Best dog-friendly cars..

Well, be honest with you, there are not many cars that would survive where we live, or survive the roads we travel when we go camping or on off-the-beaten-path adventures, the few we've tried, we ended up tearing up the axles, smashing the oil pan, etc on accident.

We've been the proud owners of 2 Isuzu Rodeo's now. First was a '91 Rodeo, and our current '97 Rodeo is still running strongly and provides plenty of room for 3 dogs - 2 little, 1 big dog, couple of kids, and all our gear for a weekend out.

It sounds like you don't need the ground clearance, 4-wheel drive, and they are most surely not hybrids, but they've been 2 of the most reliable vehicles we've ever owned.

With only having one big dog and our love for the outdoors, I couldn't fathom going back to a car as a sole vehicle....we wouldn't be able to get to our favorite spots.

Have you thought about a minivan?? Maybe not a fully loaded, all decked out one, but they would provide you with boatloads of space for decent gas mileage.

I don't know if you're going to find a hybrid that's big enough for a huge dog or multiple dogs and their cages.

I have thought about a minivan, I've been specially interested in the Toyota Sienna LE.. but the MPG is 18-19 ish. I'm just a bit of a hippy at heart and would like something that would be cheaper for gas, (it's really expensive here), and just a better car enviromentally wise. Hybrid would be a plus, .. but to fit lots of dogs, or just a few big ones into a hybrid is stretching it a bit I think, especially if I'm thinking about doing dog walking.. which would mean 5-7 dogs in the car, lmao.. So I don't think it would be realistic to be thinking about a hybrid. But the idea of getting something like a prius, which has 45 MPG.. and a estimated of 50 MPG with the 09 model toyota will be making.. would be awesome. Lmao

I won't be doing much offroading or anything, just basic city driving. The point of the thread is for personal review on cars people owned, .. how well they fit their dogs and reliability and gas mileage.

thanks for the input

I wound up going with a Saab 9-5 wagon which is great for a big dog and I think a 42" crate might fit but not the 48".   Certainly multiple smaller crates and dogs would fit easily. But the gas mileage isn't great.  Heck after 7 yrs in the UK where you can get the super clean diesels and wagons form every manufacturer I don't think anything here is 'great' gas mileage or for that matter even adequate.  Sorry pet peeve of mine that there isn't more on offer here.  The Saab gets about 30 hwy but 20-22 in town. Bleh!

I know now Dodge is coming out with a wagon based on the Avenger and Ford on the Taurus which may have decent clearance.  When I was looking I found the Mazda6 wagon ( very nice), the Subaru Outback and Passat wagons to be too short (as in roof to floor) for my needs.  The Saab cargo area is taller.

I did think that the Honda Element was probably the best dog vehicle available but I didn't like the ride.  Not sure if they have that in a hybrid.  Going larger you can look at the Ford Escape (Mazda Tribute) which come in hybrids.  One car I didn't look at but would next time is the Mazda5 - I think that would offer good cargo space for a large dog, decent gas mileage (its a smaller vehicle) and I have always like the Mazda ride

Need ot run but those are some thoughts
 

I am incredibly happy with my Saturn Vue.  Luke is a large dog (27"/90lbs) and a requirement for my vehicle was to be able to fit both him and his show crate at the same time.  I soon found out that the average car couldn't handle that!

I always keep the rear seats folded forward in my Vue and the floor is covered with a waterproof SUV cover.  Luke has a big round dog bed in the back portion, as we soon found out that he slipped around on the cover without it.

When we go to shows I slide his (folded) crate between the front seats and the folded rear seats.  Then I just stack/store all of our luggage/bags towards the front and give him the back -- he still has plenty of room to stretch out and relax.

I could haul up to three large(r) dogs without a problem.  It's really a great vehicle for me.

DH has the Vue also and I really like it.  When we fold the seats forward we can fit everyone in and they still have some room.  Everyone consists of 2 small dogs, 2 medium dogs, and 1 large dog.  If I were going to put crates in the car....I'm not sure.....

 i think any vehicle you look at that is big enough to carry 5-7 dogs, and fit their crates is going to get crappy mileage. you are talking about a pretty big car.

since you say you are a hippy looking for something with an alternative fuel source, have you thought about buying a diesel and converting it to a grease engine? http://www.greasecar.com/ 

This lady has been reviewing cars on the basis of dog-friendliness, here's the site.

 

Dog Cars

 nice find swamper.

Honda Odyssey.

I can fit 4 36" crates with probably 4-6 smaller crates (less than 20" high) on top of those.  If you don't need crates and just space, then you could fit 8 dogs in it free easily with room.  (no seats btw)

I have 2 36" long crates in the back most of the time with the rear seats folded down, the 2 bucket seats available for passengers and room for bags, folding chairs, etc behind the bucket seats.

We get about 18-20 city and 24-26 highway in mpg.  Can drive 800 miles in just over 2 tanks of gas, though that's filling up when the light comes on and it comes on with 7 gallons left.

LOVE IT!  Great for crating out of and all over driving.  Comfy seats and I bought a 2002 model used and it had leather seats (heated!), automatic climate control and all the other stuff except DVD player.  Dogs don't really  need TV. (neither do kids but that's a different topic!) 

Karissa - I've been wanting a Saturn VUE for exactly what you describe.  Now that there are two extra dogs in the household, I have more reasons to need more room.  We went camping last weekend and all three dogs were crammed into the small cab of BF's truck.  What a pain, and unsafe even with seatbelts.

sera_j has a Nissan Rogue and loves it.  Either of those vehicles are calling me lately.... (oye, do I really want car payments again??)

I LOVE my PT Cruiser.  No the mileage isn't super BUT the back seats come completely out SO easily and/or fold up and away so I've got TONS of room back there.  It drives like a dream (now yea, I do have a Turbo).

Thanks for the replies everyone. I went to the toyota dealership yesterday and was looking at the sienna.. the third and fourth row fold flat into the floor, and the second row with the "captain seats" fold up behind the passenger and driver seats, and can actually be completely removed. The space alone was enough to sell me.. especially since the "show" car in the building was the exact model I was looking at.. very comfortable seats.. heated leather.. lmao. The dealer was very nice, .. no pressure at all and actually refrained from talking over my head to my mum, which most people, not just sales people, do. He talked to me, and basically only me about the sienna, and then talked to my mum about the yaris she was interested in. He was a good salesperson, but thats because he is actually the second best in canada, ... as his awards on the desk shown. Looll He also owns a Sienna too, .. so he provided a personal review too. Suprisingly he still talked to me about the car even though I told him I'm shopping in advance.. I'm going to be buying this car next july (not this summer) when I have the money to buy it straight out. So, come july I will hopefully be the new owner of a Sienna LE. ... My first car and it's going to be brand new. LOL Kinda cool.

On the German Shepherd board a lot of people said Chevy Blazers are good because the government uses them, thus it's much easier to find equipment like dog boxes, mounted dog crates, etc that are made specifically to fit in the Blazer.