The Best Cars For Dog Owners

The spacious Nissan X-Trail is a fantastic SUV and a true dog mobile. Purchase Nissan’s optional Paw Pack and your dog will think she’s a VIP being chauffeured business class. The pack adds a slide away ramp into the boot for smaller dogs with little legs and for older hounds with mobility issues. Plus it adds a boot liner and a comfy bed for the dog to curl up in, a non-spill water bowl to keep them hydrated, and that all important dog guard to keep them separated from the rest of the car’s rather nice interior. It also includes a handy hanging rack for dog leads and toys. For the driver, you get a stylish car with a spacious cabin and efficient engines, in addition to the choice of seven seats and four-wheel drive – perfect for adventuring with the entire family.

Very popular with farmers and countryside enthusiasts, the Land Rover Discovery is a car built for adventures, able to tackle the harshest terrain. Naturally, it can handle a dog or two, or several if required. And here, the Discovery takes a softer approach, handling your dog with the same love and care and attention as you would yourself. In other words, the car comes with a fantastic selection of pet care options that range from the useful, to the canine luxurious, which (for humans) is still very useful. Accessories include: a foldable access ramp carrying up to 85kg for the biggest and most stubborn of dogs, a non-spill bowl, and a full-height luggage partition to keep same said stubborn mutts from snacking at your shopping. The best feature allows you, your fully off-road capable car, and your fun-loving dog to adventure together in the muddy wilds without having to worry about mess or dirt: it’s a portable rinse system for cleaning mucky paws, boots and bike wheels – perfect for rugged outdoor adventures.

The Volvo XC60 is one of the safest cars on the market designed with every family member in mind, which naturally includes your furry companion. The car comes with a great selection of pet-friendly options to allow your dog to travel in safety too, and to keep the luxurious interiors sparkling clean. Choose from a cargo compartment dog gate to keep them safe whilst the boot is open, a load divider to keep you shopping safe whilst your dog’s inside, and a protective steel grille to keep them in the boot safe and sound. There’s also the option of a handy bumper cover to protect it from scratches and mucky paws.

The Skoda Superb is known for its high levels of comfort, a relaxed driving experience, and a spacious cabin, including a massive 660-litre boot with a low loading lip. If we could have joint podium winners for this category, then the Skoda Superb would sit amongst them, because it also offers some fantastic pet equipment, like a dog safety belt to keep your canine friend safe and secure. There’s also Skoda’s excellent Backseat Protection sheet that spreads over the rear seats, providing a cover for the interior and a sturdy, non-slip hammock for your canine to happily lounge on whilst driving. Furthermore, there are additional options to help keep the car in its best shape, such as a rear bumper protector, a luggage grille, and a double-sided boot covering that has nice soft carpeting one side and dirt and water-repellent material on the other.

Available as a saloon and an estate, the ever-popular BMW 5 Series is great to drive, comfortable, spacious, luxurious, and a class-leader in almost every way. The estate version (the 5 Series Touring) embodies all of these things and it’s the ideal pooch mobile too, bringing luxury to you both. What makes it a winner in this department is the car’s 570-lite boot capacity, with a completely flat load bay and a very low load lip, making it super easy for dogs to climb in and out. All models come with a retractable luggage net too, so you don’t have to pay extra for, or install, a bulky a partition accessory to keep your dog out of the passenger seats. In addition, the 5 Series Touring has a very smooth ride experience for added comfort for your sleeping dogs.

Hot on the heels of the 5 Series is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class – the two cars both widely regarded as the top luxury executive vehicles on the market and close rivals. The E-Class, also available as a saloon or an estate, is a big and spacious car that’s just as comfortable for dogs as it is for us humans. If you opt for the estate model, your pup or pups will have an even comfier time thanks to a massive 670-litre boot, which is perfect for dogs to snuggle down in. It also has a low load lip, proving very easy to get in and out of, even for older dogs that are a little less agile. If you choose to fit the car with air suspension, you can lower the vehicle further allowing even easier access to the boot. Finally, all E-Class models offer a very smooth and very quiet ride, which is massively enjoyable for humans and dogs alike.

Available as a seven-seater and with two body lengths (Standard or Long), the Peugeot Rifter is a practical, family oriented multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that offers low running costs and a comfortable cabin. Inside, the vast interior takes a functional approach with hard, enduring plastics, which normally would mark a car down, but when it comes to owning dogs we’d say it gives the vehicle a boost up. And here the Peugeot excels, because if you do own dogs (emphasis on the plural) you can fit a whole furry troop of them inside the Rifter. The boot has no lip, letting dogs jump in easily, and its gargantuan size will accommodate several fully grown pets with ease. The Long version boasts a staggering 1,050 litres of space, extending to 4,000 litres with all the seats folded down, whilst the Standard still impresses with 775-litres and 3,000-litres respectively. From a canine’s perspective, the Rifter is so spacious it’s like a limousine.

Carrying Volvo’s high level of safety and practicality, the stylish looking V60 is a fantastic car for the whole family, including your pet. For dog owners, the car comes with an excellent selection of useful accessories like Volvo’s XC60. Options include: a handy boot gate to protect your dog whilst the boot is open, preventing them from running into the road, as well as a very useful luggage divider, separating your mutt from his (read yours) favourite snacks tucked away in your weekly shop. The boot is a spacious 539 litres, which can be extended to 1,441 litres with the rear seats down – ample room for a dog or two.

The Peugeot 308 SW is a small estate car with a huge boot, offering 660 litres of space as standard or 1,775 litres with the rear seats folded down. It’s a generous amount room for your little pooch, who will also thank you for the low floor and loading lip making it easier for them to climb in and out. As well, the dimensions of the boot accommodate those taller breed of dogs that like to stretch their legs or sit to attention. Furthermore, a dog guard is an optional extra too, dividing the canine’s territory from the rest of the cabin. For the driver, you get a comfortable car that’s cheap to run, saving you extra money for fido’s favourite chew sticks and treats.

Great value for money with a very low starting price, the Dacia Duster is a superb budget SUV. Opt for the 4×4 model and it’s also a capable off-roader taking you and your favourite dog on a mud churning adventure. Being so cheap as well, you won’t worry so much if your waggly friend does decide to take a nibble or a scratch at some part of the interior or other, as many dogs are fond to do. But to stop that happening, Dacia offers a pet pack which includes a boot liner to protect it from muddy paws and scratches, and a partition grille to keep fido confined to the boot. Talking of which, your dog will get a cosy 411 litres of space to curl up in or a generous 1,614 litres with the rear seats down – ideal for multiple dogs and big canines.