2023 Dodge Hornet vs 2024 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Dodge Hornet showcased a front end that unmistakably displayed Dodge DNA, featuring muscle-car styling cues such as a wide, mean “raccoon mask” face, a bulging hood, dual extractors, and the classic Dodge “mail slot” beneath the Rhombi logo. The rear of the Hornet, with its illuminated Rhombi logo and taillights spanning the vehicle’s width, ensured it was easily recognizable. However, from the side and rear quarter, the Hornet resembled a Porsche Macan or Cayenne, with upward-pointing windows giving it a more premium feel, a nod to its Alfa Romeo Tonale roots. The standard silver 17-inch wheels appeared cheap from afar, but the Blacktop and Track Pack packages offered more appealing wheel options and performance enhancements. Dodge continued its tradition of “High Impact Paint” with seven vibrant exterior color options.

Inside, the Hornet featured standard red stitching accents and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, emphasizing its performance-inspired roots. The base GT trim came with six-way manual-adjust black cloth seats, while the GT Plus offered eight-way power-adjustable black or red perforated leather seats. The Track Pack’s Alcantara seats with red accents provided a racier option. The sunroof was available only on the GT Plus trim. Overall, the interior design aimed to balance performance and family vehicle practicality.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50, a more rugged counterpart to the CX-5, was lower, wider, and longer, with a stretched wheelbase. Its broad-shouldered proportions were emphasized by square wheel arches and fake air vents below the headlights and taillights. The CX-50 was available in eight trim levels, with 17-inch wheels on lower trims and 20-inch wheels on higher grades. The 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition, our test car, featured all-terrain tires, a black hood graphic, and more pronounced rocker-panel trim, enhancing its active-lifestyle image. The earthy color palette and Terracotta leather upholstery added to its rugged appeal. The interior design was pleasing, with an infotainment screen on a little shelf and impressive material quality and fit and finish for a non-luxury brand.

However, the CX-50 didn’t fully meet Mazda’s upscale aspirations. The standard half-leatherette seats were a step up from mainstream brands, but the base models’ manually-adjustable front seats reminded us of Mazda’s traditional market position. The infotainment system, while functional, felt dated with plain graphics and basic functions. The rotary controller provided physical feedback, making it easier to use without taking eyes off the road, but tech-savvy buyers might find it lacking in excitement.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet boasted “best-in-class performance” with its Hurricane 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, producing 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. This power output significantly outperformed competitors like the Chevy Trailblazer, Honda HR-V, and Hyundai Kona. The Hornet’s Sport mode sharpened throttle responses, tightened steering, and optimized upshifts, achieving a zero-to-60 time of 6.5 seconds. While not staggering, it outpaced the competition. The base Hornet GT was peppy from a standstill, though there was a noticeable lag when accelerating from cruising speeds. The Hornet R/T’s hybrid powertrain improved pickup pace.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, with turbocharging on higher trims. The base engine produced 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque, while the turbo engine delivered 256 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93-octane gasoline, and 227 hp and 310 lb-ft on 87-octane fuel. A six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive were standard, with Normal, Sport, and Off-road driving modes. Turbo models also had a Towing mode, increasing towing capacity from 2,000 to 3,500 pounds. The CX-50’s driving experience differed from the CX-5, feeling more like other models in its segment. The Meridian Edition’s all-terrain tires added noise and limited grip, and the roof platform contributed to wind noise at highway speeds.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet’s GT Plus-trim leather seats were noticeably more comfortable than the base GT’s cloth seats, with four-way powered lumbar adjustment and two memory settings. The Track Pack offered Alcantara seats with similar features. The front passenger seat matched the driver’s for adjustability, though without memory function. Both seats were heated and ventilated by default for GT Plus, or heated with the Cold Weather package for GT. The driver-oriented cockpit layout favored the driver, with screen positioning and control placements feeling natural. However, the A-pillar’s angle occasionally blocked the view of traffic from the right.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 had similar passenger space to the CX-5, with slightly less headroom and more legroom in both rows. It offered 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 56.3 cubic feet with them folded, slightly less than the CX-5. The cargo area wasn’t ideal for dirty or bulky items, and the optional roof platform was high for shorter people. The interior layout was sensible, with adequate storage space and a substantial shifter and rotary infotainment controller on the center console. More durable materials would have been appropriate for the Meridian Edition, but the overall design was practical for less-active lifestyles.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet featured a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, larger than the 10.25-inch center display. The center stack and physical controls were angled toward the driver, with advanced features accessible through the touchscreen. The Uconnect 5 system was intuitive and easy to use, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, dual-phone Bluetooth connectivity, and Amazon Alexa connectivity. The GT Plus trim added a 14-speaker Harman Kardon system, wireless charging pad, and navigation.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 had a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, controlled by a rotary controller and buttons on the center console. Wireless Apple CarPlay was standard, but Android Auto required a cable. Higher trims included wireless phone charging, SiriusXM, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. The rotary controller provided physical feedback, making it easier to use without taking eyes off the road. However, the infotainment system felt dated with plain graphics and basic functions, appealing to buyers who preferred simplicity.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet came standard with advanced driver-assistance features, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-path detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, a rear backup camera, and rear park-assist. The Tech Pack added front, side, and rear park-assist, driver-attention monitoring, and a 360-degree surround-view camera, enabling Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities. The Hornet had not yet been evaluated by IIHS or NHTSA.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 was named a 2023 Top Safety Pick by IIHS, receiving top scores in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. However, it scored lower for nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian tests and standard headlights. NHTSA ratings were incomplete, with five-star frontal crash-test and four-star rollover crash-test ratings. Standard safety features included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, driver attention monitor, and emergency lane-keeping. Optional features included rear automatic braking, traffic-jam assist, and a 360-degree camera system.