2

It’s heading the way of Dodge Dart.

Reply 2 Likes

TripleT Apr 17, 2024 #3

I wonder where these are, our dealer consistently only has 2 and a very limited color pallet.... but I see them on the road here now, wonder if they are in the wrong place. He wouldn't even deal on one, I just got a Tonale instead think it was a good choice.

M Mike201 Apr 18, 2024 #4

I see to many negatives with the Hornet, despite it being a pretty decent vehicle. I know not everyone here will agree but this is what I see.
1) The many issues out of the gate it had and Dodge dealers were not prepared for it. The added bad press was not helpful at all.
2) It was promoted, for the most part as the replacement for the Journey in the Dodge line up, but was much smaller and more expensive.
3) Size. Don’t think brand loyal Dodge owners want a small Dodge SUV. Remember Dodge loyalists are used to Ramchargers, Durangos, Nitros, and Journeys.
4) Still not ready for EV’s yet. Yes, the first batch were Hybrids, but they were a small number and hard to find.
5) Again, price is a tad high for the market/buyers they are trying to reach.
6) Are Brand loyal Dodge buyers ready for a real Italian made Dodge? Yes, the Jeep Renegade, is a true Fiat, but it says Jeep, and has a Jeep feel.
Those are just somethings I have observed. Now if Dodge had a true midsize replacement for the Journey and this was the next step down of a 3 SUV line up, it may have done better.
Now I have not seen a new “Mexico” Journey up close, but everything I have read and seen in videos and pictures, I really think it would have worked here in N.A. much better than the Hornet. Yes it’s China made, but it seems like a sweet ride.
Don’t get me wrong on the Hornet, I like it, but my 3 hang ups are its smaller than my wife’s Cherokee, the high price and that it’s a full EV. I could be wrong on my points, but something is making this dead in the water.

Reply Like

patfromigh Apr 18, 2024 #5

First of all, I notice the new BMW 2-series is no longer on the list. That model which the Tonale and the Hornet compete against had a lower transaction price than the Dodge Hornet when they were on the list together.

Second, the Dodge Hornet is not a full battery electric. It is a plugin hybrid. There isn't a fully electric option on the Hornet and never was one offered. Plugin hybrid vehicles are hot sellers in our market place. The PHEVs of all the other brands have waiting lists for purchasing one.

BTW, the first batch of Hornets were conventional gas models, the hybrid followed by a few months. The price for the hybrid version is price competitive with other brands.

Finally, once again Stellantis is slinging Hash at the marketplace and the buyers won't have it. It didn't work when AMC put a Hudson front clip on a Nash and called it a Hornet in the mid-Fifties, and it didn't work when Studebaker did the same thing with a Packard grill on one of their cars.

As far as brand loyalists, the Hornet, as bad as its sales are, probably sells better than the last few years of the Ramcharger. The Nitro and Journey did not generate loyalty. They were Dodge's blue light specials, and the Nitro is another case of a car company slinging Hash at the marketplace. The way to build brand loyalty is through quality.

The styling holds the Hornet back. Whoever approved of that is probably senile. To come out with a stale look and persona on that vehicle, while a completely different design motif is waiting in the wings, is just plain dumb. The hybrid drive train is supposed to be cutting edge, yet the Hornet is saddled with last decade's full size Dodge styling. The marketing for both this Dodge and the Fiat 500X on the list are killing the brands.

I'm posting this link again. While this concept was fully electric, it points to a time when Dodge wanted to reach out to a new generation of buyers.

moparinsiders.com

The Dodge Electric Concept That Was A Decade Ahead Of Its Time:

Introduced at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) show in Detroit, Michigan, the Dodge ZEO Concept was a decade ahead of its time. It showcased some amazing all-electric capability, in a four-passenger sport wagon package that at the time, just didn't seem to be as polarizing...