Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Honda CR-V?

No. The CR-V is clearly more reliable. It draws 8 complaints per 10,000 sold, while the Hornet draws 21.7. The Hornet's reliability standing is mixed, with repeated reports of door latch failure, battery drain, and total power loss. The CR-V's standing is good despite its own steering and collision-braking complaints.

Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the CR-V?

The CR-V has more recalls in total, with 46 across 9 model years. The Hornet has 13 across just 3 model years. The CR-V simply has more years on the road, so the per-year gap is smaller. Check the VIN for open recalls on either car.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Hornet or the CR-V?

Only the CR-V has repair-cost data here. Independent figures put its annual repair cost at $407, with 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year and a 9% chance that a repair is major. There is no comparable figure for the Hornet, so a cost comparison between them is not possible.

What goes wrong with the Honda CR-V steering?

The wheel sticks or feels notchy, then breaks free with a sudden jerk. It usually starts on the highway and spreads to slower speeds. Owners often report it between 2,500 and 13,000 miles, and it gets worse over time. There are 24 crash-linked steering complaints, and dealers often cannot reproduce the problem.

What are the most common Dodge Hornet problems?

Electrical faults lead, with 27 complaints. Door latches fail so doors will not open or latch, and the battery drains when the car is not driven daily. Owners also report total power loss and a center screen that stays dark after a jump start. Dealers often cannot find a fix.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V: Reliability Compared

Dodge Hornet

Mixed

More Reliable

Honda CR-V

Good

On reliability, the Honda CR-V beats the Dodge Hornet by a wide margin. Owners file far fewer complaints per car sold. The Hornet's door latch failures, dead batteries, and sudden power loss are the main reasons it falls behind in this comparison.

How Do the Dodge Hornet and Honda CR-V Generations Compare?

Only one generation exists for the Hornet, and it covers 2023 through 2025. A minor refresh arrived for 2025. Every Hornet you can buy used is therefore the same basic design, and the main difference between years is the refresh. The CR-V data runs from 2018 to 2026. Model years 2018 through 2022 belong to the fifth generation, which received a facelift for 2020. The sixth generation started in 2023 and was listed through 2025. A shopper looking at older CR-Vs will mostly be choosing between the pre-facelift and post-facelift fifth generation.

Verdict

The Honda CR-V is more reliable than the Dodge Hornet, scoring 75/100 vs 59/100.

Reliability favors the Honda CR-V by a large margin. Owners file far fewer complaints per car sold, and the CR-V's standing is good while the Hornet's is mixed. The Hornet's complaints center on door latches, dead batteries, and total power loss that dealers often cannot fix. The CR-V has serious faults of its own, including sticking steering, but they reach a smaller share of cars. That difference in how often owners run into trouble decides it.

Key Differences

1Dodge Hornet has 33 fewer total recalls
2Honda CR-V scores 16 points higher in reliability
3Honda CR-V has 13.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1Dodge Hornet

—

2Honda CR-V

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V: Which Is More Reliable?

Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Dodge Hornet	Honda CR-V
Reliability Score	59/100	75/100
Years Tracked	3	9
Total Recalls	13	46
Complaints per 10k Sold	21.7	8
Year Wins	0	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Dodge Hornet and Honda CR-V?

Electrical trouble dominates the Hornet's record. Door latches fail, batteries drain, and the center screen can stay dark after a jump start. Power steering loss usually follows a wider electrical failure. The CR-V's steering fault is different: the wheel sticks, then breaks free with a jerk. The CR-V also has crash-linked complaints in steering, electrical, engine, and forward collision areas, including 24 in steering. The Hornet has a single crash-linked report in each of three areas (electrical, back over prevention, forward collision) and none in steering. Both models have driver-assist systems that brake or shut off without cause.

Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V common problem areas comparison
Component	Dodge Hornet	Honda CR-V
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6.8Average	0.9Very Low
STEERING	1.8Low	1.8Low
SERVICE BRAKES	2.5Low	0.4Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.5Low	1Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	0.3Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	2Low	—None
ENGINE	1.3Low	0.7Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.6Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.4Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V Reliability Compare by Year?

Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Dodge Hornet	Honda CR-V	Edge
2025	64/1002R / 1C	80/1006R / 201C	Honda CR-V
2024	54/1007R / 60C	77/1004R / 406C	Honda CR-V
2023	59/1004R / 25C	72/1007R / 578C	Honda CR-V

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Dodge Hornet scored 59/100 and the 2024 Honda CR-V scored 77/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Dodge Hornet vs the Honda CR-V?

If you want the lower-risk used car, pick the CR-V. Its complaint rate is 8 per 10,000 sold, against 21.7 for the Hornet, and repair data puts annual upkeep at $407. Target 2025 or 2026, its strongest years, though newer years have had less time to collect complaints. Treat 2018 and 2019 as the ones to avoid. Run the VIN for open recalls, since owners describe waiting on repair parts. On a test drive, check for a sticky wheel on the highway and for sudden braking warnings. Consider the Hornet only if the price is clearly lower and you accept more risk. Look at 2025 first, since it ranks among the strongest years, and be careful with 2024, the weakest. The 2023 year appears on both the strongest and weakest lists, so inspect it closely. Test every door latch from inside and out, and ask about battery drain. Skip it if the car will sit for days between drives, because owners report dead batteries in that case.

Dodge Hornet vs Honda CR-V: Common Questions

Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Honda CR-V?: No. The CR-V is clearly more reliable. It draws 8 complaints per 10,000 sold, while the Hornet draws 21.7. The Hornet's reliability standing is mixed, with repeated reports of door latch failure, battery drain, and total power loss. The CR-V's standing is good despite its own steering and collision-braking complaints.
Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the CR-V?: The CR-V has more recalls in total, with 46 across 9 model years. The Hornet has 13 across just 3 model years. The CR-V simply has more years on the road, so the per-year gap is smaller. Check the VIN for open recalls on either car.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Hornet or the CR-V?: Only the CR-V has repair-cost data here. Independent figures put its annual repair cost at $407, with 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year and a 9% chance that a repair is major. There is no comparable figure for the Hornet, so a cost comparison between them is not possible.
What goes wrong with the Honda CR-V steering?: The wheel sticks or feels notchy, then breaks free with a sudden jerk. It usually starts on the highway and spreads to slower speeds. Owners often report it between 2,500 and 13,000 miles, and it gets worse over time. There are 24 crash-linked steering complaints, and dealers often cannot reproduce the problem.
What are the most common Dodge Hornet problems?: Electrical faults lead, with 27 complaints. Door latches fail so doors will not open or latch, and the battery drains when the car is not driven daily. Owners also report total power loss and a center screen that stays dark after a jump start. Dealers often cannot find a fix.

More Dodge Hornet comparisons

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More Honda CR-V comparisons

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Decided between Dodge Hornet and Honda CR-V? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Dodge Hornet and Honda CR-V

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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