Compare the2025 Dodge HornetVS 2025 Subaru Outback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Hornet offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outback 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Outback’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. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Outback and its not available on the Base.

Compared to metal, the Hornet’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Outback has a metal gas tank.

Both the Hornet and the Outback 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

Warranty

There are almost 4 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Subaru 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 160-amp alternator. The Outback’s standard 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 Outback’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Subaru With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Dodge higher than Subaru.

Engine

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 86 more horsepower (268 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Hornet GT’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 8 more horsepower (268 vs. 260) and 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 28 more horsepower (288 vs. 260) and 106 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hornet GT 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Outback 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Hornet	Outback
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92.8 MPH	86.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPGe
Hornet
	AWD	R/T Electric Motors	77 city/77 hwy
Outback
			MPG
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

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

			MPG
Hornet
	AWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	29 city/29 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
Outback
	AWD	XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 32 miles. The Outback 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 Outback 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 Outback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Hornet R/T	Outback
Front Rotors	13.5 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.1 inches	11.8 inches

The Hornet stops much shorter than the Outback:

	Hornet	Outback
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	112 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Hornet’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (235/40R20 vs. 225/65R17).

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 Outback’s standard 65 series tires. The Hornet’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Hornet offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Outback’s largest wheels are only 18-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 Outback’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Hornet R/T handles at .87 G’s, while the Outback Wilderness pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Hornet R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the Outback Limited (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Chassis

The Hornet is 1 foot, 1.1 inches shorter than the Outback Wilderness, making the Hornet easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Servicing Ease

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

The power windows standard on both the Hornet and the Outback 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 Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear 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 Outback’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or 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 Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Hornet has standard Keyless Enter-N-Go that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start costs extra on the Outback and isn’t available on the Outback Base.

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 Outback’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Hornet’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

The Dodge Hornet has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Outback Touring.

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 Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

Both the Hornet and the Outback 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 Outback 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 Outback doesn’t offer an automated parking system.