Compare the2024 Dodge HornetVS 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

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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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 Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport 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 Outlander 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 Outlander Sport 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.

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. Only the Outlander Sport SE/GT offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Hornet has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Outlander Sport SE/GT offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Hornet offers optional Uconnect 9-1-1, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Hornet and the Outlander Sport 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 and rearview cameras.

The Dodge Hornet weighs 419 to 877 pounds more than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

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

There are over 7 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Mitsubishi 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 Outlander Sport’s 130-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 Outlander Sport’s 530-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 Mitsubishi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 53 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mitsubishi is ranked 21st, below the industry average.

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 Mitsubishi 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, Mitsubishi is rated lower.

Engine

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 120 more horsepower (268 vs. 148) and 150 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 145) than the Outlander Sport’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Hornet GT’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 100 more horsepower (268 vs. 168) and 128 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 167) than the Outlander Sport GT’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 120 more horsepower (288 vs. 168) and 216 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 167) than the Outlander Sport GT’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hornet GT 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Hornet	Outlander Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	10.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	17.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92.8 MPH	78.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Hornet
	AWD	R/T Electric Motors	77 city/77 hwy
Outlander Sport
			MPG
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

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

			MPG
Hornet
	AWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	29 city/29 hwy
Outlander Sport
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/28 hwy

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Hornet’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop 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 Outlander Sport 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 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (5). This means the Hornet produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outlander Sport every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Hornet GT	Hornet R/T	Outlander Sport
Front Rotors	12.1 inches	13.5 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	10.9 inches	12.1 inches	11.9 inches

The Hornet stops much shorter than the Outlander Sport:

	Hornet	Outlander Sport
60 to 0 MPH	112 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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

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 Outlander Sport S’ standard 70 series tires. The Hornet’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE/GT’s 55 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 Outlander Sport S. The Hornet’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Outlander Sport ES/LE/SE/GT.

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 Outlander Sport’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Hornet is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Outlander Sport.

The Hornet R/T handles at .84 G’s, while the Outlander Sport 4WD 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 2.5 seconds quicker than the Outlander Sport SE 4WD (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Hornet has .1 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear hip room than the Outlander Sport.

Cargo Capacity

The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat up (27 vs. 21.7 cubic feet). The Hornet has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Outlander Sport with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 49.5 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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Payload and Towing

The Hornet has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Outlander Sport has no towing capacity.

The Hornet has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Outlander Sport (1195 vs. 827 lbs.).

The Hornet has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Outlander Sport (1245 vs. 827 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

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

The Hornet’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Outlander Sport 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 power windows standard on both the Hornet and the Outlander Sport have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Hornet is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outlander Sport prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 Outlander Sport’s passenger windows don’t 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 Outlander Sport can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Outlander Sport’s standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Hornet’s standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Hornet has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Outlander Sport only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Hornet has standard extendable sun visors. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Hornet and the Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Hornet has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

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 Outlander Sport 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 Outlander Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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