2023 Dodge Hornet vs 2024 Subaru Outback

The 2023 Dodge Hornet showcased a front end that unmistakably displayed Dodge DNA, featuring muscle-car styling cues like the wide, mean “raccoon mask” face, bulging hood, dual extractors, and the classic Dodge “mail slot” beneath the illuminated Rhombi logo. From the rear, the Hornet bore a resemblance to the Porsche Macan or Cayenne, with upward-pointing windows that added a 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. The Hornet continued Dodge’s tradition of “High Impact Paint” with seven vibrant exterior colors. Inside, the Hornet featured performance-inspired elements like red stitching and a flat-bottomed steering wheel, with various seating options ranging from manual-adjust cloth seats to power-adjustable perforated leather seats.

The 2024 Subaru Outback, particularly in the Wilderness trim, received a new front fascia and LED fog lights, while the rest of the lineup retained the look from the 2023 facelift. The dark gray cladding contrasted nicely with the Autumn Green Metallic color of the Touring XT tester, which was surprisingly appealing. Different trims featured varying levels of black and chrome exterior fittings, with the Touring trim having the most chrome. Wheel sizes and designs also varied, with the Wilderness trim getting matte black 17-inch wheels and the Onyx Edition sizing up to 18-inch black wheels. The interior of the top-trim test car was impressive, with Java Brown Nappa leather upholstery that was both handsome and supple. Other trims featured different seating materials, from standard leather to Subaru’s StarTex synthetic leather and cloth seats on the base and Premium trims.

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 enhanced throttle response, steering, and upshifts, achieving a zero-to-60 time of 6.5 seconds. The base Hornet GT was peppy from a standstill but exhibited a noticeable lag when accelerating from cruising speeds. The Hornet R/T’s hybrid powertrain improved pickup pace, making it a more balanced option for performance enthusiasts.

The 2024 Subaru Outback featured a “Boxer” horizontally opposed engine, with the base 2.5-liter flat-four producing 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. The XT trims, including the Wilderness, were upgraded to a 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque, and increasing towing capacity to 3,500 lbs. The Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) were standard. The turbo powertrain managed the vehicle’s weight better than the base engine, and the CVT mimicked the sound and feel of eight distinct gears. The Outback’s suspension and reasonably sized wheels contributed to a comfortable ride, with the Wilderness trim offering 9.2 inches of ground clearance and all-terrain tires for off-road adventures.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet’s GT Plus trim featured leather seats with four-way powered lumbar adjustment and two memory settings, enhancing comfort. The Alcantara seats in the Track Pack offered similar features. The driver-oriented cockpit layout favored the driver, with the screen positioning and control placements feeling natural. However, the angle of the A-pillar occasionally obstructed the view of traffic from the right. This quirk was situational and dependent on the driver’s position.

The 2024 Subaru Outback offered ample interior space despite its sleeker proportions. It provided more headroom and legroom in the front row compared to the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, and competitive rear-seat legroom. The cargo area measured 32.6 cubic feet with all seats in place and 75.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat were standard on most trims, with higher trims offering additional features like a powered front passenger seat, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. The hands-free power liftgate and power moonroof were available on higher trims, and the raised roof rails with retractable cross bars were standard.

The 2023 Dodge Hornet featured a driver-focused cockpit with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen angled toward the driver. 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 premium sound system, a wireless charging pad, and navigation.

The 2024 Subaru Outback’s top-trim test car had an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen, with the base trim retaining a dual-7-inch-screen system. The Subaru Starlink multimedia platform included standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, which became wireless starting with the Premium trim. Climate controls were managed through the touchscreen, with hard buttons for defoggers and temperature adjustments. Wi-Fi capability, Bluetooth, HD Radio, and SiriusXM connectivity were standard, with most trims featuring a 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

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

The 2024 Subaru Outback earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The EyeSight suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies was standard, including adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane-keep assist, and automatic emergency steering. Blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on the Onyx Edition. The Touring trim added a wide-angle camera, a digital rearview mirror, and a driver-attention monitor.