▁had ▁stated ▁that ▁a ▁ ▁capable ▁sub comp act ▁vehicle ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁model ▁name ▁would ▁be ▁released ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁model ▁year ▁line up . ▁ ▁Kn own ▁inside ▁the ▁company ▁as ▁the ▁“ PF ," ▁test ▁vehicles ▁pur port ed ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁D odge ▁Hor net ▁featuring ▁a ▁h atch back ▁design ▁were ▁extens ively ▁photograph ed ▁during ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁new ▁compact ▁was ▁to ▁" be ▁called ▁the ▁D odge ▁Hor net , ▁in ▁hom age ▁not ▁only ▁to ▁the ▁well - rece ived ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁concept ▁car ▁that ▁carried ▁the ▁name ▁but ▁also ▁to ▁an ▁ancest ry ▁of ▁vehicles ▁stretch ing ▁back ▁ 6 0 ▁years ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁Hudson ▁Hor net ." ▁Although ▁almost ▁univers ally ▁called ▁D odge ▁Hor net ▁by ▁the ▁autom ot ive ▁media , ▁other ▁potential ▁names ▁included ▁continu ing ▁the ▁C ali ber ▁and ▁even ▁res ur rect ing ▁Ne on ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁car ▁to ▁comp ete ▁against ▁the ▁Ford ▁F ocus ▁and ▁Che v ro let ▁Cru ze . ▁ ▁Further ▁test ▁vehicles ▁were ▁a ▁traditional ▁four - door ▁sedan ▁body ▁style ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁Al fa ▁Rome o ▁Giul iet ta , ▁an ▁altogether ▁different ▁platform ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁mini ▁MP V ▁D odge ▁Hor net ▁concept ▁vehicle . ▁Late ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the