Compare the2023 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Nissan Kicks

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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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 Kicks doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Hornet has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Kicks doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Hornet and the Kicks 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

The Dodge Hornet weighs 964 to 1455 pounds more than the Nissan Kicks. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

There are over 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Hornet has a standard 160-amp alternator. The Kicks’ 120-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 Kicks’ 510-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 Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 10th.

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 Nissan 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, Nissan is rated below average.

Engine

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 146 more horsepower (268 vs. 122) and 181 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 114) than the Kicks’ 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 166 more horsepower (288 vs. 122) and 269 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 114) than the Kicks’ 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 30 miles. The Kicks 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 Kicks 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 Kicks doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Hornet GT’s standard fuel tank has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks (13.5 vs. 10.8 gallons).

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 Kicks doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Hornet GT	Hornet R/T	Kicks
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	13.5 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.9 inches	12.1 inches	8” drums
Opt Rear Rotors			11 inches

The Dodge Hornet has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Kicks. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Hornet has larger standard tires than the Kicks (215/60R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Hornet’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Kicks (235/40R20 vs. 205/60R16).

The Hornet’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Kicks SV/SR’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 Kicks S. The Hornet’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Kicks SV/SR.

The Dodge Hornet’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Nissan Kicks S only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Dodge Hornet has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Nissan Kicks has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

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

The Hornet has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Hornet flat and controlled during cornering. The Kicks’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

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 Kicks’ suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Hornet’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Kicks’ (60.7% to 39.3%). This gives the Hornet more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Hornet GT has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Kicks (8.1 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Hornet to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Hornet has 3.4 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, 4.6 inches more rear legroom, 4.4 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kicks.

Cargo Capacity

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kicks with its rear seat up (27 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kicks with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 53.1 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 Kicks doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Hornet has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kicks has no towing capacity.

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 Kicks doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Hornet’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kicks 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 Kicks 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 Kicks 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 Kicks’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Hornet’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kicks’ power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Kicks’ 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 Kicks’ standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Hornet’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Kicks SV/SR.

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 Kicks 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 Kicks doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Hornet’s 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. The Kicks doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Hornet and the Kicks 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 Kicks SV/SR doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Hornet’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Kicks’ available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

With optional voice command, the Hornet offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Kicks doesn’t offer a voice control system.

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 Kicks 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 Kicks doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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