The 10 best cars for dogs and dog owners

Need to carry your dog in a Dacia? Looking to haul your hound in a Hyundai? Or do you want to put your Schnauzer in a Skoda? We’ve fetched the top 10 cars for dogs on sale today.

Dogs are comfortably the most popular pets in the UK. Naturally, man’s best friend deserves to travel in comfort and style, so picking a car that can keep your pooch pleased on the way to and from walkies is an important consideration for owners.

Here we’ve highlighted some of the best cars for dog owners. We have an equal split between estates and SUVs, because both have their merits. For example, estates tend to be closer to the ground, so it’s easier to get in and out, but SUVs often have more space.

Our top dog-friendly cars are:

1. Volkswagen Passat
2. Kia EV9
3. Mercedes E-Class Estate
4. Dacia Jogger
5. Skoda Enyaq
6. Land Rover Defender
7. Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer
8. Volkswagen ID Buzz
9. Hyundai Ioniq 5
10. BMW M3 Touring

1) Volkswagen Passat

• 690 litres of boot space with seats up
• 1,920 litres of space with seats folded
• Good value for money for the space
• Efficient plug-in hybrid model

The all-new Volkswagen Passat is here, and this mega-spacious estate car is a dream for dog lovers. It has an absolutely cavernous boot, a low load lip for your pooch to get in and plenty of cubby spaces for leads and – more importantly – treats.

When you’re ferrying around your less furry friends, the Passat offers acres of space in the back seats as well as in the front. Fitting a child seat is also a breeze thanks to the wide rear door and easy-access ISOFIX anchors.

2) Kia EV9

• 333 litres of boot space with all three rows in place
• 828 litres with third row folded
• Great electric range
• Good-looking electric SUV

Few electric SUVs are as imposing to look at as the Kia EV9, and this all-new seven-seater is ideal for carrying your four-legged friend. Even with all seven seats in place there’s more than enough space for your dog to be comfortable, and it’s almost palatial back there with the third row folded down.

Beyond the excellent practicality, the EV9 has all the equipment you could ever need. The cabin looks and feels great as well, and the range is impressive for a car of this size. It’s just a shame that it’s wearing a hefty price tag.

3) Mercedes E-Class Estate

• 615 litres of boot space with seats up
• 1,830 litres with seats folded
• Properly posh estate car
• Cutting-edge interior tech

The new Mercedes E-Class is one properly posh executive car, and it’s now available as a practical estate so your dog can come along for the ride. This alternative to the Audi A6 Avant has a massive boot, and the estate body shell means any elderly canines won’t have far to jump up into the car.

Beyond the added practicality, the E-Class Estate comes with all the same luxuries as the saloon. The interior technology is cutting edge and, if it drives anything like its three-box counterpart, it will be supremely comfortable.

4) Dacia Jogger

• 160 litres of boot space with seven seats up
• 700 litres with third row folded
• Massive 2,085 litres with all seats folded
• Fantastic value for money

Looking at the other end of the car buying spectrum, the Dacia Jogger is a budget-friendly seven seater with a lot going for it. With the third row of seats removed there’s space for even the largest of Great Danes, and there’s even enough room for smaller dogs with all the seats in place.

Very few cars offer this much space for so little cash, and it doesn’t feel lille driving around in a barn either. There’s a decent amount of kit in the Jogger, and it’s pretty comfortable as well. Just don’t expect much in the way of luxury inside.

5) Skoda Enyaq

• 585 litres of boot space with the seats up
• 1,710 litres with the seats folded
• Affordable, practical electric SUV
• Range of over 300 miles

Skoda has a long standing reputation for cavernous practicality, and the Enyaq is evidence of this. The massive 585-litre boot is a good square shape, and there’s no load lip for your dog to haul itself over. The handy cubbies in the boot are also good for keeping all dog-related paraphernalia out of harm’s way.

Outside of hound hauling duties, the Enyaq is great to drive thanks to the comfortable suspension setup and quiet cabin. Just avoid the vRS version as it has a much more firm feeling to it.

6) Land Rover Defender

• 786-litre boot in the 110 model
• 1,094-litre boot in the 130 model
• Over 2,000 litres of seats down space in the 130
• Loads of off-road ability

Fancy taking your beloved pooch for some countryside walkies? Well the Land Rover Defender will be able to take you anywhere you want to go. It has a massive boot – if you avoid the three-door 90 model. Go for the 110 and you have 786 litres of space, or the stretched 130, which has more than 1,000 litres even with the second row of seats in place.

Although the cabin is posher than Defenders of old, it still has the rugged appeal of a proper workhorse 4×4 in the boot, so you don’t have to worry about getting mud out of fancy carpets.

7) Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer

• 608 litres with the seats up
• 1,634 litres of seats down space
• Plug-in hybrid is a bit less spacious
• Rare electric estate

The latest Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer is a handsome thing, and it’s not a case of form over function. The boot is a useful 608 litres with the rear seats in place, and it grows to a massive 1,635 litres with them down.

There are plenty of power options as well. The Astra is available with petrol engines, as a plug-in hybrid and even as a pure EV. The latter two models do lose a touch of boot space, but not enough for Fido to notice.

8) Volkswagen ID Buzz

• Huge 1,121 litres of boot space
• Loads of space for other things
• Range of 258 miles
• Looks fantastic

If an estate car or SUV is a bit too run of the mill for you, why not try something completely different. The Volkswagen ID Buzz is a real head-turner thanks to its quirky styling, but more importantly it’s also insanely spacious inside.

It has a humongous 1,121-litre boot. That’s big enough to get your dog in the back and still have enough space for a weekend away. With a range of 258 miles, you’ll be able to get to all of your favourite walking spots with no stress.

9) Hyundai Ioniq 5

• 527 litres in the boot
• 1,587 litres with the back seats down
• Wide boot with no load lip
• Nearly 300 miles from a charge

If you want an eye-catching electric car, but you’re willing to sacrifice some space in exchange for more range, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a good option. The long range model gets 298 miles per charge, and although its boot is about half the size of the ID Buzz, it should still be big enough for all but the most massive of mongrels.

What makes the Hyundai stand out, though, is that you can use the battery to charge and run other electrical items. It means that you can use the car to bring the dog and the family on a weekend away, then use it to keep things like camping equipment and e-bikes working.

10) BMW M3 Touring

• 500 litres of seats up space
• 1,510 litres with the seats down
• No load lip
• Wild performance

Buying a 510hp dog wagon may seem like a daft idea, but the BMW M3 Touring actually has all the prerequisites of a capable canine companion. Sure, the 500-litre boot isn’t the largest out there, but there’s no load lip and it’s still plenty big enough for most breeds.

The stiff ride does have the potential to aggravate your Alsatian, but you’ll have just as much fun on the way to your walk as you’ll have on it. Just don’t forget the dog is back there when you’re thinking about exploiting the M3’s excellent handling.

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