Best cars for dogs 2022

Published: 18 December 2020

Updated: 26 August 2022

When you’ve got a dog (or several), having the right car can make journeys more comfortable for both you and your pampered pooch. What makes a car good for dogs? Well, a boot large enough for them to be able to hop in, turn around and lie down or sit is a must. Being able to get them in and out of the back easily is a deal-breaker too, while a smooth ride helps to keep your people and your pets happy on longer trips. Here are our top 10 best used cars for dogs (and their owners), with something to suit every budget and breed.

The Dacia Duster is a car that has everything you need to keep dogs and their owners happy. For starters, there’s a large, well-shaped boot that’s easy to clean and has enough space for even large dogs to get comfortable.

As a no-nonsense SUV, the Duster also has high ground clearance so it might be able to get you to some of the more exciting walking spots than are reachable in your average hatchback. Then there’s the price. The Duster is one of the most cost-effective SUVs you can buy, giving you the full SUV experience for the price of a small hatchback and very low running costs.

Read our Dacia Duster review

If you want to keep your canine pals close at hand, then a Honda Jazz could be perfect for you. This is because the Jazz has a ‘Magic Seat’ system that allows you to flip up the bases of the back seats like in a cinema to create a flat, spacious area for your dog immediately behind the front seats. You can also fold the back seats to create an even bigger boot, in case 354 litres isn’t enough for you, which gives the Jazz the space and practicality of a much larger car.

As with any Honda, the Jazz is likely to be a reliable companion, so your dog’s trip to the beach is unlikely to be interrupted by an unexpected breakdown.

Read our Honda Jazz review

• The best used cars with big boots

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The Volvo V90 feels so sophisticated you might ask your dog to wipe its feet before it jumps into the 560-litre boot. There are plenty of practical touches to go with the plush carpets including handy tie-down hooks, storage nets and an electric boot lid. A useful optional extra is the dog gate with a load compartment divider, which means your dog can’t jump out when you open the boot.

There’s a choice of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options and all versions are well equipped, with leather trim and heated seats standard on all models, plus you get Volvo’s attractive and intuitive touchscreen infotainment system.

Owning a dog – especially a larger breed – makes the practicality and large boot opening of an SUV very appealing. But what if you can only stretch to the running costs of a family hatchback? Then look no further than the Nissan Qashqai. This is Britain’s most popular mid-size SUV and its commanding driving position, high-quality interior and good standard of features make it easy to recommend.
The 430-litre boot should be big enough for most dogs, while the wide opening means they’ll find it easy to jump in and out. And because it’s so popular, there are always dozens for sale on the Cazoo website, so you should have no problem finding a Qashqai that’s right for you.

Read our Nissan Qashqai review

There are few cars better than a Land Rover Discovery for ferrying a brace of golden retrievers for a jolly good stroll around the country park. And few cars do it with such a quintessentially British sense of style, either.

Dog-friendly options include a premium quilted load-space liner to protect the floor and seatbacks, a foldable pet access ramp, a portable shower and a foldable pet carrier. What’s standard fit, though, is the massive boot. In seven-seat mode, you’ll have 228 litres of boot space, which is roughly the same as in a small hatchback. This extends to 698 litres in six-seat mode, which is more than enough for those golden retrievers we mentioned.

Read our Land Rover Discovery review

The Renault Captur is based on the Clio supermini, but clever packaging means there’s more room for your dog. The boot is huge for a car of this size, and the back seats slide forwards and backwards to create even more space for your dog to stretch out.

All models are fuel-efficient, with some diesel versions having an official average of almost 80mpg. You’ll be helping to keep you and your pets safer with a Renault Captur, too, because the model scored five stars in the Euro NCAP safety assessment programme.

Read our Renault Captur review

If your dog insists on travelling in luxury, you should consider the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate. In many ways this is the perfect car for dogs and its 640 litres of luggage space means even a Great Dane will find plenty of room. Meanwhile, a very low loading lip and a wide boot opening makes it easy for dogs to hop in and out. All models have an electric boot lid for added convenience. Don’t worry, it has an auto-stop feature that will keep it from closing if your dog decides to put its paw in the way!

The AMG Line trim is very popular. It adds some sporty style to the outside, along with some tech and cosmetic upgrades to the inside. You can choose from among a range of engines, but the E220d provides the best balance of strong performance and excellent fuel economy.

The BMW X1 is BMW’s smallest SUV, but it’s still more than up to the task of dog-carrying duties. With 505 litres of space available in the boot, along with room for three adults across the back seats, you’ll be able to chauffeur both kids and pets in comfort. An electric boot lid comes as standard, too, which can be opened by waving your foot under the rear bumper. Useful when ushering eager pooches in and out.

This is a clever car. It’s no larger than a small family hatchback like a Ford Focus on the outside, but the proportions and interior space give it the feel of a bigger and more expensive SUV.

Read our BMW X1 review

There are lots of reasons the Skoda Karoq should be on your list if you’re looking for a mid-size SUV. It’s excellent value, spacious and comfortable inside, and available with a range of trims and engines to suit various budgets. 

It’s a particularly good choice if you’ve got a dog (or dogs) because the boot opening is large and dog-friendly and the boot itself is tall and wide. Some versions of the Karoq also have what Skoda calls ‘Varioflex’ back seats, where the back row is made up of three sections that you can slide back and forth, recline or even remove entirely. It’s a very handy feature if you want to carry people and pets, a mix of loads, or simply want to give a large dog space to stretch out and relax after a long run.

Read our Skoda Karoq review

You might choose the Mini Clubman because of its quirky design or its premium image, but if you’re a dog owner you could equally choose it because of how well-suited it is to journeys with your four-legged friend. 

Unlike most cars of a similar size, which have sloping boot lids and back windows, the Clubman has an almost vertical back window that gives your dog more room to manoeuvre in the boot. The Clubman is also easy for your pet to get in and out of because the boot opening is low and there’s only a short drop to the boot floor. The Clubman’s real party piece, though, is its two side-hinged back doors in place of a traditional top-hinged boot lid. These doors are small, light and open independently, making loading and unloading your dog (or your luggage, of course) a doddle. As a company, Mini offers all manner of accessories for dog owners and even has a dedicated ‘Dogs Hub’ on its website.

Read our Mini Clubman review

These are our favourite cars for you and your dog(s). There are lots of great-value used cars to choose from at Cazoo. Simply use the search function to find one you love then buy or finance it online. You can choose to have it delivered to your door, or you can collect it from your nearest Cazoo Customer Centre.

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