Compare the2023 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Jeep Renegade

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Hornet are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Renegade doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Hornet offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Renegade only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Hornet’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Renegade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Hornet and the Renegade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Hornet has a 160-amp alternator. The Renegade’s standard 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Hornet has a standard 700-amp battery. The Renegade’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 56 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 91 more horsepower (268 vs. 177) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 210) than the Renegade’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 111 more horsepower (288 vs. 177) and 173 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 210) than the Renegade’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet GT running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the Renegade Trailhawk (21 city/29 hwy vs. 22 city/27 hwy).

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 30 miles. The Renegade can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Hornet R/T’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Renegade doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

For better stopping power the Hornet R/T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Renegade:

The Hornet GT’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Renegade Trailhawk’s standard 65 series tires. The Hornet’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Renegade’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Hornet offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Renegade’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Hornet has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Renegade’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Hornet offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Renegade’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Hornet’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Renegade (103.8 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For excellent aerodynamics, the Hornet has standard flush composite headlights. The Renegade has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Hornet has .5 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear hip room than the Renegade.

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Renegade with its rear seat up (27 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Renegade with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 50.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Hornet’s liftgate can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Hornet also offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper. The Renegade doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

When two different drivers share the Hornet, the optional memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Renegade doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Hornet’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Renegade’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Hornet’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Renegade Latitude/Altitude/(Red)’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Hornet’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Renegade’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Hornet has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Renegade only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Hornet keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Renegade doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Hornet has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Renegade doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Hornet and the Renegade offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Hornet has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Renegade doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Dodge Hornet offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Renegade doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.