Good 4 dog car or truck? - Page 1

Hi everyone, could someone give me some idea's on a good roomy car or truck that I can
pack 4, or (maybe 5) dogs into comfortably,with or without cages. 

 I don't want an SUV, just looking for a modest vehicle,

I've been using my truck, which is a gas hog, or my Saturn station wagon, which is 4 cylinder,
and great on gas, but I'd like to trade in the wagon, any suggestions, would be most helpful!

I've been looking at this myself.  Will be trading in a very nice wagon (Audi A6 Avant) for something friendlier to the environment (my Audi scored 3 on a scale of 2 to 20 by the EPA), but I need to be able to travel with at least three big dogs comfortably.

At the higher end of the price range is a Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and you said you don't want an SUV.

So perhaps the Honda Element is for you?  This is not expensive and quite roomy.

The CRV and RAV4 are both possibilities, but I am not sure they can handle 5 big dogs.

What I am not aware of yet are wagons whose back seats fold down very well to make useful room in combination.  I have had a few Subarus and the first had skimpy back seats that allowed the back seat to click down in place.  The second was cushier, but this made the back seat fold-down less useful.

If you don't care about the environment, the new FJ Cruiser (Toyota) has industrial strength dog space.  But it gets only 18mpg, and worse if you get 4x4.

I love my Dodge Caravan van.Take the bak two rows of seats out, two dogs go in from the back, one in each side door.   Mostly we use our truck and pull a trailer though.

Many different manufactures and styles of dog trailers are  available  these days.  I bet you can even find good used ones for sale.

http://www.dogtrailer.com/index.php?cat_ID=5

I know you said you did not want an SUV...but we are using our '99 Chevy Suburban for 3 large dogs and it works out really well.  All seats in back are down, and there would be room for two or three more dogs in this vehicle.  Good luck!

T.

Hi,

I have a Honda Odyssey. It fits 3 kids and 4 shepherds comfortably! It is great on gas too. Good luck, you should try to talk the saleman into letting you "try it out" with the dogs! LOL, I bet it would be a first!

I have a Toyota Sienna and it is great for the dogs and the kids. It does pretty good on fuel mileage, I know its a mini van

but once you get past that its pretty handy. 

Marty

I Have a Chrysler Town and Country and i love it, I can fit 3 500 vari kennels and still have a seat in the back so i know i can fit another 400 in there.  And its not THAT bad on gas :-)

Jessica

Thanks everyone, what really good suggestions everyone has, I loved the look of the Odyssey, & the room.
Also Toyota Sienna, good on gas I suppose, and the good ol' Chrysler, well made car.

Also thanks sueincc, for the trailer link, that did cross my mind,

Keep em' coming, I might have to put them all on my wall & throw a dart at them!!!

And maybe I'll try your idea, VonderInsel, bring the dogs, and kids, but make sure the kids have
icecream cones in their hands!!!

Now that would be a first!!

I love my Dodge Grand Caravan.  All seats are stow and go so you can fit tons in it or have the seats for your passengers..