Ford Escape vs Dodge Hornet

The 2024 Dodge Hornet embraced Dodge’s distinctive bold styling, even though it wasn’t a V8 muscle car like the Charger or Challenger. It featured a muscular front end with integrated heat extractors on the hood. The grille was divided into a large bottom opening, a smaller "mail slot" in the middle, and a new logo, the Rhombi, prominently displayed on the upper portion. This emblem had been seen before but never as the sole identifier for a Dodge model. At the back, the tail lamps spanned the width of the crossover, with an illuminated Rhomb at the center and oversized tailpipes at the lower corners, underscoring its performance-focused nature.

The Hornet came in four trim levels: GT, GT Plus, R/T, and R/T Plus. The R/T Plus model, tested here, was equipped with the Blacktop Package, adding black wheels, black mirror caps, and darker badging for $1,600. The Hornet, built alongside the Alfa Romeo Tonale, bore visual similarities with its Italian sibling but retained classic Dodge elements like a blunt nose.

Inside, the Hornet’s interior mirrored its Italian cousin, offering a modern feel uncommon in Dodge models. The $2,595 Track Pack in our test vehicle provided Alcantara upholstery and Dodge Rhombi logos on the seats. The center stack was slightly driver-oriented, with physical switches for climate control and an extensive infotainment display contributing to a driver-focused cockpit.

Conversely, Ford updated the 2024 Escape to breathe new life into the design introduced in 2023. This included a restyled front end for a more aggressive look, new wheel designs, and a revamped trim lineup. However, the rest of the SUV maintained a soft and generic appearance.

Available in models like Active, ST-Line, ST-Line Select, ST-Line Elite, Platinum, and Plug-in Hybrid, our ST-Line Elite test vehicle boasted Rapid Red paint, black 19-inch wheels, and a Premium Technology Package. The loaded trim came with luxurious interior features such as diamond-stitched leather seats, though their feel left much to be desired. Despite looking upscale initially, the overly glossy surfaces and stiff upholstery diminished the sense of value.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet offered two primary powertrains. The GT model featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 268 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Its fuel economy was 21 mpg in the city, 29 on the highway, and 24 combined, but required premium fuel.

Our R/T test vehicle was a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) with a 1.3-liter turbocharged engine, a 15.5-kWh battery, and two electric motors, delivering a combined 288 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. It retained AWD, though via an electric system, and a six-speed automatic transmission. The R/T weighed approximately 425 pounds more due to its battery, affecting agility but providing a sporty feel, especially in Sport mode and with the Powershot feature adding 30 horsepower for 15 seconds. The suspension struck a balance between comfort and control.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line Elite offered two engines: a 192-horsepower hybrid and a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine generating 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Our test vehicle had the turbo engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, achieving 26 mpg combined.

Despite being labeled sporty, the ST-Line Elite’s driving dynamics didn’t quite match its appearance. The turbo supplied quick acceleration, but the ride remained soft and compliant, with handling affected by excessive body motion. The steering was sluggish, though the brakes were responsive. Overall, the Escape ST-Line Elite prioritized comfort over sportiness.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet focused on front passenger comfort. Front headroom and visibility were good, but the rear felt cramped due to the high beltline and all-black interior. The rear seat offered roughly 38 inches of legroom and headroom, though it felt claustrophobic. The R/T’s PHEV battery reduced cargo space to 22.9 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 50.5 cubic feet with the seats folded, compared to 27 and 54.7 cubic feet for the GT.

For the 2024 Ford Escape, black was the only interior color available in the ST-Line, with cloth and artificial leather upholstery accentuated by red stitching. The front seats were large and supportive, with dual-zone climate control and various comfort features. However, ventilated seats were missing.

The Escape’s rear seat was comfortable when slid back, and ingress/egress was easy. Interior storage was ample in the front, but rear passengers had fewer accommodations. Cargo volume was 37.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats (34.4 for the hybrid) and 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded (60.8 for the hybrid), making it more capacious than the Hornet.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet boasted a best-in-class 12.3-inch digital driver display and a 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment system running on UConnect 5. This setup was customizable and user-friendly, though occasionally slow in response due to RAM issues. Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a Harman Kardon audio system, and wireless charging were available, though the phone placement wasn’t ideal.

The 2024 Ford Escape featured digital instrumentation with either an 8-inch or 12.3-inch display and a 13.2-inch Sync 4 infotainment system. The landscape format was intuitive but marred by a washed-out appearance and thin fonts. The climate controls were embedded in the screen, further complicating usability.

Sync 4 included wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM 360L, and FordPass Connect. The larger screen added Amazon Alexa and connected navigation, with a Bang & Olufsen sound system available. However, the system had delayed responses, and the wireless charger could overheat devices. The head-up display projected onto a plastic panel rather than the windshield, included in the Premium Technology Package.

Dodge’s 2024 Hornet hadn’t been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS but included plentiful ADAS features as standard. These ranged from automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist to blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control was standard, while higher-level autonomous features were available with the Tech Pack.

Ford’s 2024 Escape came with Co-Pilot360 driving assistance, including forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking. Additional features in the ST-Line Elite were adaptive cruise control, lane-centering, evasive steering, and a 360-degree camera system. However, the performance of some systems, like lane-keeping, was inconsistent.

NHTSA rated the Escape favorably with five-star overall ratings except for rollover and Plug-in Hybrid frontal-impact ratings at four stars. IIHS had yet to rate the 2024 Escape but had mostly rated the 2023 model with Good scores.