The Dodge Hornet is one of the most exciting crossover SUVs on the market today. With Dodge announcing its plans for the future by discontinuing the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger after the 2023 model year, critics were skeptical. It seemed like Dodge’s insistence on jumping head first into the EV marketplace by touting the phrase “E-Muscle” was a little heavy-handed. However, the Dodge Hornet shows that this Detriot company has the right idea with electrification, dipping its toe into the electrified performance marketplace with a crossover SUV with best-in-class performance and an optional plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

With the Hornet making waves in the automotive marketplace, where does this leave the Dodge Durango? The Durango has been one of the most consistently popular SUVs in the Dodge lineup since the very first model year in 1998. Do these two SUVs trade blows and compete for the same consumer base, or do these SUVs peacefully coexist? Which of these is the better vehicle? Here is everything you need to know about the Dodge Hornet and how it stacks up to the Dodge Durango.

2024 Dodge Hornet vs. 2024 Dodge Durango: Power and performance

The 2024 Dodge Durango comes standard with Chrysler’s tried and true 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine. This engine has been put into just about every Dodge and Chrysler product for years now, and it is a fantastic, rugged engine that is bound to run for years and years without much maintenance. This engine produces around 293 horsepower, sending all power to the rear wheels only. This is good for a 0 to 60 mph time of about 7.4 seconds, according to Car and Driver. As of now, the Dodge Durango can still be had with a huge Hellcat 6.2-liter V8 engine, which produces around 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. However, this Durango starts at over $100,000, according to Dodge, and is only produced in small numbers.

The new Dodge Hornet comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that sends power to all four wheels. This Hornet and that standard nine-speed automatic transmission are good for 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. This Hornet may be smaller under the hood, but the standard all-wheel drive and fantastic torque numbers propel this compact crossover to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds, according to Edmunds. With the optional plug-in hybrid powertrain, this Hornet is good for a 5-second 0 to 60 mph launch time. While the Durango may have more power on the higher end, the Hornet handles better, drives more efficiently, and does so quicker than the Durango off the line.

2024 Dodge Hornet vs. 2024 Dodge Durango: Cargo and passenger space

Unsurprisingly, the Dodge Durango is the clear winner in passenger and cargo space. The Dodge Durango has a massive advantage over the Dodge Hornet simply due to its class. The Durango is a midsize SUV, and the Hornet is a compact SUV. Because of this, the Durango has more room in nearly every interior aspect other than front legroom, where the Hornet wins by an inch. The Durango has nearly double the maximum cargo capacity capability of the Hornet, which makes the Durango a very enticing option if you are looking for a crossover SUV that has a good amount of space on the inside,

2024 Dodge Hornet vs. 2024 Dodge Durango: Fuel economy and range

The Dodge Hornet easily wins the competition regarding the fuel economy of these two Dodge SUVs. Again, the Hornet is lighter with a smaller engine, making it easily more fuel efficient. Is the Hornet perfect? No, the Hornet has a tiny 13.5-gallon gas tank, meaning you’ll be stopping for gas sooner than you would with the Durango. Still, the Hornet is more efficient overall, especially if you upgrade to the available PHEV powertrain.

2024 Dodge Hornet vs. 2024 Dodge Durango: Trim levels and pricing

The Hornet starts at $31,400 MSRP for the base GT model. Dodge decided to keep the Hornet offerings basic by giving buyers just two models to choose from: the base GT model and the fully loaded GT Plus model, which adds all the extra available features. This GT Plus model starts at $36,400 MSRP. The Dodge Hornet R/T, which features the PHEV drivetrain, starts at $41,400 MSRP, with the R/T Plus model coming in at $46,400 MSRP.

On the other hand, the Dodge Durango has a ton of options to choose from. The base SXT Durango starts at $40,640 MSRP, and the top trim level, the SRT Hellcat Premium, starts at $105,810 MSRP. The Durango has 16 total trim options available, and while that may seem like a lot of variety, we love that the Dodge Hornet kept things simple by only offering a few models that all carry their weight in value.

2024 Dodge Hornet vs. 2024 Dodge Durango: Warranty coverage

The 2024 Hornet and 2024 Durango are both Dodge products; because of this, they share the same factory warranties.

Both of these SUVs share a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, along with a five-year/60,000-mile drivetrain warranty and roadside assistance. Finally, both of these vehicles have a five-year/unlimited mileage rust and corrosion warranty.

Which Dodge model is the right fit for you?

The 2024 Dodge Durango and 2024 Dodge Hornet are both solid SUVs, but for the price, it is tough to find a better-performing crossover than the Dodge Hornet. With its Alfa Romeo-sourced platform, the Hornet is a true-performance vehicle in a crossover SUV body. It drives well, is well built, has a brand new exterior and interior design, is efficient, head-turning, and is simply a great option as a crossover SUV.

The Durango is a solid vehicle, but with a starting price nearly $10,000 higher than the Hornet, the base model doesn’t bring anything to the table other than a larger body and more cargo room. However, that all changes if you’re willing to upgrade to spend more and upgrade to some of the more lavish Durango trims. Meanwhile, if you can live with the smaller dimensions, the Dodge Hornet is the better option.

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