Compare the2026 Kia NiroVS 2025 Dodge Hornet

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Kia Niro have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Dodge Hornet doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Niro are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Hornet doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Niro and Hornet have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Niro has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Hornet’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Niro and the Hornet have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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 and available front and rear parking sensors.

The Niro comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Hornet’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Niro 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Dodge covers the Hornet. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Hornet ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Niro’s reliability 19 points higher than the Hornet.

On the EPA test cycle the Niro gets better mileage than the Hornet running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Niro uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Hornet requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia Niro higher (6 out of 10) than the Dodge Hornet (5 to 6). This means the Niro produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Hornet every 15,000 miles.

The Niro offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Hornet doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Niro stops shorter than the Hornet:

The Niro has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Hornet doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Niro’s wheelbase is 3.3 inches longer than on the Hornet (107.1 inches vs. 103.8 inches).

The Niro SX handles at .84 G’s, while the Hornet GT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Niro’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the Hornet R/T’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.9 feet). The Niro’s turning circle is 3.2 feet tighter than the Hornet GT’s (34.8 feet vs. 38 feet).

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 900 pounds less than the Dodge Hornet.

The Niro is 4 inches shorter than the Hornet, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Niro uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Hornet doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Niro has 1.7 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Hornet.

The Niro has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Hornet with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

The Niro SX’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Hornet doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Niro has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Hornet only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

When the Niro SX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Hornet’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia Niro, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Dodge Hornet isn't recommended.

The Kia Niro outsold the Dodge Hornet by over three to one during 2025.