Compare the2024 Dodge HornetVS 2024 Mazda CX-50

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Hornet are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Hornet has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Hornet and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

There are over 4 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Hornet’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Hornet has a standard 160-amp alternator. The CX-50’s standard 100-amp alternator and largest (Turbo) 150-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 63 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 25th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mazda is rated lower.

The Hornet GT’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 81 more horsepower (268 vs. 187) and 109 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 186) than the CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Hornet GT’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (268 vs. 256) than the CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Hornet R/T’s standard 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 32 more horsepower (288 vs. 256) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (383 vs. 320) than the CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hornet GT 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet running on electricity gets better mileage than the CX-50:

On the EPA test cycle the Hornet running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the CX-50:

The Hornet R/T can travel with zero emissions for 33 miles. The CX-50 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Hornet R/T’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the Hornet’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Mazda only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the CX-50 Turbo.

The Hornet has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Dodge Hornet, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-50.

For better stopping power the Hornet R/T’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-50:

The Hornet stops shorter than the CX-50:

The Hornet GT’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-50’s standard 65 series tires. The Hornet’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo’s 45 series tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Dodge Hornet has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Hornet has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Hornet flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Hornet offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Hornet R/T handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-50 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Hornet R/T executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the CX-50 (26.5 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Hornet is 7.8 inches shorter than the CX-50, making the Hornet easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Hornet has .7 inches more front hip room, 1.4 inches more rear hip room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Hornet’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Hornet offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The power windows standard on both the Hornet and the CX-50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Hornet is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the Hornet the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the CX-50 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Hornet’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-50 Preferred/Premium/Turbo.

Both the Hornet and the CX-50 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Hornet has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-50 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Hornet’s optional ParkSense Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The CX-50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.