Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Tesla Model Y?

Slightly, yes. The Hornet has a lower complaint rate, at 21.7 per 10,000 sold against 24.3 for the Model Y, and far fewer recalls. Both are rated mixed. The lead is narrow, and it comes mainly from fewer crash-linked problem areas.

Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the Model Y?

The Model Y has more. Federal recall records show 83 across six model years, against 13 across three for the Hornet. The Model Y has been on the road longer, so part of the gap is time. Check any VIN on the federal site for open repairs.

What is the biggest problem with the Tesla Model Y?

Phantom braking leads. Owners say the car brakes hard on open highway with cruise control or Autopilot on, often shedding 5 to 10 mph and forcing traffic behind to swerve. Forward collision avoidance has 875 complaints, 41 of them crash-linked.

What goes wrong most often on the Dodge Hornet?

Electrical faults come first. Door latches fail, the battery drains when the car isn't driven daily, and the center screen can stay dark after a jump start. Owners say dealers often can't find a fix. Brake and rear camera complaints mostly concern waiting on recall parts.

Which model years should I avoid?

On the Model Y, avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. On the Hornet, be careful with 2024, and inspect any 2023 closely since it shows up as both strong and weak. 2025 cars look good on both but are newest, with less time to collect complaints.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Dodge Hornet

Mixed

Tesla Model Y

Mixed

Slightly ahead on reliability, the Dodge Hornet edges the Tesla Model Y on a lower complaint rate and fewer recalls. The deciding fact is severity: Model Y owners report crashes in every major problem area, while the Hornet's steering and brake complaints show none.

How Do the Dodge Hornet and Tesla Model Y Generations Compare?

Every Hornet a shopper can find used belongs to one first generation, sold 2023 through 2025, with a minor refresh for 2025. Because the car is so new, all its years have had limited time to collect complaints and recalls. The Model Y is also in its first generation, covering 2020 through 2025, and it received a refresh for 2025. That gives shoppers six model years to weigh. The earliest cars are its weakest, while the refreshed 2025 ranks among its strongest but is also the newest, so its record is still short.

Verdict

The Dodge Hornet is more reliable than the Tesla Model Y, scoring 59/100 vs 55/100.

Slight edge to the Dodge Hornet, and it is not a clear win. Both sit in the mixed range. The Hornet has a somewhat lower owner complaint rate and far fewer recalls, though it has been sold for only three model years. Severity decides it. Model Y owners report crashes in all five of their main problem areas, while the Hornet's worst reports are fewer. Its door latch and battery drain problems are more nuisance than danger. The gap is real but narrow.

Key Differences

1Dodge Hornet has 70 fewer total recalls
2Dodge Hornet scores 4 points higher in reliability
3Dodge Hornet has 2.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

3Dodge Hornet

—

0Tesla Model Y

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y: Which Is More Reliable?

Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Dodge Hornet	Tesla Model Y
Reliability Score	59/100	55/100
Years Tracked	3	6
Total Recalls	13	83
Complaints per 10k Sold	21.7	24.3
Year Wins	1	2

What Are the Common Problems With the Dodge Hornet and Tesla Model Y?

Electrical faults dominate Hornet complaints: door latches that fail, a battery that drains, and a center screen that stays dark after a jump start. Many brake and rear camera filings are about waiting for recall parts, not failures. Model Y complaints are broader and more dangerous. Phantom braking on the highway is the biggest pattern. Others include sudden acceleration while parking, worn front suspension links, and a failed drive inverter. Every top Model Y problem area has crash-linked reports. On the Hornet, steering and service brakes have none. Its crash-linked reports sit in electrical, back over prevention, and forward collision avoidance.

Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y common problem areas comparison
Component	Dodge Hornet	Tesla Model Y
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6.8Average	2.4Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.5Low	6.3Average
SERVICE BRAKES	2.5Low	1.9Low
STEERING	1.8Low	2.4Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.8Low	1.7Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	3.1Average
BACK OVER PREVENTION	2Low	0.3Very Low
ENGINE	1.3Low	—None
POWER TRAIN	0.5Very Low	0.3Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.8Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.6Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.3Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None

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

How Does Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y Reliability Compare by Year?

Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Dodge Hornet	Tesla Model Y	Edge
2025	64/1002R / 1C	70/1002R / 69C	Tesla Model Y
2024	54/1007R / 60C	63/1005R / 254C	Tesla Model Y
2023	59/1004R / 25C	53/10015R / 997C	Dodge Hornet

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Dodge Hornet scored 59/100 and the 2024 Tesla Model Y scored 63/100 — 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 Tesla Model Y?

Pick the Hornet if you want fewer safety-critical complaints and can live with electrical quirks. Test every door latch from inside and outside, and confirm the center screen and rear camera work. Ask whether open recall repairs are finished, since owners waited on back-ordered parts. Target 2025, but remember it has had less time to collect complaints, so a short list is not proof of quality. Be careful with 2024, one of its weakest years. 2023 appears as both strong and weak, so judge each car on its own condition. Pick the Model Y if you accept more risk from driver-assist behavior and want a model with far higher sales volume behind it. Test for phantom braking on cruise control and listen for creaking or clicking when turning. Reports of suspension wear start at roughly 37,876 to 39,000 miles, so scrutinize cars near that range. Target 2024 or 2025, knowing newer years have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years.

Dodge Hornet vs Tesla Model Y: Common Questions

Is the Dodge Hornet more reliable than the Tesla Model Y?: Slightly, yes. The Hornet has a lower complaint rate, at 21.7 per 10,000 sold against 24.3 for the Model Y, and far fewer recalls. Both are rated mixed. The lead is narrow, and it comes mainly from fewer crash-linked problem areas.
Which has more recalls, the Hornet or the Model Y?: The Model Y has more. Federal recall records show 83 across six model years, against 13 across three for the Hornet. The Model Y has been on the road longer, so part of the gap is time. Check any VIN on the federal site for open repairs.
What is the biggest problem with the Tesla Model Y?: Phantom braking leads. Owners say the car brakes hard on open highway with cruise control or Autopilot on, often shedding 5 to 10 mph and forcing traffic behind to swerve. Forward collision avoidance has 875 complaints, 41 of them crash-linked.
What goes wrong most often on the Dodge Hornet?: Electrical faults come first. Door latches fail, the battery drains when the car isn't driven daily, and the center screen can stay dark after a jump start. Owners say dealers often can't find a fix. Brake and rear camera complaints mostly concern waiting on recall parts.
Which model years should I avoid?: On the Model Y, avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. On the Hornet, be careful with 2024, and inspect any 2023 closely since it shows up as both strong and weak. 2025 cars look good on both but are newest, with less time to collect complaints.

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How we score the Dodge Hornet and Tesla Model Y

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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