2020 Honda Odyssey
$30,790 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
The 2020 Honda Odyssey was awarded our 2020 Best Minivan for Families award, and many families include four-legged members. The sliding side doors of any minivan make it easier for dogs to hop on board if you’ll be using a harness and seatbelt. The large cargo area of the Odyssey also means there’s enough space for a kennel behind the second row. Dogs with a tendency toward queasiness will appreciate the smooth ride and limited body roll of this minivan.
We recommend the EX trim, which is one step above the base. It adds a lot of features for about $4,000 more, like a larger touch screen, smartphone connectivity, and an app for your phone that allows you to control climate in the second and third rows.
For even more peace of mind with your canine, upgrade to the Touring trim, which starts around $45,000. It includes CabinWatch, which shows you what’s going on in the back via the touch screen, a hands-free power liftgate, and a built-in vacuum.
2020 Tesla Model 3
$39,990 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
The 2020 Tesla Model 3 is one of the highest ranked electric cars, with a minimum of 250 miles of range and excellent safety scores. The rear seats are a bit small for people, but dogs with a harness clipped to the seat belts won’t mind one bit. The rear seat cushions are low, which is a plus for dogs as they hop in and out. Folding down the rear seats makes room for a smaller crate.
The massive touch screen controls nearly everything in the car, from windshield wipers to climate control for the front and rear seats. In 2019, Tesla rolled out Dog Mode to all of its vehicles. When you leave your car with your dog inside, you can set the climate control system to maintain a cool, comfortable, and safe temperature for your dog. A sign on the 15-inch touch screen reads “My owner will be back soon” and gives the interior temperature of the car.
2020 Kia Soul
$17,490 | U.S. News Score: 8.1/10
The 2020 Kia Soul was named our Best New Subcompact SUV for the Money this year, and last year it was one of our Best New Cars for Teens. The traits that earned the Soul these awards – reliability, safety, quality, and value – are all great for dogs too. Any car that can handle teenage drivers can easily deal with a little fur and dirt.
The seats are easy to clean, particularly if you upgrade to synthetic or genuine leather upholstery. There’s quite a bit of passenger room inside the Soul, and the cargo area is as boxy as you’d expect when looking at its square design. That’s great for fitting a dog crate inside, especially if you fold the rear seats. The load liftover height is low, so it's easier for dogs to get in and out, and a power hands-free liftgate is available.
2020 Subaru Outback
$26,645 | U.S. News Score: 8.0/10
The 2020 Subaru Outback has standard all-wheel drive, a massive cargo area, and a long list of standard safety features. And to judge by Subaru’s advertisements, dogs love driving these cars. The seats fold completely flat, the load floor is flat, and the rear opening is wide, so most kennels will fit. There are cargo hooks in the back to tie crates down, and there’s underfloor storage to keep gear out of slobbering mouths.
For adventurous – and probably filthy – dogs, we recommend upgrading to the Onyx Edition, which starts at $34,895. This trim adds a lot of outdoorsy, off-road-ready features, but most importantly, it has water-repellent synthetic upholstery that can handle the occasional muddy mutt.
2020 Honda CR-V
$25,050 | U.S. News Score: 8.7/10
The 2020 Honda CR-V has a massive cargo space and a small footprint, making it one of the more versatile compact SUVs on the market. It’s also our Best Compact SUV for the Money. If you need more space in the rear for dog crates, the second row folds down for a total of more than 75 cubic feet of space. The suspension does a good job of keeping the ride smooth and quiet, which nervous dogs will appreciate.
We recommend upgrading to the CR-V EX for about $2,500 more, because it adds a lot of great features for dogs and humans alike. There’s a larger touch screen and smartphone connectivity, as well as two USB ports in the rear seats, which your dogs probably won’t use. Higher trim levels have available power and hands-free liftgate options.
2020 Land Rover Discovery
$52,300 | U.S. News Score: TBD
If you and your furry friends are headed off-road, the 2020 Land Rover Discovery will help you reach your destination in comfort. Easy-to-clean leather upholstery is standard, and there’s plenty of space in the square-shaped, kennel-ready cargo area. A power liftgate is standard, and there’s an available app for folding down the rear seats from your phone. Four-wheel drive is standard, and opting for the diesel engine delivers better fuel economy.
Land Rover goes even further with literal creature comforts. It offers several Pet Packs that can be added as accessories. These come with dog-friendly features like a comfy quilted cargo liner, a spill-proof bowl, an access ramp for smaller or older dogs. There’s also a protective flap to protect the rear bumper from claw marks. And you can add the Activity Key, a wristband that locks and unlocks the Discovery so you don’t have to bring your whole key fob along on your trail run.
2020 Mazda3
$21,500 | U.S. News Score: 8.5/10
The sporty handling of the 2020 Mazda3 makes getting to the dog park as fun as being at the dog park. It’s also a safe bet: the Mazda3 was named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
For $2,200 more, the hatchback has standard synthetic leather upholstery that’s easy to wipe down and more room in the cargo area for a kennel. The rear seats are a bit cramped for humans, so fold them down and let them go to the dogs. The hatchback also has more standard features than the base sedan, including smartphone connectivity and a few extra driver assistance features.
2020 Chevy Equinox
$23,800 | U.S. News Score: 8.2/10
If you and your dog need safe and reliable transportation, the 2020 Chevy Equinox has excellent safety and predicted reliability scores. It also has a comfortable ride, which can help nervous dogs remain calm.
The floor of the Equinox is low, so even small dogs should be able to hop in with ease. The rear seats fold flat and the cargo opening is wide, so fitting a large crate in the back shouldn’t be a problem. There are several cubbies throughout the cabin to hold leashes and toys, and there’s underfloor storage for stowing items like balls and treats. A hands-free rear liftgate is available.
2020 Kia Optima
$23,390 | U.S. News Score: 8.6/10
The 2020 Kia Optima comes with anti-soil cloth upholstery that can help repel the mess your dog will inevitably make while you’re in traffic and unable to clean it up immediately. Small and medium-sized dogs will fit best in this sedan, either in crates or with a harness attached to the seatbelts. The seats do fold flat for more space, and the trunk is generously sized for storing gear for both dogs and people.
The Optima’s cushioned suspension creates a gentle ride that can help soothe anxious pups, and its very good predicted reliability score and perfect safety scores will help soothe anxious owners. The interior is also very quiet, with few creaks and squeaks. This attention to quality at a low starting price is why the Optima was a finalist for our Best Midsize Car for the Money award.
2020 Subaru Forester
$24,495 | U.S. News Score: 7.8/10
The 2020 Subaru Forester was the number-one choice of people who hike with their dogs, according to a poll by Outdoor Dog World. There’s plenty of room in the front and rear seats, and the rear doors open wide to make hopping in easier for back-seat riders in a harness. The split-folding rear seats can be configured to fit most crates, and the cargo area has more space than most rivals.
The Forester Touring trim at the top of the line has a power liftgate and one-touch folding seat back, both of which can make loading dogs easier. It also includes the DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation system, which monitors the driver for signs of drowsiness or distraction – like, say, your dogs wrestling in the back seat.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas
$31,545 | U.S. News Score: 8.0/10
The 2021 Volkswagen Atlas has lots of space for passengers and cargo whether you choose two or three rows of seating. The available three-zone climate control provides heating and cooling for both rows of seating – or a dog in a kennel if the third row is folded down. We recommend sticking with the standard 18-inch wheels for the quietest and smoothest ride, especially for easily spooked pups.
The SE trim includes a power liftgate and synthetic leather upholstery that’s easier to clean than cloth. It also has a larger touch screen, wireless charging, more USB ports, and heated front seats to keep the humans happy.
2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
$39,995 | U.S. News Score: 8.3/10
The 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a low floor and power-sliding side doors, which make it easier for dogs of all sizes to hop aboard. The rear bumper is low, too, for easy access to the cargo area. The third-row bench seat can fold into the floor, which leaves plenty of space for a kennel. Speaking of which, the accessories list for the Pacifica includes a soft-sided kennel and a carpeted cargo mat. The standard tri-zone climate control has vents all the way in the back to help keep the kennel cool.
The Pacifica Hybrid is actually a plug-in hybrid that can travel up to about 32 miles on electricity alone. That means very good fuel economy estimates, but it also means short trips at lower street speeds – say, to the vet – can be nearly silent as well as efficient.
2020 Honda Fit
$16,190 | U.S. News Score: 8.8/10
Not every dog or driver needs a big car. The 2020 Honda Fit, our Best Subcompact Car for the Money, shows that parkable, maneuverable cars are capable of being comfortable for everyone. Small dogs using a crate or harness will be able to hop into the back seat. Larger dogs can use the Magic Seat rear seats as-is, or the seats fold flat to make room for all but the largest kennels. The cushions also fold upward if your Great Dane prefers to sit on the floor of the car and still see out the window.
The Fit’s handling is fun, but there is a bit of body lean. Queasy dogs may appreciate a less aggressive driving style in this car. Choosing the EX trim adds a lot of features that humans will appreciate, like smartphone connectivity and a long list of safety technology.
2020 Kia Telluride
$31,890 | U.S. News Score: 8.4/10
The 2020 Kia Telluride is brand-new this year, and it’s already been named our Best 3-Row SUV for Families. Many of the features that make it great for kids also make it great for dogs. Standard leatherette upholstery is easy to wipe clean, and power-sliding and -folding second-row seats give easy access to the third row (or the large cargo area when the last row is folded).
Quiet Mode allows you to rock out in the front seats while letting sleeping dogs lie in the back. The EX trim starts at $37,090, but it adds several more dog-friendly features, including a power liftgate, rear passenger temperature control, and Driver Talk, which sends your voice through the speakers so you know the dog heard you say “Settle.”
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We focused this slideshow on dog-friendly features, which your dog surely appreciates. But if you’d like to learn more about any of these vehicles and their human-friendly assets, we’ll help you research new cars.
You can see how each of these vehicles stack up against the competition in our new car rankings. Many of our picks for pups are also great for families, so you can check out our Best Cars for Families awards too.
When you’re ready to buy or lease, try our Best Price Program. Shoppers have saved about $3,000 over all types of vehicles when using this program.
Best Cars for Dogs
- 2020 Honda Odyssey
- 2020 Tesla Model 3
- 2020 Kia Soul
- 2020 Subaru Outback
- 2020 Honda CR-V
- 2020 Land Rover Discovery
- 2020 Mazda Mazda3
- 2020 Chevy Equinox
- 2020 Kia Optima
- 2020 Subaru Forester
- 2021 Volkswagen Atlas
- 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
- 2020 Honda Fit
- 2020 Kia Telluride
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The Best Cars for Your Canine
Both cars and dogs come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and what’s best for one dog is not necessarily ideal for another. Small dogs and older dogs will appreciate a low floor to make hopping in and out a little easier. Dogs who have never said no to a body of water, be it a pond or a puddle, will need easy-to-clean upholstery or maybe a custom cargo liner. Nervous dogs still need to climb into the car for training or vet appointments, so a quiet ride is crucial.
We took several factors into account when choosing the best cars for dogs. We started with plenty of cargo space, preferably with climate control and tie-down hooks, since many dogs ride safely in a kennel. Doors that open wide and low floors or bumpers were also important. Upholstery that can be easily cleaned and rear seats that can fold fully flat make humans’ lives easier, as do features like a hands-free or power liftgate. And while some dogs are oblivious to rattles and squeaks, we did take note of a quiet interior and smooth ride for nervous or carsick dogs.
We also made sure all of our choices scored highly in our rankings. As new information becomes available, these scores can change, so scores in this slideshow might not match what you see in our reviews.