Compare the2023 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Kia Niro

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 Niro 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 Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Hornet offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Niro 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.

Both the Hornet and the Niro 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available driver alert monitors.

The Dodge Hornet weighs 468 to 1069 pounds more than the Kia Niro. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Hornet’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Kia 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 Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked fourth.

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 129 more horsepower (268 vs. 139) and 100 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 149 more horsepower (288 vs. 139) and 188 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

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

Both the Hornet and Niro 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 GT’s standard fuel tank has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (13.5 vs. 11.1 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 Niro doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Dodge Hornet, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Niro.

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

For better traction, the Hornet has larger standard tires than the Niro (215/60R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Hornet’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Niro (235/40R20 vs. 225/45R18).

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 Niro Touring’s 45 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 Niro. The Hornet’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring.

The Hornet offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

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

The Hornet’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Niro’s (61% to 39%). This gives the Hornet more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the Hornet GT has a 1.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Niro (8.1 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the Hornet to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Hornet has .2 inches more front legroom, 8.9 inches more front hip room and .5 inches more rear hip room than the Niro.

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume than the Niro with its rear seat up (27 vs. 22.8 cubic feet).

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

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 Niro’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Niro SX’s power windows, only the front windows 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 Niro’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 Niro’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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 Niro doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.