Compare the2023 Chevrolet BlazerVS 2023 Dodge Hornet

For enhanced safety, the front shoulder belts of the Chevrolet Blazer are height-adjustable, and the rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Dodge Hornet has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the Blazer and the Hornet 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Blazer the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 233 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Hornet has not been tested, yet.

The Blazer’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Hornet’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 20 percent more Chevrolet dealers than there are Dodge dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Blazer’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Blazer has a standard 170-amp alternator. The Hornet’s 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Blazer’s reliability 34 points higher than the Hornet.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Blazer second among midsize suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Hornet isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Blazer’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 20 more horsepower (308 vs. 288) than the Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Blazer’s fuel efficiency. The Hornet doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Blazer FWD’s standard fuel tank has 8.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet R/T’s standard fuel tank (19.4 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Blazer AWD’s standard fuel tank has 8.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet GT’s standard fuel tank (21.7 vs. 13.5 gallons).

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

For better traction, the Blazer has larger standard tires than the Hornet (235/65R18 vs. 215/60R17). The Blazer RS/Premier’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Hornet (265/45R21 vs. 235/40R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Blazer has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Hornet GT. The Blazer RS/Premier’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Hornet.

The Chevrolet Blazer’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Dodge Hornet only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Blazer has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Hornet doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Blazer has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Hornet doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Blazer’s wheelbase is 8.9 inches longer than on the Hornet (112.7 inches vs. 103.8 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Blazer LT has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Hornet R/T (7.5 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the Blazer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Blazer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Hornet doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Blazer uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Hornet doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Blazer has 1 inch more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 3.4 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 1.6 inches more rear legroom, .7 inches more rear hip room and 3.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Hornet.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Blazer’s rear seats recline. The Hornet’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Blazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Hornet with its rear seat up (30.5 vs. 27 cubic feet). The Blazer has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Hornet with its rear seat folded (64.2 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

Maximum trailer towing in the Dodge Hornet is limited to 2000 pounds. The Blazer offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Blazer uses the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Hornet doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Blazer LT/RS/Premier’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Hornet doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

When the Blazer with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Hornet’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Blazer’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Hornet offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Blazer and the Hornet offer optional heated front seats. The Blazer RS/Premier also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Hornet.

The Blazer offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Hornet doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Blazer is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Hornet doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Blazer, based on reliability, safety and performance.