Compare the2024 Dodge HornetVS 2024 GMC Terrain

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Dodge Hornet are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Dodge Hornet has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Terrain doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Hornet offers optional Rear Park-Assist with Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Hornet. But it costs extra on the Terrain.

The Hornet has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Terrain’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Hornet has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. GMC charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Terrain.

The Hornet’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Hornet and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Hornet’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Terrain’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 43 percent more Dodge dealers than there are GMC dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, GMC is ranked 6th.

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 GMC 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, GMC is rated lower.

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 93 more horsepower (268 vs. 175) and 92 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 203) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 113 more horsepower (288 vs. 175) and 180 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 203) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet running on electricity gets better mileage than the Terrain:

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Terrain:

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 33 miles. The Terrain 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 Terrain doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Hornet R/T has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Terrain. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

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

The Hornet GT’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Terrain SLE/AT4’s standard 65 series tires. The Hornet’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Terrain’s optional 50 series tires.

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

The Hornet has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Hornet flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s 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 Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Hornet R/T handles at .84 G’s, while the Terrain Denali AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Hornet R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Terrain Denali AWD (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .64 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Hornet GT has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Hornet to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Hornet is 4.3 inches shorter than the Terrain, making the Hornet easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Hornet has .8 inches more front legroom and 1.7 inches more rear hip room than the Terrain.

The Hornet’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Terrain’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The Hornet uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Terrain uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Hornet’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Terrain’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Hornet the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Terrain can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Hornet offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Terrain doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Hornet has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Terrain.