Comments on: Dog Friendly Honda Element and Toyota Venza tie for Best In Show on DogCars.com

By: Liz Palika

Liz Palika — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:42:25 +0000

I love Ford trucks; have had them for years. And I’ve been watching the Ford Transit. Gina or Kim, did you get to drive this? How did you like it? Comments pro and con?

By: LauraS

LauraS — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:26:16 +0000

I love the DogCars.com reviews.

I hope as time goes on we have more fuel efficient dog car choices such as hybrids and diesels.

By: Kim Thornton

Kim Thornton — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:55:04 +0000

I will be writing my Soul review very soon. I did like it overall. They’re both compact, but which one you choose probably depends on what size dogs you have. If they’re small, the Soul would be fine; bigger, the 5 is probably a better choice.

By: elaine

elaine — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:08:43 +0000

… have you checked out the Mazda 5? It’s a great little van.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWe…..038;bhcp=1

Comment by Gina Spadafori

I have now! Thanks for pointing out this model. Every time I’ve whined to a dealer about the demise of the MPV, they’ve told me Mazda had no plans to make another van so I haven’t been on the lookout for one.

So I’ve “built” myself a Mazda 5 and a Kia Soul, with comparable features to the extent possible. The difference is ~20 inches* in length and ~ $5k. I’m assuming one call pull the 2nd row seats clean out and store them.

Hmmmm…will have to take my tape and clipboard and visit some dealers to get actual interior measurements and a look-see at how my crates abd gear would fit.

elaine
*almost the length of a 100 VariKennel Jr

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:22:48 +0000

Elaine … have you checked out the Mazda 5? It’s a great little van.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWe.....038;bhcp=1

I’m really fond of Mazdas. My first car was one — paid $2700 for it new in 1976 — and my current daily driver is a 1987 Mazda pickup which I expect to have forever. When I next get the chance to buy new, it’ll likely be the Mazda Speed 3 hatchback — a dogcar with some serious sportscar in its pedigree.

By: elaine

elaine — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:46:43 +0000

Ooooo - the Kia Soul is available with a 5-speed manual tranny! The ONLY thing I don’t love about my Mazda MPV is that only AT was available in the US (they told me I could import one with a manual from Finland - for about $12k more…).

If Mazda still made the MPV I would buy another in a heartbeat. The Kia Soul looks quite a bit smaller - crate capacity in the MPV is 3 across/2 deep at the tailgate, plus 4 more on driver’s side and room for all the gear. But I expect to have fewer dogs to haul by the time the Mazda bites the dust, so there may be a Soul in my future if it gets passing marks for safety, body integrity, and all like that.

Thanks for the intro to these up-and-coming vehicles!

elaine