Mazda CX-5 SUV is the top dog

One of our favourite SUVs, the Mazda CX-5, has been crowned overall winner of the What Car? Best Car for Dogs Award.

What Car? chose a shortlist of six cars from different price-points, using a list of dog-friendly criteria created with the help of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

The dog-friendly elements included the size and accessibility of the boot, interior air-flow and the durability of upholsteries.

Owners and their canine companions then got together for a day of testing at the Hitchin Priory Hotel, checking out the features of all of the contenders before making their decision on the overall winner.

What Car?’s shortlist of the most dog-friendly cars

Price-Point Category	Make	Model	Best deal on What Car? New Car Buying†
Less than £16,000	Suzuki	Vitara 1.6 SZ4	£15,004
£16,000 – £19,999	Skoda	Octavia Estate 1.4 TSI SE Technology	£19,198
£20,000 – £24,999	Mazda	CX-5 2.2d SE-L Nav	£24,368
£25,000 – £29,999	Skoda	Superb Estate 2.0 TDI SE L Executive DSG	£26,037
£30,000 – £40,000	Mercedes-Benz	E-Class Estate E220d SE	£35,782
More than £40,000	Land Rover	Discovery 3.0 TD6 HSE Auto	£59,234

“There are more than 8.5 million dog owners in the UK, and 99.9% of them consider their dog to be a member of their family,” said Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?,

“It therefore seems only right that we should be taking our four-legged friends into consideration when choosing our cars.

“Our panel of readers found the Mazda CX-5’s practical features, stylish yet solid interior and affordable pricing to be a winning combination.

Not only can owners have a great-looking, great-driving car, they can also have one which gives everyone inside a safe and comfortable ride.”