Jeep Compass vs Dodge Hornet

The 2024 Dodge Hornet boasted the distinctive styling that was synonymous with the Dodge brand, reinforcing its aggressive persona even though it was not a V8 muscle car like the Charger or Challenger. Dodge’s trademark look was evident, from its hefty front end to the integrated heat extractors on the hood, giving it a tough appearance. The grille was split into a large opening at the bottom, a smaller 'mail slot' in the middle, and a new emblem, the Rhombi, prominently displayed front and center on the upper grille—a first for Dodge.

Moving to the rear, the Hornet continued its bold design with a tail lamp stretching the width of the crossover, featuring an illuminated Rhomb that signaled performance. The oversized tailpipes at the rear corners further emphasized that this crossover had Dodge’s performance ethos at its core.

The Hornet was available in four trims: GT and GT Plus with a regular gas engine, and the R/T and R/T Plus which came with a more advanced plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. Our test vehicle, an R/T Plus with the Blacktop Package, offered black wheels, black mirror caps, and darker badging and window trim for an incremental cost of about $1,600.

Built alongside the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Hornet shared visual similarities with its Italian sibling. However, its blunt nose highlighted classic Dodge design cues, while the Tonale’s front end was more streamlined. Inside, thanks to its Italian lineage, the Hornet’s interior was surprisingly modern for a Dodge, especially notable in our test vehicle with the $2,595 Track Pack, which included Alcantara upholstery and a center stack tilted slightly towards the driver. Despite some ergonomic disappointments like slightly outdated steering wheel buttons and overly bolstered seats, the Hornet’s cabin felt sporty and user-focused, aided by a physical climate control switch setup and a widescreen infotainment display.

Contrastingly, the 2024 Jeep Compass, although redesigned, struggled with its visual appeal, especially in its rental-car guise like the Sport trim we tested. Excluding the iconic seven-slot grille, the Compass appeared generic, lacking distinguishable features. In higher trims like the Trailhawk with its distinctive red tow hooks, revised bumpers, and mild lift, the Compass did convey a more rugged, Jeep-like identity, but at a significant additional cost.

Last tested in its fully loaded Limited trim for 2023, the Compass’ interior shone with a mix of black and gray hues accented by caramel leatherette. The 2022 redesign uplifted the base trim’s interior, offering supportive cloth seats with blue stitching and enhanced fit and finish. However, the exterior remained plain across most trims, with little to set it apart from other compact SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 or Chevrolet Equinox.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet was offered in several powertrain options tied to its GT and R/T trims. The Hornet GT, a gas-only model, was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 268 horsepower and a robust 295 pound-feet of torque paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). Although the engine required premium fuel, the GT provided impressive performance stats for a compact crossover.

Our test vehicle, the R/T trim, was more complex with a plug-in hybrid system comprising a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 15.5-kWh battery, and two electric motors. Collectively, the system produced 288 horsepower and an astonishing 383 pound-feet of torque. Despite the added weight of around 425 pounds due to the battery, the R/T was quick and utilized an electric AWD system, contrasting the mechanical linkage in the GT.

This hybrid setup also featured a unique Powershot mode, offering an additional 30 horsepower for brief periods, activated through paddle shifters. The suspension balanced between softness to absorb road imperfections and stiffness to minimize body roll. The Hornet R/T could travel around 30 miles on electric power alone, accommodating short commutes.

In comparison, the 2024 Jeep Compass dropped its old 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine in favor of a detuned version of the Cherokee’s turbocharged 2.0-liter Inline-four. This engine delivered 200 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD, giving the Compass the power boost it direly needed. Despite its improvements, steering and handling remained weak points, lacking the precision and drive dynamics present in the Hornet.

The Compass featured three driving modes—Auto, Snow, and Sand/Mud—with a 50-50 torque split for optimized traction. The Compass Trailhawk added a low-range transfer case, metal skid plates, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance for off-road capabilities, making it a costly yet unique add-on in the compact SUV segment.

Fuel economy was better in the Compass, with an estimated 24 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined, compared to the Hornet GT's 21/29/24 ratings and the varying efficiency of the Hornet R/T hybrid mode.

From a practical perspective, the Dodge Hornet catered well to front occupants, offering excellent headroom and visibility. However, the rear seats suffered from a cramped and claustrophobic feeling exacerbated by a high beltline and black interior. The Hornet presented decent space on paper with 38 inches of legroom and headroom in the back, but the overall feel didn’t match these numbers.

The R/T’s PHEV battery reduced cargo capacity under the floor, providing 22.9 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 50.5 cubic feet when folded, compared to the GT’s 27 and 54.7 cubic feet, respectively. Both were noticeably less than the Hyundai Tucson PHEV’s 32 and 72 cubic feet.

Meanwhile, the Jeep Compass excelled in utility and ease of use. The driver’s seat featured clear analog gauges and well-placed buttons for audio and climate control, though temperature readings were conspicuously absent. Visibility and sight lines were commendable. Front headroom was particularly ample without a sunroof, and rear spaces offered generous legroom and headroom, alongside rear vents, USB ports, and a center armrest.

The Compass had competitive cargo space with 27.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 59.8 cubic feet when folded, also allowing the front passenger seat to fold for longer items—an advantage over many competitors, including the Hornet.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet’s technology stood out with a 12.3-inch customizable digital driver display and a best-in-class 10.25-inch widescreen infotainment system. UConnect 5, Dodge’s Android-based system, was intuitive and customizable, despite some initial responsiveness issues likely due to our pre-production test model. Standard features included wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a premium Harman Kardon audio system, and wireless phone charging, though the layout lacked a convenient place for wired phone storage.

The Jeep Compass also impressed with a standard 10.1-inch touchscreen integrated with Uconnect 5 software, which was user-friendly and free from legibility issues even in bright conditions. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, 4G Wi-Fi, and USB-C ports were standard. Additional tech options included built-in navigation, a wireless charging pad, and a comprehensive digital instrument panel available on higher trims. The semi-automated driving system, Active Driving Assist, was available on higher trims with additional features included in the Elite Group package.

Neither the 2023 nor 2024 Dodge Hornet had crash-test ratings from NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. However, Dodge included a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as standard. These included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional features like advanced adaptive cruise control were available with a more advanced version available for a cost.

The 2024 Jeep Compass shared a similar fate regarding crash-test results. The 2022 model received four out of five stars from NHTSA and earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick with top ratings in all crash tests. Compass came standard with forward emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control on higher trims. The optional features included parking sensors, 360-degree cameras, and rain-sensing wipers.