Compare the2025 Honda CR-VVS 2024 Dodge Hornet

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V 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.

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 CR-V are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Hornet doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Honda CR-V 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 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, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Honda CR-V achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Hornet has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 1 year or 12,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, 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 Honda CR-V Hybrid’s reliability 12 points higher than the Hornet and the Honda CR-V is rated 36 points higher than the Hornet.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 16 places higher in reliability than Dodge.

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

The CR-V 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 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’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Hornet:

The CR-V stops much shorter than the Hornet:

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

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Hornet.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Hornet GT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CR-V’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Hornet R/T’s (37.3 feet vs. 37.9 feet). The CR-V’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Hornet GT’s (37.3 feet vs. 38 feet).

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

The Honda CR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 250 pounds less than the Dodge Hornet.

The front grille of the CR-V 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 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.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the CR-V EX-L AWD is quieter than the Hornet GT:

The CR-V has 8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Hornet (106 vs. 98).

The CR-V has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 3 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’s rear seats recline. The Hornet’s rear seats don’t recline.

The CR-V 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 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).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V easier. The CR-V’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28 inches, while the Hornet’s liftover is 31.8 inches.

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the Hornet’s in every dimension:

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The Hornet doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Hornet doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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

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

Insurance will cost less for the CR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CR-V will cost $570 to $1300 less than the Hornet over a five-year period.

The CR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CR-V will retain 57.72% to 58.67% of its original price after five years, while the Hornet only retains 51.34% to 51.35%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda CR-V will be $5162 to $5502 less than for the Dodge Hornet.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda CR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Dodge Hornet isn't recommended.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its April 2024 issue and they ranked the Honda CR-V EX-L AWD two places higher than the Dodge Hornet GT.

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2024 and 4 more times in the last 23 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.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Dodge Hornet by almost 39 to one during 2023.