Best Premium Cars for Dogs and Owners
08th Jun 2021
Luxury cars that are suitable for dogs
According to the 2021 Pet Population report, commissioned by the PFMA, 33 percent of UK households own a dog, which is the most popular pet. Therefore, it is easy to understand why many people need to consider their dog when making a car purchasing decision.
Although spaciousness is a huge consideration, especially with larger dogs, it is not the only factor that defines the suitability of a vehicle for a canine companion. Dogs need to be able to easily access the boot, experience a comfortable journey and some manufacturers even sell accessories aimed specifically at dogs such as boot liners, partitions and ramps.
To assist with your search for a dog-friendly car, here are our top 10 cars for dogs and their owners. Throughout the article we have covered the features that make each car worthy of transporting man's (or woman's) best friend!
Land Rover Discovery (Fifth Generation)
The Land Rover Discovery has long been a go-to choice for owners with larger dogs, and with good reason. The Discovery boasts a split-folding rear tailgate that is perfect for medium to larger sized dogs to hop on to.
The Discovery has seven seats, however, if your dog is travelling in the boot the two rear seats can be folded down to provide extra space. The boot is 1,411mm wide and 854mm high; enough space for larger breeds such as a Great Dane or a Bernese Mountain Dog.
There are numerous storage compartments located around the cabin and rear for securing belongings. A panoramic sunroof is also available, allowing maximum light and air into the cabin to keep your dog comfortable on long journeys.
Land Rover also have a large range of pet packs available including the Pet Loadspace Protection Pack, Pet Transportation Pack, Pet Rear Seat Protection Pack and the Pet Care and Access Pack. These packs include accessories such as partitions, loadspace liners and ramps.
Search Used Land Rover Discovery
Audi Q5 (Second Generation)
Proving to be one of the German marque's best-selling models, the Audi Q5 is a spacious and comfortable luxurious SUV.
An enormous boot, with a luggage capacity ranging from 550 to 610 litres, and standard features such as powered tailgate operation make the Q5 a real hit for dog owners.
Dogs the size of Labradors will be able to appreciate a pleasant journey with plenty of space, whilst owners can relax in the sumptuous interior with class-leading acoustics.
Some used examples may feature air suspension, which was available as an option from new, enabling the car to be lowered; making it easier for dogs to jump in and out of the boot without injuring themselves.
A sporty, performance model is also available; badged the SQ5. Powered by a 349bhp V6 petrol engine, the SQ5 features quattro all-wheel drive and can complete the 0 to 62mph sprint in a mere 5.4 seconds.
Mercedes-Benz GLE (Second Generation)
Typical of a Mercedes-Benz car, the GLE offers an elegant and luxurious interior as well as plenty of choice when it comes to powertrains.
Spacious and practical, the large, stylish SUV is available with five or seven seats and you can choose from petrol or diesel engines, the GLE 350 de which is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model and the powerful performance-focused AMG variants.
Across the range, the boot capacity is an outstanding 630 litres; ample room for a few small dogs or a couple of larger breeds. However, if you go for the PHEV version, the loadspace is reduced to 490 litres.
You can also purchase the Mercedes-Benz genuine car products: dog pack, to keep your car looking and feeling brand-new; even when you are a dog owner.
Aston Martin DBX (First Generation)
A dream come true for sports car fans who are in need of added practicality, the Aston Martin DBX is the British brand's first SUV with sports car levels of performance.
Powered by an almighty V8 petrol engine with an intoxicating 542bhp, the DBX offers a sensuous driving experience with an interior that seamlessly blends elegance with durability.
Practicality is another strong attribute for the luxurious SUV, boasting 632 litres of boot space. A narrow load sill and broad aperture makes the boot even more suitable for large breeds of dog.
Aston Martin cater well for dog owners and have developed accessories such as a dog bed, portable washer, dog accessory kit and a dog partition; to enhance the experience for your pet and protect the car's interior.
Jaguar F-PACE (First Generation)
The Jaguar F-PACE boasts an incredibly large boot space with a width of 1,255mm and a height of 751mm, ensuring a comfortable journey for one or two Labrador Retrievers.
Another benefit of the F-PACE is the reversible boot floor that is carpeted on one side and rubberised on the other; removing any concerns of muddy paws and dog hairs! Furthermore, the luxury SUV's tailgate benefits from optional power opening and closing functions as well as gesture control, enabling hands-free operation.
Four pet packs including the Pet Luggage Compartment Protection Pack, Pet Transportation Pack, Pet Care and Access Pack and the Pet Rear Seat Protection Pack can be purchased to accessorise the F-PACE so it is fully prepared for transporting four-legged friends in comfort, whilst protecting the car.
Lexus NX
Another SUV in this list, however, this time it is a self-charging hybrid model. The Lexus NX is available as the full hybrid 300h or you may find some used examples of the NX 200t, with a petrol engine.
Large dogs, such as the Rhodesian Ridgeback pictured, can comfortably travel in this premium SUV thanks to the 475-litre boot space.
Lexus also have plenty of pet-friendly accessories available such as a dog guard, boot liner, rubber floor mats, mud flaps, stainless steel rear bumper protection plate, and wind deflectors.
You may have noticed some of these extras are not aimed at the dog as such, but more at the owner of the dogs. Rubber floor mats will certainly come in handy for dirty wellies following a muddy countryside dog walk.
Land Rover Defender (L663)
Available as the 3-door 90 or the 5-door 110, the new Land Rover Defender is perfectly suited for either the countryside or urban areas.
Although the 90 has a decent loadspace capacity of 397 litres, the length behind the second row of seats is only 460mm (the Discovery has a length of 1,101mm); meaning you will struggle to fit larger breeds of dogs in the boot, unless they are puppies (pictured).
Opt for the 110, however, and you will have access to 972 litres of space in the 5-seat version and the length behind the second row of seats grows to 919mm; plenty of room for fully grown Labradors or other large working breeds.
There are plenty of Land Rover Accessories available to make the Defender even more suitable for canine companions, helping transport them safely whilst protecting the interior.
If you need to transport multiple large dogs, you can also look out for the 90 or 110 Hard Top Commercial.
Search Used Land Rover Defender
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (Fourth Generation)
There is a clear trend in this article you may have noticed, so far we have only mentioned SUVs. However, you do not need to keep your search just within that segment. Some hatchbacks, such as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, offer ample room in the boot for dogs.
Pictured above is actually the Mercedes-AMG A35 4MATIC Hatchback, which has a boot capacity of 370 litres, the same as the standard model A-Class Hatchback. The A 250 e, which is the PHEV model, has a slightly smaller boot due to hybrid technology but would still be able to accommodate a medium to large dog or two.
Choosing the hot hatchback model not only provides you with a larger boot, you also get much more performance. The 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine delivers just over 300bhp and enables an impressive 0 to 62mph time of just 4.7 seconds.
Search Used Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Volkswagen Golf (Seventh Generation)
Here is another hatchback that makes a great car for dogs, in fact there are not many things the Volkswagen Golf does not excel at. The model in the picture above is actually the Golf R Hatchback, also available as an estate.
Unlike the Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the Golf R Hatchback's boot is actually smaller than the standard model range. You are looking at 343 litres of luggage capacity in the R version, compared to 380 litres in the other models. However, the GTE and e-Golf both have smaller boots due to the all-electric powertrain.
If you go for the estate version, you will have access to 605 litres of boot space in all models, including the R.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake (Second Generation)
'Sportbrake' is Jaguar's name for an estate, so essentially the Jaguar XF Sportbrake is the estate version of the XF Saloon.
You get the same luxurious interior and phenomenal driving experience that you would expect from the XF Saloon, with a much larger boot; allowing you to bring along your four-legged friends.
A couple of large breed dogs will be content in the generous 745-litre boot space on offer in the XF Sportbrake and just like with the F-PACE; there are plenty of pet accessories available, too.
Following its mid-life refresh in 2020, the XF is now available with mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) technology; making it even more powerful and efficient.
Search Used Jaguar XF Sportbrake
Find the perfect dog-friendly car at Stratstone
Here are just some of the best premium and luxury cars for dogs and their owners, there are plenty more cars out there that are worth exploring.
If you have a certain style of car in mind we have plenty of other buying guides to help you find the ideal vehicle including Best Luxury and Premium Hybrid Cars, Best Used Electric Cars and Best Used Luxury Estate Cars.
Alternatively, you can browse our extensive collection of premium and luxury used cars.
