Compare the2025 Hyundai KonaVS 2024 Dodge Hornet

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Kona 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 Kona 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.

Both the Kona and Hornet have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Kona has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Hornet’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Kona and the Hornet have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Hyundai Kona has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Hornet has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The Kona comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Hornet’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Kona 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Dodge covers the Hornet. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Hornet ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Kona’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Hornet’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kona for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai 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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 139 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 34th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 10 places higher in reliability than Dodge.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Kona uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Hornet requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Kona’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet R/T’s standard fuel tank (12.4 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Kona SE/SEL 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.

The Kona stops shorter than the Hornet:

The Kona has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Hornet doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kona Limited AWD handles at .83 G’s, while the Hornet GT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Kona Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Hornet GT (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kona’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Hornet R/T’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.9 feet). The Kona’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Hornet GT’s (34.8 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Kona has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Hornet R/T (8.1 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the Kona to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Kona N Line/Limited’s minimum ground clearance is .2 inch higher than on the Hornet GT (8.3 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Hyundai Kona may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 700 pounds less than the Dodge Hornet.

The Kona is 6.7 inches shorter than the Hornet, making the Kona easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Kona 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.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Kona N Line AWD is quieter than the Hornet GT:

The Kona has 3.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Hornet (101.2 vs. 98).

The Kona has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .2 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Hornet.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Kona’s rear seats recline. The Hornet’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Kona has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Hornet with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kona 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 Kona Limited’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Hornet’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Kona second among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Hornet isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Kona outsold the Dodge Hornet by over 8 to one during 2023.