Compare the2023 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Toyota Venza

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 Venza doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Hornet and the Venza 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

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

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 14th.

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 49 more horsepower (268 vs. 219) than the Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 69 more horsepower (288 vs. 219) than the Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 30 miles. The Venza has to start its internal combustion engine after only 1.6 miles.

Both the Hornet and Venza have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. The Hornet has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

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

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

For better traction, the Hornet’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Venza (235/40R20 vs. 225/60R18).

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 Venza XLE/Nightshade/Limited’s 55 series tires.

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

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 Venza’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Hornet is 8.6 inches shorter than the Venza, making the Hornet easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Hornet has .2 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more rear legroom and 8.3 inches more rear hip room than the Venza.

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

The Hornet offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Venza doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Venza’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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 Venza doesn’t offer an automated parking system.