In this week’s Ask Nathan:
- Dodge GLH info?
- Slate may be visiting your city!
The first question comes from a reader who wants to know about the recently announced Dodge GLH hot hatch-ish, crossover thing.
Q (Via Facebook): RE: What is this Dodge GLH I hear about?
Nathan,
I hear there will be a Dodge GLH comeing soon but I have no idea what that even means? Is it a replscement for the failed Hornet? Man I wanted to like the Hornet and the GT was fast but it just made no sense. We still own a 2017 Dodge Charger V6 and it’s been a good car for my mom. I want to stick with Dodge but there is no way I can afford anything they build. Maybe the Dodge GLH is something I can hope for? I s it even real?
– Ramone
A: Stellantis is bringing back some old mojo with the Dodge GLH; which means “Goes Like Hell.”
Dodge has officially confirmed the new GLH
This isn’t just an Internet rumor anymore.
At Stellantis’ May 2026 Investor Day, Tim Kuniskis, now heading the North American brands and SRT performance operation, announced that Dodge would add a “true entry-level performance vehicle.”
He described it as:
“A gateway into the Brotherhood of Muscle.”
Then came the particularly important part. Kuniskis called it the “next generation of Hornet, but the way we should have done it the first time.“
That’s about as close as we’re going to get to Dodge admitting that the Hornet experiment didn’t work the way it wanted. And the company actually showed the GLH name as part of its future product strategy.
So yes, the GLH is real.
It is NOT the old Hornet GLH
This is where things get confusing. Dodge previously showed two Hornet GLH concepts, one based on the Hornet GT and another on the R/T plug-in hybrid. Those concepts were essentially demonstrations of what could be accomplished with Dodge Direct Connection parts. In early 2025, Dodge CEO Matt McAlear said the Hornet GLH concept would enter production later that year. That obviously didn’t happen.
The Hornet itself subsequently went away.
The new GLH is therefore best understood as a clean-sheet successor to the idea, rather than a Hornet with some suspension parts bolted onto it.
And frankly, that’s probably a good thing.
What kind of vehicle will it be?
This is where it gets really interesting. Dodge is calling it a “muscle hatch.” Not an SUV, and not a traditional hatchback. A muscle hatch. The available information suggests something sitting somewhere between a hot hatch and a compact crossover.
This is what I expect to see:
- Low-ish roof
- Wide stance
- Relatively upright body
- Short overhangs
- Five-door practicality
- Aggressive Dodge styling
- Performance-oriented chassis
MotorTrend reports that it could be lower than a typical compact SUV while maintaining a relatively tall, boxy roof, and that actually makes a lot of sense to me. It could be the vehicle Dodge needs to occupy the enormous space between an ordinary compact crossover and a Charger. And that’s a pretty damn interesting space.
The platform
The GLH is expected to use Stellantis’ new STLA One architecture. This has been confirmed at the corporate level. Stellantis says STLA One launches in 2027 and is designed to cover B-, C- and D-segment vehicles. It is specifically designed to accommodate combustion, hybrid and battery-electric powertrains.
The architecture is intended to consolidate five existing platforms into one modular system and eventually underpin more than 30 models.
Stellantis also says STLA One is designed for up to 70% component reuse and targets approximately 20% cost efficiency through its modular architecture. That is extremely important for the GLH. Dodge desperately needs this thing to be affordable.
Using a new modular architecture shared across several products gives Stellantis a much better chance of getting the price down.
What about the engine?
This is where we need to separate fact from (semi) educated speculation. Dodge has not officially announced the GLH’s engine specifications.But the strongest expectation is a version of Stellantis’ 2.0-liter turbocharged Hurricane four-cylinder. That engine is already becoming an important part of Stellantis’ North American strategy.
Current reporting points toward roughly 300 horsepower for the standard GLH. I don’t buy it for a standard engine. There may be a less powerful, and somewhat “green” base powertrain for entry level vehicles. Still, having 300 horsepower for the higer trim GLH’s makes sense.
Sorry, I do not expect a manual transmission, but I truly hope I’m wrong. An automatic transmission, like their current 9-speed ZF or six-speed auto make sense.
Depending upon final dimensions and pricing, the GLH could land somewhere around the territory occupied by:
- Volkswagen GTI
- Volkswagen Golf R
- Toyota GR Corolla
- Honda Civic Type R
- Hyundai Kona N, conceptually
- Subaru WRX, in terms of philosophy
- Performance versions of compact crossovers
Here’s the biggest thing for Dodge: don’t mess this up.
The Hornet was a mistake, and you knew it. We knew it too. The bean-counters need to back the hell off and allow some creative control to return to the designers. With that being said, they still NEED to undercut the pricing of the aforementioned competition by a lot. Find a way Dodge.
Once again, the must not mess this up.
— N
The last question comes from a fan who wants to know if TFL is heading to see SLATE when they come to town.
Q (Via Facebook): RE: Slate is coming to Colorado. Will TFL attend?
It would awesome if TFL got an hour or two with the prototype as they pass Colorado or end up near your home, Nathan.
Thanks for reading,
— Scott from Asheville
A: This is a consumer PR run, which may exclude our staff.
Normally, on events like this, the automaker is aiming at consumer buzz. Having a media company take time away from potential customers is not ideal for public relations. We were lucky enough to get some great material with the Slate truck, and we’re well situated in their consciousness. I would wager: they may drop us a line if there is room for us to join the mix.
The event looks fun. “We’re crossing the country in a pre-production Slate to meet our crew in California for demo rides. In every stop, we get a new challenge – set by you. No warning. No prep. Just us, one truck, and whatever you throw at us.”
Using the link above, you can tell SLATE what you have in mind for the truck. Tell them how you would use the truck, and how you want to see it demoed. Forget about hard-core off-roading, there isn’t a 4×4 version… yet.
By the way: this version of the SLATE is a final Beta tester. That means it’s not quite a production truck, but it’s close. Some bits and bobs will be changed or refined before production.
Anyway, check out the event!
— N
