Compare the2026 Chevrolet TrailblazerVS 2025 Dodge Hornet

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 Trailblazer 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.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Hornet doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Trailblazer and the Hornet have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Trailblazer’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Hornet’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 21 percent more Chevrolet dealers than there are Dodge dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Trailblazer’s warranty.

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 Trailblazer’s reliability 19 points higher than the Hornet.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trailblazer third among small suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Hornet isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is rated lower.

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

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

The Trailblazer has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet R/T’s standard fuel tank (13.2 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Trailblazer has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Hornet doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Trailblazer stops much shorter than the Hornet:

For better traction, the Trailblazer has larger standard tires than the Hornet (225/60R17 vs. 215/60R17). The Trailblazer RS’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Hornet (245/45R19 vs. 235/40R20).

The Trailblazer has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Hornet doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Trailblazer ACTIV AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Hornet GT pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Trailblazer’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Hornet R/T’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.9 feet). The Trailblazer’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Hornet GT’s (36.8 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Trailblazer has a 1.9 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Hornet R/T (8 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the Trailblazer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 900 pounds less than the Dodge Hornet.

The Trailblazer is 4.5 inches shorter than the Hornet, making the Trailblazer easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Trailblazer 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 Trailblazer AWD uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Hornet doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Trailblazer has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more rear headroom and 1 inch more rear legroom than the Hornet.

The front step up height for the Trailblazer is 2.8 inches lower than the Hornet (17” vs. 19.8”). The Trailblazer’s rear step up height is 2.3 inches lower than the Hornet’s (17.4” vs. 19.7”).

The Trailblazer’s cargo area is larger than the Hornet’s in every dimension:

The Trailblazer AWD can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Trailblazer can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Hornet can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Trailblazer’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Hornet has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Trailblazer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Hornet doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Trailblazer 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.

Consumer Reports rated the Trailblazer’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Hornet’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Trailblazer LT/ACTIV/RS offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Hornet doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Trailblazer is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Hornet doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Chevrolet Trailblazer outsold the Dodge Hornet by almost 11 to one during 2025.