Dodge Hornet: Years to Avoid and Best Years to Buy
Dodge Hornet: 3 model years scored from 48 NHTSA owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns. Worst year 2024, best year 2023.
Year-by-year data table
Best year in our data: 2023 (score 79). Worst: 2024 (score 72, BUY).
| Year | Score | Verdict | Running cost / yr | NHTSA complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | DATA PENDING | $3,080 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 72 | BUY | $3,429 | 22 | 7 |
| 2023 | 79 | BUY | $3,524 | 26 | 5 |
Running cost is fuel or energy plus the maintenance band midpoint for that car at its age today, re-priced to your country. Purchase price, insurance and depreciation are not included.
Photographs and every generation of the Hornet, through the years →
Hornet sub-models & family
Variants & trims on record
Body, powertrain and trim variants of the Hornet on the federal record. Variants folded into this nameplate are counted in this page's data; the rest have too thin a record for a page of their own yet.
What goes wrong on the Dodge Hornet
Across every Hornet model year in our index, owners report these component groups most often. The cost beside each one is the representative repair for that group at a US independent shop, re-priced to your country.
- Electrical System20 complaints across all Hornet years · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement$540–$1,310
- Forward Collision Avoidance12 complaints across all Hornet years · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration$780–$2,160
- Unknown Or Other7 complaints across all Hornet years · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair$360–$940
- Back Over Prevention6 complaints across all Hornet years · typical job: Reversing camera or park-sensor replacement$420–$940
- Service Brakes5 complaints across all Hornet years · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles$580–$1,140
- Engine5 complaints across all Hornet years · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair$1,040–$2,220
Flat-rate labour hours x local shop rate plus a parts band. An estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote. Formula.
FAQ
What is the best year for the Dodge Hornet?
On our data the 2023 Dodge Hornet scores 79/100 — the highest of the 3 model years we hold, with 26 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns on record.
Which Dodge Hornet years should I avoid?
The 2024 is the weakest year we score, at 72/100 (BUY), on 22 complaints and 7 recalls. Check the year-by-year table above before committing to any particular car.
What is the most common Dodge Hornet problem?
20 of the complaints filed against the Hornet across all its model years sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component.
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Sources: NHTSA, EPA · Methodology · Updated 2026-10-04