This will come as no surprise to anyone: More than one-third of American households have a dog, and slightly more than half of those have more than one. That’s according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, and brings up an important consideration for transporting around our beloved pooches easily and safely: Our selection in cars.
As part of accommodating their love of riding in cars, it's every good dog owner’s duty to ensure they live a fulfilling life. Unfortunately, not all new cars are built to be dog-friendly, so we're focusing on a few key points when choosing a car, truck, or SUV for you and your pooch. Our biggest concerns here are safety, ease of cleanup, and ease of access, especially as they get older and may require assistance.
It’s important to point out that an untethered dog is more likely to be killed or injured in the event of a crash, as well as be a hazard for other occupants. That’s why the Center for Pet Safety has a list of crash-test certified dog harnesses, travel carriers, and travel crates that can help reduce deaths and injuries for our canine friends.
With all of this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best vehicles that should meet the varied needs of Rat Terriers to Rottweilers and everything in between.
The Best Cars for Dogs in 2025
- Honda CR-V
- Hyundai Santa Cruz
- Jeep Wrangler
- Kia Carnival
- Land Rover Discovery Sport
- Nissan Versa
- Subaru Outback
- Tesla Model Y
- Toyota Corolla Crosss
- Volvo V60 Hybrid Plug-in
Honda CR-V
Best for: Dog lovers who want what is arguably the best compact crossover vehicle on the market
The spacious and efficient Honda CR-V is family-friendly crossover that's well-known for offering a lot of utility for pet lovers. After a recent redesign, it's better than ever.
With the rear seats folded flat, the CR-V provides 76.5 cubic feet of cargo area for a furry friend to spread out and get comfortable, while the relatively low cargo floor aids with entry into the vehicle. These are especially great features for big dogs. You won’t find an air-conditioning system dedicated to second-row passengers (of any species), though there are rear vents that deliver temperature-controlled air to the back seat. Whether you select the base turbocharged 1.5-liter engine or the available hybrid powertrain delivering highway ratings up to 36 mpg and 34 mpg, respectively, those trips to the dog park won't break the bank.
For the gas-powered CR-V, the top EX-L trim is your ticket to leather upholsgtery, which is easier to clean than cloth. The CR-V Hybrid, however, has leather in both Sport-L and Sport Touring trims. An available sensor-activated power liftgate may prove handy when trying to help larger dogs into the vehicle. Accessories such as a plastic cargo liner and seat-back protector can be purchased directly from Honda dealers.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Best for: Dog owners who occasionally need the capability of a pickup truck
Hyundai's Santa Cruz small pickup isn’t getting attention on par with the Ford Maverick, mostly because it doesn’t offer the 37-mpg combined that the Maverick gets from its available hybrid drivetrain. Hyundai's truck also isn't as rugged as larger alternatives like the Chevrolet Colorado. However, the Santa Cruz’s fuel economy is still very good compared to other pickups, it offers open cargo space for occasional runs to the dump and home improvement store, and its compact size means it easily tucks inside a garage. Try that with your F-150 Raptor.
It's almost like Hyundai configured the rear seats for dogs. First, the floor is a lot lower than it would be in a full-size truck, so even if your dog is on the elderly side, it’s easier for them to get in and out. Second, the rear seats fold up to reveal a nearly flat floor that’s almost perfectly dog-sized. Pop some all-weather floor liners back there and we’re sure your pup will love it.
Jeep Wrangler
Best for: Off-road enthusiasts and those who want their dog to enjoy the journey as much as the destination
Thinking about the best cars for dogs, we’re bucking the common advice here and opting for the two-door Jeep Wrangler instead of the more spacious four-door Wrangler Unlimited. Why? Well, the two-door is much more affordable, saving nearly five grand when comparing the base Sport trim. That'll buy a lot of dog accessories.
Additionally, not everyone has a large dog. Some of us have Pomeranians or Chihuahuas that need nothing more than a comfortable seat to curl up on. Or, maybe you have a larger older dog that simply looks forward to morning trips to the coffee shop with his tongue waving in the fresh air. What better way to do that than removing the top half of the Wrangler’s door? Adding to the appeal, the Wrangler is one of the most heavily represented vehicles in the dog accessories aftermarket, so there’s plenty to offer in terms of nets, harnesses, ramps and the like.
Kia Carnival
Best for: Active families who seldom leave their dog(s) at home
Oh, the minivan. The body style so reviled it launched an entire segment of “crossover SUVs” that are basically just minivans with less practicality. For years, the minivan segment (think Honda Odyssey and Chrysler Pacifica) has essentially been calcified, but more recently we've seen genuinely exciting new entries like the Kia Carnival.
Available in gas and new-for-2025 hybrid versions, the Carnival brings luxury car interior and exterior design to a formerly dull segment. During one of our test drives, we were shocked when people actually crossed a busy parking lot to ask what it was. For pet lovers, up to 145.1 cubic feet of cargo space is among the best in the class.
Where Kia loses its edge a bit is with accessories. Aside from a plastic cargo tray, there's not much that's helpful to dog owners. For things like pet barriers and the like, you’ll have to look to the aftermarket, though the Carnival has plenty of room to add whatever you need.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Best for: Buyers who want to pamper their dog and SUV with some custom accessories
Land Rover is one of the few brands on this list that offers a selection of pet-specific accessories for models such as the Discovery Sport, an SUV that provides dog owners plenty of space and a flat cargo area.
Among the add-ons are a spill-resistant water bowl, a folding ramp that allows your dog to comfortably exit the vehicle, and a quilted cargo liner that can be easily washed and extended over the rear bumper to avoid scratches from paws. Those are nice features, but what is most interesting to us is the $454 portable rinse system, which includes two minutes' worth of pressurized water delivered through a hose and nozzle. If you’ve ever seen the amount of sand that can get caked onto a dog after just a few hours at the beach, you can appreciate the value of this portable pet shower.
Nissan Versa
Best for: Dog owners on a budget
Owning a dog can be very expensive. Even if you’re going to adopt a rescue, there’s typically a fee involved, plus routine and unexpected vet bills, food and medications, dog crates, grooming and the occasional kennel stay, and plenty of toys and treats. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend a small fortune to buy a car that’s suitable for both of you.
The Nissan Versa is a front-wheel-drive (FWD) compact car with a sensible ride height for easy canine access, and it's priced from just over $17,000 when equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. Stretch payments out over five or six years, and you just may find yourself spending more on your dog each month than on your car.
Nissan offers the Versa in three trim levels: S, SV, and SR. At this price point, leather seats are nowhere to be found, and the 60/40 split fold-down rear seats are not offered on the base S trim. But, the trade-off for the petite 14.7 cubic feet of cargo space is an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway from the continuously variable transmission (CVT). With that level of efficiency, your co-pilot may need a bathroom break before it’s time to stop for gas.
Subaru Outback
Best for: Dog owners who want a practical adventure rig
In this list, almost all of the entries have been models and not specific trims, but in this case we’re specifically calling out the Outback Wilderness. Yes, this long hatchback is nearly $11,000 more than the base trim, but we’d argue that it’s worth it. Another option is the Subaru Forester Wilderness, offering all of the same benefits with with a starting price that's $5,000 cheaper.
Back to the 2025 Outback Wilderness. Leather is nice, but Subaru’s StarTex neoprene-type upholstery made partly of recycled materials is not only designed for easy cleanup, but is also a vegan alternative for animal lovers and others who are opposed to leather on principle. StarTex is available on both the Outback Onyx Edition and Outback Wilderness trim levels, but you don’t get the added ground clearance of the Wilderness on the Onyx Edition.
Also worthy of note here is Subaru’s Share the Love campaign. During this sales promotion, the company donates $250 on a buyer’s behalf to one of a select group of charities. Among them is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), but Subaru is also a major funder of the Center for Pet Safety, which performs the crash-testing on harnesses and crates we mentioned in the introduction.
Tesla Model Y
Best for: Tech-savvy dog owners who want a versatile electric vehicle
The Telsa Model Y is another compact crossover that makes our list due in part to many of the attributes we’ve already discussed. These include a spacious area for dogs, standard leatherette seats that are relatively easy to clean, and rear vents designed to keep occupants comfortable.
We’d suggest avoiding the available white upholstery for obvious reasons, but you’ll certainly want to check out the Model Y’s Dog Mode. This technology uses the vehicle’s climate control system to maintain a preset interior temperature even after the driver has turned off and exited the vehicle, an important safety feature if you expect that your dog will sometimes have to wait in the car. A message on the infotainment screen alerts passersby that the owner will be back soon and shows the temperature setting. Users can monitor the system with an app, which also alerts them if there’s a malfunction that requires a quick return to the vehicle.
Toyota Corolla Cross
Best for: Dog owners with an eye on resale value
The Toyota Corolla Cross was introduced for the 2022 model year, and a hybrid variant debuted one year later. It brings a youthful spirit to the crowded compact SUV segment, with an available two-tone paint job and a color palette reminiscent of the Kia Soul’s.
City dwellers, who represent a not-insignificant portion of the Corolla Cross’s target audience, will know all too well that even the smallest and calmest dog can be considered a damage liability. Many apartment buildings don’t allow them at all, and landlords who do often charge an extra fee, anticipating floor and baseboard scratches or worse. Whether you’re concerned about protecting your dog in your vehicle or your vehicle from your dog, Toyota’s got you covered: Of the whopping 63 accessories available to order straight from the manufacturer with a new Corolla Cross, roughly one third are explicitly designed for dogs. Among them are a ramp to help your dog enter and exit the vehicle, a tool to help clean up pet hair, interior door guards, and even a 50-piece dog-specific first-aid kit.
Volvo V60 Hybrid Plug-in
Best for: Dog owners who prefer the size and style of a wagon
There aren’t many station wagons left on the new-car market. Volvo makes one of the best in the V60 T8 Polestar Engineered, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that offers 41 miles of range from the electric motor’s “Pure” mode, plus the ability to go anywhere on the gas engine.
This roomy—if rather expensive—family wagon is ideal for carrying canines, especially for those drivers who don’t need a third row and don’t want the bulk of a large SUV. Standard leatherette seats should be easy to clean, while standard all-wheel drive (AWD) will help you reach your destination safely.
Beyond those basic essentials for dog duty, the V60 can be fitted with related accessories purchased directly from Volvo to optimize its practicality. Among them are a seatbelt harness, a combination rear gate and integrated crate, and a carrying case to use for small dogs once you’ve reached your destination. With every purchase of one of these items, Volvo donates $10 to The Petfinder Foundation, an online searchable database of adoptable animals.
