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Pet Friendly Cars: How to Choose the Right Vehicle
According to one recent survey, more than 30 percent of holiday travelers bring their pet on the road with them. And roughly a quarter of all pet owners travel with their pet more than 20 times a year, according to Cars.com.
Whether it's a once-a-year trip to the vet or everyday car trips, pet owners are faced with the task of keeping themselves and their animal companions safe and comfy in the car. With that in mind, we want to highlight various features and products that are available to pet owners on today's four-legged friendly vehicles.
"In our research, we found that Volvo does the best job of offering products for pet owners," said Cars.com Managing Editor Patrick Olsen. "However, many automakers offer features and options that are pet-friendly, even though not all of them were designed specifically for pets."
The following are pet-friendly features offered by manufacturers:
Volvo:
- Nets that span the space between the ceiling and the backrests of the front or rear seats.
- A collection of metal dividers for wagons and SUVs.
- A vertical grate that divides the cargo area into halves, separating a dog from cargo or another dog.
Saab:
- The 9-3 SportCombi and 9-5 SportCombi (wagon) include a cargo space divider, cargo mat, cargo apron and cargo guard in the back; the 9-5 SportCombi also has a trunk tray.
Saturn:
- The Vue has a cargo management system.
Volkswagen:
- The Jetta and Passat wagons offer cargo partitions, while driver accessories include a VW Beetle squeaky toy, air freshener and squishy pillow. Other VW gear includes heavy-duty floor mats and cargo liners.
Nissan:
- A Pet Guard Divider accessory that helps keep pets secure while in a vehicle's cargo area.
Other features that can make traveling with pets easier, and a few cars that have them, include:
- Fold-up backseat cushions, which allow a larger area on the floor for pets to lie down. (Honda Ridgeline, Dodge Dakota)
- Fold-flat second-row seats, which open up the cargo area for more pet space. (Most wagons/SUVs/minivans)
- Fold-flat front passenger seat, which opens up the cargo area for even more pet space. (Toyota Tacoma, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Dodge Caliber, Toyota Sienna, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Edge, Nissan Xterra, Pontiac Torrent)
- Hard-coated and scratch-resistant load floor/folding seatbacks, making for easy cleanup. (Jeep Compass, Dodge Caliber, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Chevrolet HHR, Toyota Yaris hatchback, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Honda Element, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda CR-V)
- Washable/stain-resistant upholstery. (Dodge Caliber, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Jeep Compass, Jeep Wrangler ('07), Honda Element, Chrysler Aspen, Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chrysler Sebring ('07), Dodge Nitro, Dodge Dakota, Dodge Durango, Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab, Jeep Patriot)
(Sources: Cars.com)
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