10 Car Features That Will Keep Pets Safe and Comfy

If you’re an animal lover, then you probably agree that our furry friends usually have us humans wrapped around their little paws, and we go to great lengths to keep our “best friends” happy, healthy and safe.

Related: Road-Tripping With Pets? Here’s What You Need to Know

Just how great? According to a 2024 American Pet Products Association survey, 58 million American households own a dog, and we spent $147 billion on our pets in 2023. And folks who compete with their dogs in canine sports or regularly take classes with them spend even more than the average pet-owning household — with some of that money ending up in car-dealer bank accounts because pet travel safety is important, too.

In honor of National Dog Day, we curated a list of pet-friendly vehicles and vehicle features to help keep your pets safe and happy on the road.

1. Boxy Is Best

When it comes to using dog crates in a vehicle, shape matters, and boxy works best — especially if your pal is on the large side. With automakers emphasizing aerodynamics for improved fuel economy, boxy is harder to come by these days, but some examples come to mind: the Kia Soul and Jeep Wrangler. Shoppers looking for a used vehicle could check out the Ford Transit Connect or Ram ProMaster City vans, as well.

2. Got Multiples? Go Big

Just like human kids, sometimes the canine equivalent of human kids’ “Mom, he’s touching me” drama happens — so, bigger might work out better for traveling, whether using safety harnesses or crates. If harnesses are your preference, look at three-row and full-size SUVs in which you can spread the dogs out. These haulers also provide the cargo space necessary if using crates is your preference. Hulks to consider: the Chevrolet Suburban or Tahoe, Ford Expedition, Kia Telluride, Toyota Grand Highlander or Volkswagen Atlas.

3. Tough Tie-Downs

Speaking of crates, if you use them, it’s best to have a vehicle equipped with strength-rated cargo tie-downs — and to use strength-rated tie-down straps. In a crash, these two pieces of equipment will keep the crate from becoming a dangerous projectile. When car shopping, look for tie-downs in the cargo area; if they’re absent, find out if they can be added.

4. Flat Floors

Another crate-related consideration is whether a vehicle’s foldable seats create a floor flat enough for dog comfort. Would you want to lie in a crate that was tilted for hours? Probably not. Current vehicles with fold-flat floors include the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, GMC Terrain, Jeep Compass and most full-size SUVs.

5. Latch-ability

Dog car seats and safety harnesses are designed to be used with a vehicle’s child-safety seat Latch system. Not all Latch systems are created equal, however. Luckily for you, Cars.com’s certified car-seat technicians test the vehicles we get for ease of use with car seats. If the system works well for child-safety seats, it should work well for pet-safety equipment — so see if the vehicle you’re considering has been put through a Car Seat Check and how it fared.

6. Opens Wide

The wider a vehicle’s doors open, the easier it will be for your dog to jump in or for you to anchor ramps or steps. So, look for doors that open 180 degrees or those that slide open. Minivans like the aforementioned Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival and Toyota Sienna make traveling with pets easy.

7. Easy Up and Down

That spry young pup at your side will become less mobile as he ages, just like us, so consider the step-in, step-out — make that jump-in, jump-out — height of doors and rear openings. Ramps and steps can help, but with ramps, you need to consider the angle of incline — a steep angle can cause an elderly dog to injure its legs. Look for a vehicle with lower heights for the side and rear entries, like a sedan or wagon, or consider an SUV with an air suspension that you can lower for your pooch, like the Land Rover Discovery or Volvo XC90.

8. Multizone Climate Controls and Vents

To keep your pet as comfy as you, rear climate controls are nice to have — and easier than traveling with a fan in the summer. They used to be an optional feature on many cars but have become more mainstream, as more vehicles today are offering standard multizone climate controls and vents. Don’t leave the dealer without them.

9. Backseat Accommodations

If your small dog or cat travels in a pet carrier, then a car with generous backseat legroom is a must. Why? If the carrier is not designed to be used with seat belts — like these from Sleepypod, for example — then the safest place in the vehicle is on the floor between the first and second row. Or, if you’re harnessing a dog to the backseat, room to maneuver without becoming a human pretzel will make it easier on you. Bring your crate or carrier to the dealership and test out vehicles with generous second-row legroom.

10. Easy Cleanup

Pets are messy. So, easily cleanable upholstery and cargo areas are important considerations if you don’t want to use removable coverings. Look for vinyl or leather seats and rubber floor liners in the cargo area. Several brands design vehicles and accessories with pets in mind, including Jeep, Land Rover, Subaru and Volvo.

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