The most dog-friendly cars

Take a look at our:  

• Top five cars for small dogs  
• Top five cars for medium-sized to large dogs  
• Top 10 cars for dogs under a starting cost of £40,000 
• Top tips for keeping your dog safe and comfortable on the road 
• The legal implications of not following regulations while travelling with your dog

Top five cars for smaller dogs (12 to 24 lbs) 

Border Terriers, Dachshunds, Pugs, etc.

If your dog is on the smaller side, these cars might be a good option for you. Their boot capacity and width are smaller than other vehicles, but still offer enough space for more compact canines. 

The Audi A1 comes out as the top reasonably priced car for small dogs due to its low cabin noise level of just 53.1 decibels (which is equivalent to a quiet conversation, or a quiet refrigerator) and starting price of £20,840. With a boot capacity of 335dm3 (which is also 335L or the size of two bathtubs), there should be plenty of space for smaller dogs to get comfortable.

The Seat Ibiza is the second top car for small dogs, with a slightly higher cabin noise of 56.1dB, lower starting cost (£17,755) and slightly larger boot (355dm3). The Seat Leon comes third with a cabin noise of 56.8dB and boot capacity of 325dm3 with a starting price of £22,225. The Vauxhall Corsa and Honda Jazz also make the cut, with starting price tags of £17,330 and £22,975 respectively. 

If you have slightly more room in your budget for a pricier vehicle, the Audi A3 is the top car for small dogs in the mid-range to luxury category, with a starting price of £26,070. This is followed by the Mini Clubman (£27,015) and Mazda 3 (£28,175).

Top rated reasonably priced cars for small dogs

Top rated mid-range to luxury priced cars for small dogs

Top five cars for medium-sized to large dogs (24 to 99 lbs)

Poodles, Spaniels, Whippets, Boxers, Greyhounds, Labradors, etc.

Our research shows that the Ford Kuga is the top option for medium to large dogs at a reasonable price, starting at £24,538. It has a good boot capacity (443dm3) and width (1883mm), as well as a decent cabin noise level of 54.5dB. 

The Peugeot 2008 is the second top reasonably priced car for bigger dogs, coming with a slightly cheaper starting cost of £22,735 and lower cabin noise level (52dB). The Ford Mondeo is third in this category, offering a cheaper starting price of £22,417 and better boot capacity of 476.5dm3. This is followed by the Ford Focus (£19,358) and Nissan Juke (£20,420).

For those with a bigger budget for a bigger dog, the Audi Q7 comes top of the mid-range to luxury category. This car is on the pricier side with a starting price of £58,435, but has a winning boot capacity of 757.5dm3 and a spacious 1970mm width for dogs to make themselves comfortable. 

After the Audi Q7, the top cars for big dogs in the mid-range to luxury category are the Porsche Cayenne (£63,700) and Toyota RAV4 (£35,350), which both offer plenty of room for larger dogs to relax.

Top rated reasonably priced cars for medium to large dogs

Top rated mid-range to luxury priced cars for medium to large dogs 

Top 10 cars for dogs under a starting cost of £40,000

For those who can be a little more flexible with their budget but still want to find the top deals, here are the top 10 top dog-friendly cars, all under a starting car price of £40,000.

The Kia Sportage takes the top spot overall at a starting price of £27,250, followed by the Toyota RAV4 (£35,350) and the Ford Kuga (£24,538).

Top tips to keep your dog safe and comfortable on the road

We spoke to certified vet Lauren Chong to get expert insight into how to keep your four-legged family members safe and comfortable on the road.  

1. Keep them cool: If the car feels hot to you, it's definitely too hot for your dog. 

• Put the air-con on for a few minutes to cool down the car before getting in. 
• While driving, use the air-con or keep windows open for circulation - just don't blow the air-con directly on your dog, and make sure windows aren’t open wide enough for them to stick their head out of.  
• Remember to provide lots of fresh and cool water throughout your journey and watch out for any excessive panting or distress.  

2. Use comfortable restraints: It’s important to make sure your dog doesn’t distract you while driving. Also try to avoid sudden braking and turning as this could cause your dog to fall and injure themselves.   

• Use a boot guard to stop your dog from jumping to the front of the car.
• If your dog is comfortable in a crate at home, then using a secured travel crate or carrier in the boot is better than just a boot guard. Make sure to check that the crate isn't too big for your dog. The RSPCA says that when transporting your dog in a crate or container, you should make sure they have enough room to sit and stand up at full height, turn around easily and lie down in a natural position.   

3. Consider the car boot carefully: The size of the boot is especially important when considering a dog-friendly car to ensure their comfort and safety: 

• The ideal boot is one where your dog can sit, stand, lie down and turn around comfortably (whether they're in a crate or not).  

4. Make sure they’re comfortable: It’s important to keep your dog calm and comfortable, especially during long journeys 

• Bring comfortable bedding and a favourite toy or two. 
• Don’t forget to take regular stops. 

The legal implications of not following regulations while travelling with your dog

Taking your dog on a road-trip involves thinking about more than just their comfort; you also need to make sure you stick to the rules on travelling with an animal in your car, or you could risk a fine, penalty points and invalidating your car insurance.  

Here are the main rules to keep in mind when travelling with a furry friend: 

• Being distracted by your dog whilst driving could land you a fine of up to £1,000 on the spot 

If you don’t take proper care when restraining your dog and this results in you being distracted, you could be fined up to £1,000 on the spot for dangerous driving. Depending on the severity of the offence, the fine could rise to as much as £5,000 and you could get nine penalty points on your licence.  

• Highway Code rule 57: keep animals suitably restrained 

Highway Code rule 57 states that you must make sure dogs and other animals are suitably restrained while travelling in a vehicle to prevent them from distracting you or getting injured. Suitable restraints include seat belt harnesses, pet carriers and dog cages – see Lauren Chong’s tips in the section above for more information. 

Methodology and sources 

To calculate the top cars for dogs, we analysed a seedlist of the UK’s most popular car models and analysed each car’s cabin noise, boot capacity, car width and starting price of new cars from the Brand’s website to determine the overall ranking. We based the top cars for dog sizes based on this categorisation of boot size capacity: 

1. 100 (dm3) - 360 (dm3) = Small dog
2. 361 (dm3) - 461+ (dm3) = Medium to large dog

Data collected on: 04/08/22