Best SUVs for Dogs

Some dog owners take their pets everywhere with them. Their four-legged companions jump into their cars whenever they go to the store to grab milk, swing through the drive-thru, or pick up the dry cleaning. Others might take their dogs on long hikes through the woods, getting them wet, muddy and stinky before loading them back in the car. If you're one of these dog owners or are preparing to welcome a pet into your life, ensuring that your vehicle can provide a safe and comfortable environment for your dog is essential. Whether your furry friend is large or small, drooly, muddy or smelly, having the right SUV can make all the difference. Here are some of the best SUVs currently available to cater to your pet-friendly needs.

Jeep Wrangler

Starting price: $33,890
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 32 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 72 cubic feet

Jeep encourages owners to use the drain plugs in the Wrangler's washable floors to help wash off their vehicles after a day on the trails. While most Jeeps may not encounter such rugged terrain, the drain plugs can also help clean the interior of the Wrangler after a visit to the dog park or a wet and muddy hike. For the full Jeep experience, consider removing the top on the way home, but please keep the doors on when your pet is a passenger.

Ford Bronco

Starting price: $41,525
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 38 cubic feet (soft top)
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 83 cubic feet

Ford borrowed a lot from the Wrangler's playbook, including its removable doors and roof, hardtop and soft-top options, and washable floors with drain plugs. Both the Bronco and the Wrangler are great choices for open-aired off-road fun, but the Ford has just a bit more interior space in the back for accommodating dogs, crates, beds, bowls and toys. Additionally, the Bronco will provide a more comfortable daily driving experience thanks to its refined independent front suspension setup.

Toyota RAV4

Starting price: $30,025
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 38 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 70 cubic feet

America's best-selling crossover is an ideal choice for dog owners. The Toyota RAV4 has a spacious interior that is easy to live with and offers plenty of utility for its size. Compared to its competitors, it has one of the largest cargo holds, and getting dogs into the trunk is also easy due to the low cargo floor. Additionally, there are rubberized grip surfaces on features such as the inside door grab handles and controls for the radio and climate. Toyota also offers numerous powertrains on the RAV4 including a plug-in-hybrid Prime model.

Honda CR-V

Starting price: $31,450
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 39 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 77 cubic feet

The Honda CR-V is another popular crossover that is an excellent choice for dog owners. It has a spacious cargo hold and an available hands-free liftgate to make loading crates and larger dogs easier. The CR-V provides a smooth and pleasant ride, and its well-insulated cabin ensures that your dog can ride in comfort with minimal road noise. Like the RAV4, the CR-V is available with a hybrid powertrain but doesn't have the plug-in option that the Toyota offers.

Tesla Model Y

Starting price: $44,380
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 34 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 76 cubic feet

Teslas are full of gimmicks like farting horns and arcade games, but there's one feature that's actually useful for dog owners. Tesla's dog mode is a climate control function that allows drivers to leave their car while keeping the heating or air conditioning on for their pets. A specific temperature can be set, and a message will appear on the dashboard saying: "My owner will be back soon. Don't worry! The A/C is on and it's 72 degrees."

Toyota 4Runner

Starting price: $42,100
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 47 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 90 cubic feet

The Toyota 4Runner is known for its roll-down rear window, and with up to 47 cubic feet of storage behind the seats, there's plenty of room for a dog or two to ride safely back there with smells coming through. Plus, a few snouts hanging out of the 4Runner's rear window are sure to brighten anyone's social feed.

Toyota Land Cruiser

Starting price: $57,345
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 37 cubic feet

You can't roll down its rear window like the 4Runner, but the new Toyota Land Cruiser has a hybrid powertrain that gets up to 23 mpg, according to the EPA. Instead, a button on the lower left of the rear window hatch raises it to access the trunk. A center console cooler also ensures your pup has cold water after a long walk.

Lexus GX

Starting price: $64,250
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 40 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 77 cubic feet

The Lexus GX shares a platform with the Toyota Land Cruiser, but it has a twin-turbo V6 engine rather than the Cruiser's i-Force Max hybrid four-cylinder. However, there's slightly less room for dogs, crates, and gear in the rear of the Lexus. And, like the Land Cruiser, the rear window can be tilted up for easy access to the cargo hold.

Subaru Forester

Starting price: $28,440
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 30 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 74 cubic feet

All Subarus come standard with all-wheel drive, and the Forester is the best option for dog owners. The 2025 model year brings an all-new Forester with up to 30 cubic feet of space behind the seats. When you fold them down, the area expands to 74 cubic feet. Subaru also offers various dog-friendly accessories for the Forester, including rubberized rear seatback protectors for when the seats are down, pet ramps, rear bumper covers to protect against scuffs and claw marks, and collapsible kennels.

Kia Telluride

Starting price: $37,355
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 21 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 87 cubic feet

Since its introduction at the turn of the decade, the Kia Telluride has been a smashing success. With standard bench seating and up to 87 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity, this three-row midsize SUV is a solid choice for dog owners.

Kia EV9

Starting price: $56,395
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 20 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 82 cubic feet

Are you looking to go fully electric but still need a spacious three-row SUV for your family and dogs? Consider the EV9. It's essentially an all-electric version of the Telluride with modern styling. The EV9 offers slightly less interior room than the Telluride but makes up for it with up to 304 miles of range and available dual-motor all-wheel-drive models.

Land Rover Discovery

Starting price: $61,250
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 9 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 74 cubic feet

The Land Rover Discovery is a three-row SUV that has plenty of room in the back for dogs — if the third row is stowed. With all three rows up, the Disco only has 9 cubic feet of space, but fold the third row, and there's 45 cubic feet behind the second row. Land Rover also offers a waterproof mat for the cargo area to protect against muddy paws.

Aston Martin DBX

Starting price: $236,000 (not including destination)
Max cargo volume (seats upright): 22 cubic feet
Max cargo volume (seats folded): 54 cubic feet

A dog in an Aston Martin? The idea might sound ludicrous, but the British luxury automaker encourages it. The DBX is actually offered with a pet package that adds a dog partition behind the rear seats, a rear bumper protector to keep scratches off the paint, and a portable hose to wash them off.