Compare the2023 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2023 Dodge Hornet

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V Hybrid have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Dodge Hornet doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Honda CR-V Hybrid has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Hornet doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the Hornet have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V Hybrid its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Hornet has not been tested, yet.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V Hybrid for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Hornet.

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 CR-V Hybrid’s reliability 40 points higher than the Hornet.

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better mileage than the Hornet running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda CR-V Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Hornet requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The CR-V Hybrid has 2.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet R/T’s standard fuel tank (14 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Hornet doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the CR-V Hybrid’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Hornet:

For better traction, the CR-V Hybrid has larger tires than the Hornet (235/60R18 vs. 215/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Hybrid has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Hornet GT.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CR-V Hybrid’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the Hornet (106.3 inches vs. 103.8 inches).

For better maneuverability, the CR-V Hybrid’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Hornet’s (37.3 feet vs. 37.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CR-V Hybrid has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Hornet R/T (8.2 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the CR-V Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CR-V Hybrid’s minimum ground clearance is .1 inch higher than on the Hornet GT (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches).

The front grille of the CR-V Hybrid 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 CR-V Hybrid 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 CR-V Hybrid has 1.3 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Hornet.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V Hybrid’s rear seats recline. The Hornet’s rear seats don’t recline.

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Hornet with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 27 cubic feet). The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Hornet with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

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

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2023 and 3 more times in the last 22 years. The Hornet has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Hornet has never been chosen.