Compare the2024 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Fiat 500X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Hornet are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The 500X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 500X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Hornet’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 500X and is only available on 500X Sport.

The Hornet offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 500X 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.

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 500X’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. Fiat charges extra for Rear Cross Path Detection on the 500X, and only on the Sport.

Both the Hornet and the 500X 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, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

The Dodge Hornet weighs 410 to 835 pounds more than the Fiat 500X. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

Dodge’s powertrain warranty covers the Hornet 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500X. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 500X ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 7 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Hornet has a standard 160-amp alternator. The 500X’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Hornet has a standard 700-amp battery. The 500X’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 91 more horsepower (268 vs. 177) and 85 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 210) than the 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 111 more horsepower (288 vs. 177) and 173 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 210) than the 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet R/T running on electricity gets better mileage than the 500X (77 city/77 hwy MPGe vs. 24 city/30 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet R/T 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder Hybrid running its gasoline engine gets better fuel mileage than the 500X (29 city/29 hwy vs. 24 city/30 hwy).

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 33 miles. The 500X 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 500X 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 500X. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Hornet R/T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the 500X:

	Hornet GT	Hornet R/T	500X
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	13.5 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	10.9 inches	12.1 inches	10.95 inches

The Hornet stops much shorter than the 500X:

	Hornet	500X
60 to 0 MPH	112 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Hornet’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 500X (235/40R20 vs. 225/55R18).

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 500X Sport’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Hornet offers optional 20-inch wheels. The 500X’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

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 500X’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Hornet’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the 500X (103.8 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Hornet is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the 500X.

The Hornet’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the 500X’s (60.3% to 39.7%). This gives the Hornet more stable handling and braking.

The Hornet R/T handles at .84 G’s, while the 500X pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Hornet R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the 500X (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Hornet GT has a greater minimum ground clearance than the 500X (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Hornet to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Hornet has .3 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 3.2 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500X.

Cargo Capacity

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the 500X with its rear seat up (27 vs. 14.1 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the 500X with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 39.8 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Hornet’s liftgate can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Hornet also offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper. The 500X doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The Hornet uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The 500X 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.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Hornet, the optional memory system makes it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and radio stations. The 500X doesn’t offer a memory system.

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 500X’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

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 500X can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Hornet has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The 500X only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

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 500X doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Hornet’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The 500X doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Hornet has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The 500X doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

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 is only available on the 500X Sport.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Hornet has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The 500X doesn’t offer rear vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Dodge Hornet offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The 500X doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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 500X doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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