Hi everyone

As we posted before we have just re-homed a forth hound Davie.
We are due to buy a new car soon anyway and just wondered if anyone had experience of any cars in which you can fit in 4 hounds and 2 humans!

Any advice great fully received.

Thanks

Elaine & Steve

My yaris does at a pinch , folding back seats down

I have a Vectra estate, which takes 5 hounds and a Jack Russell with relative ease but I don't think they make them any more and the Insignia has a much more slopey back, as do the newer VW estates.
The Volvo estate must be the ultimate hound home-from-home, but the Mondeo estate is quite roomy and some of the Peugot models look OK.
I've been looking round recently too but decided to stick with the Vectra.

I have a Skoda Fabia which seats 2 greyhounds comfortably with the seats folded, I think I might be able to squeeze another one in (dont tell Celia) but doubt if I could fit in 4 hounds, but I think the Skoda Octavia could do it as its a bit bigger. My previous car was a Peugeot 207SW which was brilliant, (plus Jack liked the taste of the seats and had one for a snack)so again the slightly bigger version of that the 307SW would fit 4. I frequently look at cars on our walks round the village, and can see various types which would fit 4, the slightly older Saab estate (55 plate in my neighbours drive!) looks perfect, and as Marion says, some of the Vauxhall mpv styles would easily take 4 hounds! I suspect the human part of the equasion come second when choosing cars, they certainly did when I requested my lease car for work!

We had a Vauxhall Meriva which comfortably fitted 4 greys with the seats down in the back.

Now have a Vauxhall Picasso and does the same; 2 humans in front and 4 greys in back with the seats down.

Both plenty room for dogs with seats down.

I have a Citreon Picasso, the back seats fold down flat in line with the boot and you could easily fit four (or more!) hounds in the back! I have a dog walking business, so spent ages looking around cars to find the one with the most space, this one was the best by far.

Hi Guys.
As everyone knows my Volvo 940 takes SEVEN dogs plus Celia so, Steve and Elaine, come back for the other three hounds.
Jimmy.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone . It's really helpful. We'll have a look around and hopefully find a car all the hounds are happy with!!

I may consider the other 3 hounds Jimmy - if I ever win the lottery that is!!! Nice try though



Elaine, Steve, Lucy, Lama, Poppy and Lucy xxxxxx

I've got a Peugeot Partner (its the same as the Citroen Berlingo). Not the nicest looking car but Patch loves it because he can stand and stare out the back window!

Haven't tried 7 dogs in the back but four fit comfortably and mine is in 'van' mode all the time

Best part about the Partner is that it has sliding side doors which make it so much easier when you are loading up and unloading dogs.

Have to say that dog-wise, its the best car I've had

Thanks Amanda

I will go and have a good shop around and look at he Peugeot partner also.

Hope you and your hounds are good.

Elaine xx

We can get our three in the back of an Octavia estate with a dog guard and the back seats still in place, but I wouldn't try four unless they're relatively small greyhounds. If you want the biggest boot space, i.e. an estate that will take four with the back seat still up, then your best bet would be a Mercedes E-class estate.

Don't be fooled into thinking that a big 4x4 will have the best boot space. It's the length and width of the boot that you need for dogs, not the extra height that a 4x4 gives. You'd need a colossal 4x4 to get anywhere near the boot space of a decent big estate car.

If you're not fussed about keeping the back seats up then pretty much any small estate or medium to large hatchback would be fine. Having said that, look to see how the seats fold down - if the back rest just drops onto the cushion you won't get a flat floor for the dogs which can be a pain in the wotsits especially if your dogs tend to stand up a lot when they're in the car.

The other thing to consider is how you're going to get the dogs out of the car safely. Our Mighty Jimny (lol!) is better than the Octavia for this because the door opens sideways rather than hinging up as it does in conventional hatchbacks/estates. Getting three out of the Octavia is a two person job for sure, but with the Jimny I could probably manage the three on my own if I needed to. Alternatively, as Amanda says, something like a Citroen Berlingo/FIAT Doblo would probably be better still if you used the sliding back doors rather than the boot.

We actually bought the Rav4 as the general workhorse/dog carrier - it is worth it's weight in gold (older 05 reg model). The back seats are in the garage - it took our 3 dogs with ease with room for more. It is great having the back door which opens outwards instead of upwards and it is low - one of the main points which attracted us when Annie struggled to jump up, she got in with ease.