Compare the2023 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics

Safety

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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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Hornet has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Hornet offers optional Rear Park-Assist with Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Hornet has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Eclipse Cross SE/SEL has a rear cross-path warning system.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Hornet and the Eclipse Cross 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

Warranty

The Hornet’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Eclipse Cross’ (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 7 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Mitsubishi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Hornet has a standard 700-amp battery. The Eclipse Cross’ 520-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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 83 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 28th, 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 Mitsubishi 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, Mitsubishi is rated lower.

Engine

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 116 more horsepower (268 vs. 152) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 136 more horsepower (288 vs. 152) and 199 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 184) than the Eclipse Cross’ 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 30 miles. The Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Hornet’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Hornet has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Hornet’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Eclipse Cross:

	Hornet GT	Hornet R/T	Eclipse Cross
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	13.5 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	10.9 inches	12.1 inches	11.9 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Hornet’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Eclipse Cross (235/40R20 vs. 225/55R18).

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 Eclipse Cross ES’ standard 70 series tires. The Hornet’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Hornet GT has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Eclipse Cross ES. The Hornet’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Eclipse Cross LE/SE/SEL.

Suspension and Handling

The Hornet has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Eclipse Cross’ 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 Eclipse Cross’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

Passenger Space

The Hornet has .8 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear hip room than the Eclipse Cross.

Cargo Capacity

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat up (27 vs. 23.4 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Eclipse Cross with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 50.1 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Hornet’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Eclipse Cross’ (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Ergonomics

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Hornet’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Eclipse Cross has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Hornet and the Eclipse Cross have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Hornet is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Eclipse Cross prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Eclipse Cross’ standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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 Eclipse Cross ES’ standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Hornet has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Eclipse Cross only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 Eclipse Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SE/SEL.

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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Hornet has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Eclipse Cross SE/SEL.

Both the Hornet and the Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross 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 Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Hornet’s optional ParkSense Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Eclipse Cross doesn’t offer an automated parking system.