Small Cars that Fit BIG dogs?

[beowulf]

okay, wait - an 85lb greyhound? I need to meet this dog, like now.

Do you have to have brand new? Because Volvo & Subaru both got a lot of junk in the trunk. I’ve (reluctantly!) fit 2 GSDs and 3 40-60lb dogs in the back seat of my Subaru WRX. Was I pleased? No. Were they? Very.

My family has exclusively Volvos now - specifically, the older (pre 2000s) Volvo T95s and their ilk. Very roomy, leather seats = perfect for dogs.

What about a Scion XB? My best friend’s mother is a late-life dog convert and dove straight into the snake pit by getting TWO MASSIVE English labs - they have plenty of rompus room back there…

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

Definitely don’t need brand new! In fact, I won’t buy new, it will probably be 2012-2015 or so depending on mileage. I worry about Volvos for maintenance purposes (cost, essentially). I’ll do some research into the Scion, didn’t know they were so roomy.

I love my big Greyhound, he’s such a love bug. And he thinks he’s about 20 lbs and will try to sit on your lap. lol I’m going to try to attach a photo of him…we’ll see how this goes.

[csaper58]

@fizzyfuzzybuzzy

My fiance and I are looking to replace both of our cars. Right now we have horrible Dodge Caravan that we have taken all the seats out (a 2 seater mini van… :eyeroll: ) that we generally just use to drag the dogs around and go to IKEA. We are going to replace it with a 2500 Suburban (used) so that it can also be used to pull a 2H BP trailer. That being said, those suckers get like 3 miles per gallon so we don’t want to use it for commuting or short local trips. Can you find a diesel Suburban?

We are also going to replace my fiance’s 2007 Mazda 3 sedan that he uses to commute. We would like a smaller, fuel efficient car, but we’d also like for it to fit our dogs – a 85 lb Greyhound (he’s TALL) and our 30 lb Border Collie. Then we won’t have to take the gas guzzler every time we want to run to the state park to hike or run them to the vet.

I’ve done some research and like the Honda Fit, the Nissan Versa Hatchaback, the Ford Focus Hatchback and the Toyota Matrix hatchback, but I am completely open to any and all suggestions. Do any hatchback models have back seats that fold completely flat that I could put a cover over and they could have the whole back if needed? Ford Transit Connect?

Help!!

The suggestions in bold are mine.

The Honda Fit is tooooo small. A good used Toyota Camry, or Honda Accord maybe?

[fizzyfuzzybuzzy]

I am hoping to get a diesel Suburban! For sure my preference, we’ll see if I can find a decent one when we have cash in hand! Not really looking for two big cars, the Ford Transit is more car than we want for daily commuting. The Camry and accord aren’t hatchbacks, so makes crates impossible.

[emipou]

I had a matrix for a number of years that I bought to haul my saint around in. She wanted to go everywhere with me, so she did. Then my mom copied me and got herself a matrix for her bigger, grosser saint that wanted to go everywhere with her (and did). Looking back, I would have done what my mom did and get the leather interior because my dog ruined the cloth interior.

Now, I own a Toyota Rav4 so my dog can go in the truck space and I like that, though I wish there was better ventilation in the back. Luckily my current dog does not want to go everywhere with me, so I don’t take her often.

[hosspuller]

My two 80+ pound Dobermans fit in the back of my VW golf. I left the back cargo cover at home so both heads would be looking over the rear seat back. They would curl up together in the back too. I would just open the hatch and say “up” to get them to jump in. Two metal crates would fit folded up on the back seat too.

[katenreno]

My only contribution to this (I have a chiweenie, so she fits in my bike basket!) is don’t get the Ford Focus! So got a 2014 hatchback as a lease when we bought our truck because we wanted a little fuel-efficient car. Fuel efficiency is the only thing it has going for it. We are 2 1/2 years into our 3 year lease and despite taking meticulous care of the car, it’s falling apart. It feels like driving a tin can on wheels too; it’s very cheaply made. We cannot wait for this lease to be over. I also witnessed the same model and year-range focus get t-boned at a fairly moderate rate of speed (think 35 mph). The car was totaled and the driver was killed. The car offered him no protection and caved in on him in all the places where it should have held up. It was incredibly traumatic and another reason I can’t wait to get out of this car.

Anyway… that’s my two cents. Happy car hunting!! Oh, and the back seats do not fold completely flat. Mostly, but not all the way. It’s annoying. So there ya go.