Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Lexus NX?

No. The Lexus NX is clearly more reliable. Its standing is good, while the Hornet's is mixed. Owners file complaints about Hornets at more than three times the NX rate per car sold. The Hornet's complaints involve door latches, drained batteries, and power loss that can disable steering assist.

Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the NX?

The NX has more, with 47 recalls across nine model years. The Hornet has 13 across three. The NX has simply been on sale much longer. Per model year the Hornet's count is still notable, and some owners report waiting on back-ordered recall parts.

What is the most common Dodge Hornet problem?

Electrical faults lead the Hornet's complaints. Door latches fail so doors won't open or latch, and some cars needed several latches replaced. Batteries drain when the car isn't driven daily. Some owners report total power loss, and say dealers could not find a fix.

What goes wrong most often on the Lexus NX?

Fuel pump trouble is the NX's most repeated serious complaint. The engine loses power and stalls with no warning, sometimes at highway speed, and it can return after the pump is replaced. Electrical faults and brake complaints also appear, and the brake complaints include four crash-linked reports.

Which Lexus NX years should I avoid?

Avoid 2022 and 2025, which are the weakest years in the data. The 2021 is the strongest year with a full record. The 2026 also ranks well, but it is too new to trust, since newer years have had less time to collect complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX: Reliability Compared

Dodge Hornet

Mixed

More Reliable

Lexus NX

Good

Reliability favors the Lexus NX over the Dodge Hornet by a wide margin. Owners file 21.7 complaints per 10,000 Hornets sold, against 6.3 for the NX. Door latch failures, battery drain, and driver-assist faults drive the Hornet's weaker record.

How Do the Dodge Hornet and Lexus NX Generations Compare?

Every used Hornet comes from a single generation, covering model years 2023 to 2025. The 2025 got a minor refresh. Because the design is the same throughout, there is no redesigned version to hold out for, and the youngest years have had little time to collect complaints. The NX has two generations. The first, called AZ10, ran from the 2015 to 2021 model years and was facelifted for 2018. The second, AZ20, began with the 2022 model year. A shopper looking at 2018 to 2021 gets the facelifted first generation, while a 2022 or later car is second generation.

Verdict

The Lexus NX is more reliable than the Dodge Hornet, scoring 79/100 vs 59/100.

The more reliable car is the Lexus NX, and the gap is large. Its owner complaint rate is less than a third of the Hornet's per car sold, and its standing is good against a mixed one for the Hornet. The NX does have more recalls on paper, 47 against 13, but those are spread over nine model years instead of three. The Hornet's complaints hit daily use: doors that won't open, drained batteries, and sudden power loss.

Key Differences

1Dodge Hornet has 34 fewer total recalls
2Lexus NX scores 20 points higher in reliability
3Lexus NX has 15.4 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

1Dodge Hornet

—

2Lexus NX

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX: Which Is More Reliable?

Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Dodge Hornet	Lexus NX
Reliability Score	59/100	79/100
Years Tracked	3	9
Total Recalls	13	47
Complaints per 10k Sold	21.7	6.3
Year Wins	0	3

What Are the Common Problems With the Dodge Hornet and Lexus NX?

Electrical faults that spread define the Hornet's record. Door latches fail, batteries drain, and after a jump start the center screen can stay dark. Power steering loss usually comes with that wider electrical failure. Driver-assist faults are its crash-linked risk: one owner reported lane assist steering the car off the road into a sign. The NX has a different profile. Fuel pump failure stalls the engine with no warning, sometimes at highway speed. Its brake complaints include four crash-linked reports, including a rollover. The Hornet's brake complaints are mostly about a recall notice, with none crash-linked.

Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX common problem areas comparison
Component	Dodge Hornet	Lexus NX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6.8Average	0.4Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	2.5Low	0.2Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	0.5Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	2Low	—None
STEERING	1.8Low	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.5Low	—None
ENGINE	1.3Low	—None
STRUCTURE	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.5Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.4Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	—None
AIR BAGS	—None	—None

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

How Does Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX Reliability Compare by Year?

Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Dodge Hornet	Lexus NX	Edge
2025	64/1002R / 1C	77/1007R / 13C	Lexus NX
2024	54/1007R / 60C	77/10014R / 129C	Lexus NX
2023	59/1004R / 25C	77/10010R / 27C	Lexus NX

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Dodge Hornet scored 59/100 and the 2024 Lexus NX 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 Lexus NX?

Choose the Lexus NX if you want a compact SUV that starts, unlocks, and drives without drama. Its complaint rate is low, and the strongest year in the data that has had time on the road is 2021, the last year of the first generation. Avoid 2022 and 2025, the weakest years. Treat 2026 as too new to judge, since a short record says little yet. Ask for fuel pump service history, because stalling is the NX's most repeated serious complaint. Consider a Hornet only if the price is far below comparable cars and you can live with long dealer waits. Skip 2024, the weakest year. The 2023 model appears on both the strongest and weakest lists, so check it closely. The 2025 looks cleaner, but it has had the least time to collect complaints. Before buying any Hornet, check the VIN for open recalls, and test every door latch, the rear camera, and the driver-assist systems.

Dodge Hornet vs Lexus NX: Common Questions

Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Lexus NX?: No. The Lexus NX is clearly more reliable. Its standing is good, while the Hornet's is mixed. Owners file complaints about Hornets at more than three times the NX rate per car sold. The Hornet's complaints involve door latches, drained batteries, and power loss that can disable steering assist.
Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the NX?: The NX has more, with 47 recalls across nine model years. The Hornet has 13 across three. The NX has simply been on sale much longer. Per model year the Hornet's count is still notable, and some owners report waiting on back-ordered recall parts.
What is the most common Dodge Hornet problem?: Electrical faults lead the Hornet's complaints. Door latches fail so doors won't open or latch, and some cars needed several latches replaced. Batteries drain when the car isn't driven daily. Some owners report total power loss, and say dealers could not find a fix.
What goes wrong most often on the Lexus NX?: Fuel pump trouble is the NX's most repeated serious complaint. The engine loses power and stalls with no warning, sometimes at highway speed, and it can return after the pump is replaced. Electrical faults and brake complaints also appear, and the brake complaints include four crash-linked reports.
Which Lexus NX years should I avoid?: Avoid 2022 and 2025, which are the weakest years in the data. The 2021 is the strongest year with a full record. The 2026 also ranks well, but it is too new to trust, since newer years have had less time to collect complaints.

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More Lexus NX comparisons

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How we score the Dodge Hornet and Lexus NX

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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