Hybrid cars are excellent for fuel-saving, but few hybrid vehicles suit dog owners who have their pet’s well-being at heart.
These are the few hybridized cars suitable for dogs – small or large.
Essential Dog-Friendly Features
The car features dog owners should look for are consistent regardless of the type of vehicle.
Still, the more important features to help your pet dog travel comfortably on short and long trips are:
- Ample space behind the front row – the greater the interior volume, the more room you and your dog have to play with.
- Foldable rear seats – the cargo space behind the final row is typically insufficient.
- A rear hatch – SUVs are essentially raised hatchbacks; help your pet enter and exit the vehicle, especially the larger dogs.
- Squarish cargo area – more usable space for your large dog to rest or the puppy’s dog crate to place flat on the floor.
- Waterproof upholstery – or you could use removable waterproof seat covers.
- Removable cargo liner/mat – regular cleaning means your pet’s space stays hygienic.
- Rear AC blower – dogs need optimal temperature for health as much as humans do.
- Childproof locks on the doors and windows – prevent accidental opening.
As the provision of some features varies between model years and trim levels, it is crucial that you find a hybrid vehicle that meets criteria #1 to #4 listed above.
As long as the car has the space to accommodate your dog comfortably, other less significant issues are solvable with a bit of creative thinking.
Best Hybrid SUVs for Dogs
#1 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Toyota (and Honda) have best-sellers for many reasons: reliability, fuel efficiency, and overall product quality.
Still, the reason the RAV4 Hybrid SUV tops the list of hybrid cars for dog owners is a combination of suitable body style, top-notch safety rating, and one of the largest cargo rooms in its class.
Its close to 70 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity and over 135 cubic feet in interior volume is impressive for a small SUV – only the Honda CR-V (next car on the list) comes close.
Just as crucially, the load floor is low, which lets your dog jump in and out effortlessly, and the tie-down hooks enhance the cargo area’s utility.
Like most Toyotas, the RAV4 Hybrid can cover short and long distances in pleasant comfort, and it offers a relatively cushy ride that ensures your dog doesn’t suffer from motion sickness.
All-wheel-drive is standard, providing enhanced grip for optimum car control and safety.
#2 Honda CR-V Hybrid
Hybrid car shoppers wanting the best SUV for their four-legged companion are in luck as the best-selling Honda CR-V has a hybridized version from 2020.
Sharing many of the regular CR-V’s qualities, such as a spacious cabin, ample cargo room, and comfortable ride, the Honda CR-V Hybrid is one of the best hybrid SUVs for dog owners.
It has 33 cubic feet of space behind the second-row seats and almost 70 cubic feet with the rear seats folded for maximum space to accommodate large dogs.
The rear headroom is a generous 39.1 inches, more than enough for a large dog to stand without craning its neck.
The 60/40-split-folding rear seats increase the vehicle’s dog-carrying capacity and space utilization flexibility.
Further, the CR-V Hybrid moves with exceptional composure, making it feel like a more-expensive luxurious ride for you and your beloved dog.
#3 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Among the current breed of compact hybrid SUVs, the Hyundai Tucson stands tall with ever-improving qualities to rival the established RAV4 and CR-V.
While it delivers strong fuel economy, good ride quality, and plenty of tech features – ideal for the owner – Tucson Hybrid stands out with the highest cargo capacity among small SUVs, making it an utterly suitable space for your dog and its essentials.
The smooth and refined ride with luxurious comfort levels ensures your passengers and dog have no trouble sleeping through the journey.
Besides the rear hatch for the dog’s easy access, Tucson’s large door openings provide an alternative entry should you need to load some cargo first.
This SUV also has the most generous rear headroom, allowing it to trump other small hybrid SUVs in maximum interior volume.
#4 Kia Sorento Hybrid
If Kia Tucson’s high interior volume appeals, you will love the three-row Kia Sorento Hybrid, the Korean automaker’s largest hybrid vehicle.
Although a small SUV with three rows sounds like a squeeze for the rear passengers – it isn’t, as the third-row legroom is plenty spacious – the folded-seat configuration means Kia Sorento is the best hybrid car for large dogs among mainstream SUVs.
It is one of the top hybrid SUVs for the owner and his dog, given the competitive pricing, with its excellent mix of space, luxury, and high fuel efficiency.
Like all Kias (and Hyundais), the Sorento Hybrid comes with an exhaustive list of standard and optional features, so finding the right solution to suit your dog in the back should be easy.
#5 Audi Q5 Hybrid
While some SUVs earlier on the list have improved in their ride quality and interior appointment, approaching luxury-vehicle levels, premium car buyers have two SUVs to consider for their dogs – this Audi and the next car on the list.
The Audi Q5 Hybrid is a solid entry in the compact luxury SUV class.
Although it isn’t the roomiest in the segment, the combination of a quiet and comfortable ride, plus a relatively spacious cabin and cargo area, make the Audi Q5 Hybrid a competent choice for dog owners.
Regrettably for brand loyalists, the Q5 is Audi’s only hybrid SUV and one of the few luxury SUVs with a hybrid powertrain.
#6 BMW X5 Hybrid
Not many hybrid automakers offer hybrid SUVs, but even fewer luxury car manufacturers make SUVs with hybrid motors.
Fortunately for premium car buyers, BMW X3 and X5 SUVs offer a hybrid powertrain; the latter is the larger of the two.
With superior cargo-carrying and dog-chauffeuring capacity, plus a comfortable cabin, the BMW X5 Hybrid is the best hybrid SUV for dog owners in the luxury space, especially those with a dog from larger breeds.
The interior has a high degree of insulation from external noise, providing a plush ride that even your dog would agree with.
Plus, the X5 Hybrid has a large, flat storage area, so your pet has ample space in all directions to make a temporary home on longer journeys.
Best Hybrid Hatchback for Dogs
#7 Toyota Prius
While SUVs typically have higher interior volumes than even the largest hatchbacks, translating into greater ride comfort for the dog, the latter’s lower price means more dog owners aren’t without a choice.
Suppose you need the largest hybrid hatchback that money can buy; the Toyota Prius, the king of interior space among its competition, is the perfect solution for dog owners.
Besides the class-leading fuel economy that any hybrid owner would appreciate, the Prius has a voluminous interior and high maximum cargo capacity with the rear seatbacks folded.
Its 120 cubic feet of total volume and 50 cubic feet of cargo room can rival some small SUVs, ensuring smaller dogs can sit comfortably behind the driver.
Toyota makes a plug-in-hybrid version of its most popular hybrid, named Prius Prime; however, its interior space is markedly smaller than the regular Prius.
Other hybrids in the hatchback body style are available, like the second-generation Honda Insight (pre-2015); the Toyota Prius remains the most spacious.
References:
https://www.toyota.com/rav4hybrid/
https://automobiles.honda.com/cr-v
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/tucson-hybrid
https://www.kia.com/us/en/sorento-hybrid
https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/x-models/x5/sports-activity-vehicle/plug-in-hybrid.html
