Compare the2024 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Hyundai Kona

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

Safety

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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 Kona 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 Kona 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 Kona doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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

The Hornet offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Kona only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Hornet and the Kona have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Hyundai 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 Kona’s standard 150-amp alternator and largest (1.6T) 130-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Hornet has a standard 700-amp battery. The Kona’s 640-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

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 Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 17th.

Engine

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 121 more horsepower (268 vs. 147) and 163 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 132) than the Kona’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Hornet GT’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 73 more horsepower (268 vs. 195) and 100 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 93 more horsepower (288 vs. 195) and 188 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 195) than the Kona N Line/Limited’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Hornet
	AWD	R/T Electric Motors	77 city/77 hwy
Kona
			MPG
	FWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/35 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/33 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/32 hwy

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

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 Kona doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Dodge Hornet higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Kona (5 to 7). This means the Hornet produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Kona every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Hornet GT	Hornet R/T	Kona	Kona AWD/1.6T
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	13.5 inches	11 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	10.9 inches	12.1 inches	10.3 inches	11.2 inches

The Hornet stops much shorter than the Kona:

	Hornet	Kona
60 to 0 MPH	112 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Hornet has larger standard tires than the Kona (215/60R17 vs. 205/60R16).

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 Kona N Line/Limited’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 Kona SE. The Hornet’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Kona N Line/Limited.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Dodge Hornet has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Kona 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Hornet has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Hornet flat and controlled during cornering. The Kona 4x2 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 Kona’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Hornet’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Kona (103.8 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

The Hornet R/T handles at .84 G’s, while the Kona SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Hornet R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Kona SE (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Hornet GT has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Kona (8.1 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Hornet to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Hornet has .2 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room, .2 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kona.

Cargo Capacity

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kona with its rear seat up (27 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kona with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 45.8 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 Kona doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Payload and Towing

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

The Hornet has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Kona (1195 vs. 915 lbs.).

The Hornet has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Kona (1245 vs. 930 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

The Hornet uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Kona 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 Kona doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Hornet’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kona has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

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 Kona’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Kona SEL/N Line/Limited’s power windows, only the front windows open or 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 Kona can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Hornet’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kona’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Kona’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 Kona’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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

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 Kona 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 Kona doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Hornet’s 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. The Kona doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Hornet’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Kona SE doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Hornet and the Kona offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Hornet has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Kona doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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 Kona doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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