Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Jeep Compass?

No. The Jeep Compass comes out well ahead. Hornet owners file about 21.7 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 11.8 for the Compass. The Hornet's reports center on electrical faults such as door latches and dead batteries, and it has only three model years of history.

Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the Compass?

The Compass has slightly more in total, at 15 recalls, but they span eight model years. The Hornet has 13 recalls across just three model years. That makes the Hornet's recall load much heavier per year, and owners reported long waits for parts.

Which costs less to repair, the Hornet or the Compass?

Only the Compass has repair-cost data. Independent figures put its annual repair cost at $526, with 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year and an 11% chance that a repair is major. No comparable figures exist for the Hornet, so a cost comparison is not possible.

What goes wrong most often on the Jeep Compass?

Electrical stalls are the biggest issue. The engine shuts off with transmission, ESC, AWD, and coolant warnings all lit, and dealers often cannot reproduce it. Engine reports include a false coolant temperature warning and oil burning. The costliest cases involve coolant mixing with oil or transmission fluid.

Are the Hornet's driver-assist problems dangerous?

They can be. One owner reported adaptive cruise switching off while lane assist steered the car off the road, and the car hit a sign. Others described hard braking on an open highway with nothing ahead. Owners said dealers had no fix and told them to wait for a software update.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass: Reliability Compared

Dodge Hornet

Mixed

More Reliable

Jeep Compass

Good

Reliability favors the Jeep Compass by a wide margin over the Dodge Hornet. Hornet owners file complaints at nearly twice the Compass rate. The Hornet also collected 13 recalls in just three model years, and owners describe long waits for repair parts.

How Do the Dodge Hornet and Jeep Compass Generations Compare?

Every used Hornet comes from one first generation that covers 2023 through 2025, with a minor refresh in 2025. All of them are early in their life, so the complaint history is still growing and no year is proven. The Compass is in its second generation, which began in 2017, and a facelift arrived in 2022. Shoppers looking at 2018 to 2025 are almost all buying this generation. The record covers eight model years, which is why the Compass picture is clearer, problems included.

Verdict

The Jeep Compass is more reliable than the Dodge Hornet, scoring 75/100 vs 59/100.

The more reliable choice is the Compass, and the gap is large. Hornet owners file complaints at a much higher rate, and the Hornet piled up 13 recalls in only three model years. Its trouble centers on door latches, dead batteries, and driver-assist systems that shut off. The Compass has serious problems of its own, mainly stalls and engine or coolant failures. But it has a record across eight model years and a good reliability standing. The Hornet has no such record yet.

Key Differences

1Jeep Compass scores 16 points higher in reliability
2Jeep Compass has 9.9 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Dodge Hornet has 2 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

1Dodge Hornet

—

2Jeep Compass

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass: Which Is More Reliable?

Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Dodge Hornet	Jeep Compass
Reliability Score	59/100	75/100
Years Tracked	3	8
Total Recalls	13	15
Complaints per 10k Sold	21.7	11.8
Year Wins	0	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Dodge Hornet and Jeep Compass?

Electronics dominate Hornet complaints. Door latches fail, batteries drain, and a jump start can leave the center screen dark. Adaptive cruise and lane assist shut off, and one owner reported a crash after lane assist steered the car off the road. Compass complaints are more mechanical and more severe. Sudden stalls with a dash full of warnings dominate, coolant mixes with oil or transmission fluid, and steering racks fail. Crash-linked reports on the Compass appear in power train, steering, engine, and electrical. The Hornet has none in steering or engine.

Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass common problem areas comparison
Component	Dodge Hornet	Jeep Compass
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6.8Average	4.1Average
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	1.4Low
ENGINE	1.3Low	1.9Low
SERVICE BRAKES	2.5Low	0.3Very Low
STEERING	1.8Low	0.5Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.5Very Low	1.6Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	2Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.5Low	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.5Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.5Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None

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

How Does Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass Reliability Compare by Year?

Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Dodge Hornet	Jeep Compass	Edge
2025	64/1002R / 1C	83/1000R / 13C	Jeep Compass
2024	54/1007R / 60C	84/1000R / 34C	Jeep Compass
2023	59/1004R / 25C	78/1002R / 43C	Jeep Compass

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Dodge Hornet scored 59/100 and the 2024 Jeep Compass scored 84/100 — 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 Jeep Compass?

Pick the Compass if you want the safer long-term bet. Its complaint rate is lower, and independent repair-cost data shows modest yearly costs. Target 2024 or 2025, but remember newer years have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2018 and 2022, the weakest years. Before buying any Compass, ask whether the engine ever stalled or showed a false coolant warning, and check for milky fluid or oil burning. Consider the Hornet only if you can accept electrical risk and long waits for recall parts. Owners reported back-ordered parts, no loaner cars, and dealers who could not find a fix for battery drain or driver-assist shutoffs. All three Hornet years are recent, so none is proven. Before you buy one, confirm every recall repair is finished on the federal site, since one owner found a VIN still listed as open after the dealer said the work was done. Test the door latches, the rear camera, and the cruise control.

Dodge Hornet vs Jeep Compass: Common Questions

Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Jeep Compass?: No. The Jeep Compass comes out well ahead. Hornet owners file about 21.7 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 11.8 for the Compass. The Hornet's reports center on electrical faults such as door latches and dead batteries, and it has only three model years of history.
Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the Compass?: The Compass has slightly more in total, at 15 recalls, but they span eight model years. The Hornet has 13 recalls across just three model years. That makes the Hornet's recall load much heavier per year, and owners reported long waits for parts.
Which costs less to repair, the Hornet or the Compass?: Only the Compass has repair-cost data. Independent figures put its annual repair cost at $526, with 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year and an 11% chance that a repair is major. No comparable figures exist for the Hornet, so a cost comparison is not possible.
What goes wrong most often on the Jeep Compass?: Electrical stalls are the biggest issue. The engine shuts off with transmission, ESC, AWD, and coolant warnings all lit, and dealers often cannot reproduce it. Engine reports include a false coolant temperature warning and oil burning. The costliest cases involve coolant mixing with oil or transmission fluid.
Are the Hornet's driver-assist problems dangerous?: They can be. One owner reported adaptive cruise switching off while lane assist steered the car off the road, and the car hit a sign. Others described hard braking on an open highway with nothing ahead. Owners said dealers had no fix and told them to wait for a software update.

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How we score the Dodge Hornet and Jeep Compass

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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