Around 57 per cent of UK households now own at least one dog, causing many drivers to consider ‘pup-grading’ their motor.
For many dog owners, making sure your furry friend fits in the car is a key consideration when making a purchase - however, bringing your dog along to dealerships for a test drive isn’t the norm.
Fortunately for pet owners, a handful of car brands have designed their motors with canine companions in mind - but which motor is the most suited to dog lovers?
LeaseCar’s latest study investigates the UK’s most popular cars, ranking them on the following features:
- Boot size to fit pets
- Off-road ability for dog walks
- Boot sill height, to ensure ease for dogs hopping in and out of vehicles
- Whether a car has specific dog-friendly features such as ‘Dog mode’

1. Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y may get muddy - but your environmental consciousness remains clean, given it’s the only electric vehicle to grace the ten most dog friendly cars. It also scores top (86.23 out of 100) when it comes to offering your four-legged friend a comfortable ride. The electric vehicle offers an impressive 854 litres of boot space and low boot sill to ground height. The Tesla Model Y also leads the pack as the only car to offer ‘Dog Mode’, which allows owners to turn on air conditioning when parked up, keeping dogs warm or cool if they leave them for short periods of time. The Model Y also offers drivers the ability to check on their pets with its interior cabin camera. What’s more is that a scientific study conducted by the University of Lincoln found that electric vehicles offer a smoother ride for dogs. The study revealed 66% of dogs showed a decreasing heart rate, indicating they were more relaxed and didn’t feel as nauseous when travelling in an electric vehicle compared to an ICE counterpart. | Getty Images

2. Toyota Aygo X
Coming in second is the Toyota Aygo X hatchback. Not to be underestimated by dog owners for its compact size, this practical city car has rear seats that can be split and folded down to take the overall cargo capacity up to 829 litres - the second largest, coming up short to the Tesla Model Y. This model has a spacious interior and low boot height, enabling your dog to get in and out of the car easily. It got a score of 78.93. | Toyota UK

3. Land Rover Range Rover Sport
It’s no surprise a car as big as the Land Rover Range Rover Sport has enough space for a full litter of pups, but what places this model third in LeaseCar’s index is where the car will let you take them. The car is best suited for off-road driving, making it perfect for muddy countryside walks. Not only that, but it has a gracious-sized boot to offer your furry friend a comfy ride. The experts gave it 75.97 out of 100. | Getty Images for Jaguar Land Rov

4. Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
There's a reason it's common to see a couple of Labradors in the back of an Evoque - they are perfect doggie chariots and earned a score of 71.30. | Getty Images for Jaguar Land Rov