The Best Car/vehicle For Dogs

[Tiggy]

I've got a Holden Astra wagon. Fits my two Staffords with room to spare but I'm trying to find out where I can get one of them cage things so I can leave them in there with the door up when we're at training/trials or get two of the station wagon crates but I'd rather the cage.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Tiggy

[griff]

I like the look of these

VW Caddy Maxi Life .

[wagsalot]

Suburu forester, but once again not quite big enough in the back and the guy reckons that they can't be fitted with a cargo barrier. The Mitsubishi outlander was much the same.

I had a forester with a cargo barrier fitted - that was a 04 model - I sold it to get my X Trail though due to the space problem.

[Rysup]

I LOVE my 05 Holden Adventra. LOVE IT. Just great for the dogs AND enough room for the family too. I can pop the rear window for ventilation when we stop without leaving the whole back up. Its just awesome and if it ever dies I will be distraught as they no longer make them.

[poodlefan]

I LOVE my 05 Holden Adventra. LOVE IT. Just great for the dogs AND enough room for the family too. I can pop the rear window for ventilation when we stop without leaving the whole back up. Its just awesome and if it ever dies I will be distraught as they no longer make them.

I'm really pissed they discontinued the Adventra.

[Bullbreedlover]

I LOVE my 05 Holden Adventra. LOVE IT. Just great for the dogs AND enough room for the family too. I can pop the rear window for ventilation when we stop without leaving the whole back up. Its just awesome and if it ever dies I will be distraught as they no longer make them.

I'm really pissed they discontinued the Adventra.

we have one

love it but it could be for sale to the right person for the right price.

2003 LX8 all the bells and whistles all wheel drive, leather seats, climate air con

[Quickasyoucan]

In my fantasy, I have loads of money world, I want a VW Tiguan, selfishly because it is only me and the dog.

However, looks like I will be stuck with my 2001 Toyota Echo - lucky I only have one dog, though it is surprisingly roomy and has fitted 2 large dogs and mine in the past!

[pie]

I've got a Holden Astra wagon. Fits my two Staffords with room to spare but I'm trying to find out where I can get one of them cage things so I can leave them in there with the door up when we're at training/trials or get two of the station wagon crates but I'd rather the cage.

You have what I want! I'm so getting one later on in the year.... hopefully!

[dwynwen]

In my fantasy, I have loads of money world, I want a VW Tiguan, selfishly because it is only me and the dog.

The tiguan is ok for athletic dogs... the sills are too high for my poor old arthritic beasties.

I'd swap ours for our old turbo forester in a heartbeat.

[A-B-C]

I have been looking for new wheels for over a year... had to shift my goal posts a bit in order for me to buy something I liked within the price range I had given myself.

Originally I wanted a dual cab with a canopy. Still do actually... but I found they are SO overpriced for what you get. The dual cabs within my price range were rather ords and the ones I liked were [obviously] out of my price range. Ideally I would have bought an Isuzu D-Max!!

Sooooo as much as I didn't want to I changed to looking at wagons... I have recently bought a Mitsubishi Outlander. It is a brilliant car. Quite economical, drives VERY well, dogs fit A OK... I really really liked the X-Trail (especially because the back had no carpet ), but I felt there is more room (especially height) in the back of the Outlander.

ETA pics

Edited April 27, 2010 by A-B-C

[Erny]

I emailed Honda asking about their "Element [Dog friendly version]" vehicle and when it was likely to be available in Australia and this is their response :

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the new Honda model.

Information regarding new model vehicles is withheld (including release dates) until the launch day.

Information will become available through www.honda.com.au/cars as soon as a public announcement is made.

Alternatively, information will become available through Honda "Newswire" Follow the prompt to subscribe to the newsletter which will be emailed to you direct on a monthly basis.

Honda Customer Service

Well ......... I guess they didn't say "no, it's not coming to Australia"

[SilverHaze]

I have a Rav4 - V6 model and i love it. So much room - enough power to tow our big ass dog trailer, and heaps of room for the dogs, show gear/race gear/whatever gear.

Prior to this i had a CRV - the older model, and it was great, but not enough power in the end. But the rav 4 has heaps more room! I love the false floor in it as well!

I really loved my Rav 4 it was brand new when I bought it, it still had the 4 cylinder motor but it was a 2.4 not the 1.8. Just not practical and big enough when I kept accumulating dogs hence the Wagon. Your V6 model sounds awesome, my dream car, now just to win tattslotto.

What is the benifit of the false floor? is it a space to put stuff?

Thanks for all the replys

I had never looked at the Rav4 before i got mine, and i'm quite shocked at how much smaller the older models are compared to the one i bought. I guess with the V6 they just upped the size of the car overall???

I have friends with outlanders & xtrails, and i feel my Rav4 V6 has alot more room inside. The false floor just gives you that much more storage space - you would be surprised at how deep the area is. I do forget i have things in there though!

The only complaints i have are the fuel tank is too small, and the side opening back door means it can't open when i have the trailer on. However the side opening door is much safer for getting dogs out, as opposed to the lift up door.

[cointreau]

I got a hyundai Tucson last year and I am very happy with it, my Dane fits in very well too. I am not the best for giving advice on cars as it really is just a Danemobile that has come with a chauffeur. I put one back seat down and leave one up and there is plenty of room for my dog, if necessary I am sure she could fit in the back with no seats down but I don't need to do that so I don't.

SilverHaze why do you think a side opening door is safer for getting dogs out? Mine lifts up I have no problems getting my girl in or out, she is harnessed in the car so is not able to jump out before I am ready to release her from the harness. The other advantage of my door is the window can be lifted up without opening the door.

[SilverHaze]

I guess i just have feral slippery siberians who will take any chance to jump out - whether they are tied in or not!

Depending on how many dogs i have in the car, i must admit i'm a bad owner and don't tie them all in. And especially if the car is packed to the hilt and dogs are packed on top of gear, there isn't any real option of tying them down!

[jellybean]

We have a Nissan Pathfinder and have found it a great size. It is a seven seater but you can fold everything down to have a huge space in the back but even with only the two rear seats down there is a lot of room in the back.

I have found it very economical but my previous car was a Triton dual cab that was very thirsty

[Nekhbet]

How about a holden Combo?

They fit a lot, drive like a car and easily cleaned

[LOVE GSD'S]

cant recommend this for you........I have a Nissen Micra and Ava takes up the whole back seat!! we get lots of comments

[ruthless]

I've got an Xtrail and love that. I have my back seats down all the time so there is stacks of room for doggie stuff (and furniture buying!) .

Same

I just took all four to Centennial Park. I couldn't have done that with my Beetle! I have the back seats folded and there are two crates side by side in that area. Then I still have the entire boot space available for when I go places with no dogs!

[Gamby]

I have a Ford Fairmont AU which is a big stationwagon and on gas. I have a barrier in between the back seats and the back as well as a gate in the boot. My dogs and cats 2 of each are securely locked in the car when I'm away from them. The boot is opened so that the air can circulate and the gate is lockable.

I have also got a bubble that can fit onto the carrier bars so that I can store things in it.

Before I had a Nissan Pintara which always seemed to be full of junk. The AU has room and more to cater for what I put in the car.

[cointreau]

I guess i just have feral slippery siberians who will take any chance to jump out - whether they are tied in or not!

Depending on how many dogs i have in the car, i must admit i'm a bad owner and don't tie them all in. And especially if the car is packed to the hilt and dogs are packed on top of gear, there isn't any real option of tying them down!

Thanks SilverHaze it makes sense if you don't have all your dogs restrained when you opent the door a side opening door would be much easier to close and keep the dogs safe than a lift up door. I guess I have been rather strict with cars and getting my dogs out in the past and have always made my dog wait until I am ready for them to get out of the car.