Which Vehicles Are the Best for Folks Who Own Dogs

There are really only a few vehicle types which really fit perfectly with the lifestyle of a dog owner. Many of these vehicles have a certain set of specific features which makes each one perfect for certain dog owners.

The wide variety of new vehicles we have available to us is quite staggering, but finding the right one for you and your dog is one of the most important financial decisions a dog owner will make.

I have some friends who own a beautiful chocolate lab, and she is exceptionally happy to take a ride in almost any vehicle, but when Maggie has her choice to hang her head out the window of one of their two vehicles, she will always go up to the Ford F-150 before she heads to the Ford Escape Hybrid. I think because she can sit up higher in the truck and she can see more stuff during a trip!

Dogs are more or less independent thinkers, and most would be just as happy to ride on a moped with their master as they would be in a Cadillac, they just want to be with us on this big adventure we are all on. Dogs do seem to enjoy having their human be on their toes constantly guessing what their pet is thinking. However most dog owners seem to have some form of telepathy which makes it appear as though they are connected to their pet in a way that is too complex to define, and there is definitely more to this relationship than meets the eye.

So I have driven, worked on, or looked at many different vehicles that I feel are perfect for any animal owner, especially dogs. Here I have compiled my list of six perfect vehicles for almost any dog owner.

1) SUV -Jeep Patriot is one of the less costly versions of the most versatile SUV's ever built, and they will take the owner and his or her dogs almost anywhere they want to go! The entry level pricing at around $15,400 makes it one of the best bargains in the entire Jeep fleet. This model is front wheel drive, and if you must have four wheel, then it can cost you about $1500 more for that upgrade. The Patriot has a lot of features which makes it the perfect car for dog owners! The cargo area is a generous 63 cubic feet with luggage space of 23 cubic feet, and it seats five adults reasonably well. The 2.0 Liter 4 cylinder engine has 158 horsepower, which is powerful enough to get you and the dogs wherever you need to be. Fuel economy is not too bad at 23 mpg city and 29 highway.

2) Wagon - Kia Soul Wagon is a small but mighty vehicle that leaves plenty of cash in your pocket for dog treats! This compact wagon is nimble and quite affordable. Base price is just $13,000 MSRP. This comes with a 1.6 Liter 4 cylinder engine that raps out a smooth 122 horsepower. Fuel economy is pretty good with 26 mpg city and 31 on the highway. It is specified to seat five, and that sounds good on paper, maybe if the people in the back seats are wee, but full sized American adults will find it cramped. Your dogs however will love the view from all corners. The cargo room is surprisingly large for this sized vehicle at 53 cubic feet, and 19.3 cubic feet for luggage. Test drive one, and you will likely agree!

3) Crossover - Subaru Forester is a truly refined all wheel drive machine with plenty of space for your dogs, friends, and your things. The Subaru crossover and wagons are excellent vehicles for dog owners since they offer generous area for cargo, and the Forester is rated at 68 cubic feet cargo and 33.5 luggage. The roof line is higher than most wagons, and the hatchback opens well above your head allowing complete and easy access to storage area. The engine is a 2.5 Liter horizontally opposed affair which delivers a stout 170 horsepower. The Forester gets 20 mpg in the city, and 27 on the highway. Seating for five is just comfortable, but your dogs will have plenty of area for spreading out on a road trip! Base price is $20,295 and is well worth every penny when you compare the high quality, plus big cargo area, and strong horsepower to similar models.

4) Hatchback - Hyundai Accent is a very affordable compact hatchback with a decent area for your dogs, and easy access via the rear hatch that lifts well above your head. These would work well for people with medium sized dogs or smaller, but if you have large dogs, then you would probably both feel cramped in this vehicle. One of it's more attractive features has to be the super low price of just $9,985 MSRP. With a 1.6 Liter 4 cylinder 110 horsepower engine, this small hatch back gets 28 mpg city and 34 highway miles. It is supposed to seat five passengers, but I really don't agree unless the 3 sitting in the back are children or very small adults. However the rear seating area is big enough for your dogs. There is 15.9 cubic feet of cargo area in the rear and this can be used for all your gear or your best friends.

5) Van - Mazda 5 Compact Minivan is a great compromise of space and economy. The price is very reasonable at $18,510 considering how much vehicle you get for your dollar. Compact minivans are not new to the United States, but it is likely that they are seeing a revival with gas prices staying high like they have been. This minivan is set up to carry six passengers, which means plenty of room for your dogs! Then with all rear seats folded flat you have five full feet of flat floor to work with! This arrangement is great for hauling your show dogs in their cages. The cargo area is 44 cubic feet which really is quite a lot for a minivan this size. Headroom is not an issue either since the roof is really quite high for a minivan. The engine is a potent little 2.3 Liter four cylinder that yields 153 horsepower, and gets 22 mpg city, and 28 mpg highway.

6) Pickup Truck - Toyota Tacoma Double Cab is arguably one of the most universal and useful trucks on the market today. The best pick up trucks for dog owners would definitely have the crew cab versus the extend cab. This way the dog is never riding on the drivers lap! I have seen more people around town with their dogs riding in the cab of their pickup versus keeping them in the bed, which is much safer! If the bed is covered with a cap, and the dogs are in a strapped down cage, it would definitely be better for them than riding in an open bed. So the model I feel works best for dog owners would be the Toyota Tacoma "Double Cab" model, which is pretty much the same as a Crew Cab. These have a six foot bed standard, and with that kind of space you can haul any size dog inside the cab or in a cage in the bed. The engine is 2.7 Liter 4 cylinder that gets 159 horsepower, and the fuel economy is satisfactory at 19 mpg city, and 25 highway. The double cab gives you enough room that this model seats five adults comfortably. This means that your puppies will be very comfortable riding around town as well. This pickup is surprisingly affordable at around $22,000 you can be the big dog on your block!

In summary there are so many dog friendly models to choose from, and each one may have some of the requirements covered for most dog owners, but few will have everything that all dog owners will want or need in their vehicle. This list should give you a really good idea of the relative merits of each style of vehicle, while still focusing on keeping the price tag low. I realize there are almost as many opinions on the topic of pet ownership as there are pet owners!

Pricing and specifications were hunted down via local dealerships, and newspaper ads.

Detailed specifications were found at the following websites:

www.jeep.com/

www.kia.com/

www.subaru.com/

www.hyundaiusa.com/accent/

www.mazdausa.com/

www.toyota.com/

www.edmunds.com/

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