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Top 10 Most Pet-Friendly Vehicles

SANTA MONICA, CA (WWJ) -- While there are many rankings to determine how safe cars are for drivers and their human passengers, what about the risk to pets? The online auto research site Edmunds.com has come up with its top ten list of pet safe vehicles.

“Not only are these vehicles safe for pets, but they also offer a certain measure of convenience for pet owners,” said Edmunds.com Automotive Content Editor Warren Clarke. “And with each one of these vehicles starting at under $35,000, owners won’t have to chase their own tails to make ends meet.”

The vehicles come in several shapes and sizes--and are a mix of domestics and imports--but they do have one thing in common, they are all SUVs or crossovers.

The top ten pet safe vehicles chosen by Edmunds.com are:

  1. Dodge Journey – Available features include an in-dash cooler that can be used to store beverages, medicine or pet food.
  2. Ford Flex – The crossover offers ample legroom and wide door openings for your pet’s easy ingress and egress.
  3. GMC Acadia – The Acadia’s tri-zone climate control helps monitor temperature in the rear of the vehicle, thus ensuring that pets secured in back aren’t exposed to extreme heat.
  4. Hyundai Tucson – This Hyundai offers privacy glass that helps block the strong rays of the sun.
  5. Jeep Liberty – The Jeep brand offers specialized pet travel gear, including crates, carriers and a ramp.
  6. Kia Soul – The Soul comes standard with side-curtain airbags that can keep both two-legged and four-legged passengers safe in the event of a collision.
  7. Mazda 5 – The Mazda 5 has tethers and anchors in both the second and third rows, helpful since pet safety seats need to be secured in the same way as a child’s seat.
  8. Mitsubishi Outlander – The SUV also boasts fold-flat seating and stowable third-row seats – both of which increase the amount of room available for larger pets.
  9. Subaru Tribeca – Pet owners will appreciate the Tribeca’s five-star crash test scores, steering-wheel-mounted auxiliary controls and rear back-up camera.
  10. Volvo XC70 – The XC70 is available with a Volvo-designed pet barrier, created to remain intact during a collision.
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