pet connection

As the world’s automakers gather in Detroit this week for the North American International Auto Show, most of the focus is on hybrids, fuel cells and other environmentally friendly technologies.

But one piece of news that won’t get much of the reporting spotlight is that among the handful of manufacturers who stayed profitable during the bleak economy of 2009, were two Korean manufacturers – Hyundai and its littermate, Kia.

From a dogowner’s point of view, Hyundai already has recorded multiple paw ratings by in tests by our reviewers at PetConnection sister site DogCars.com with the Santa Fe. Meanwhile, Kia is well represented in the DogCars reviews with four models worthy of the attention of pup-loving travelers.

Now, just a week after DogCars.com released its 2010 Best In Show award (a tie between the Honda Dog Friendly Element and the Toyota Venza), a new Kia has made the DogCars review list. Listed as one to watch for 2010, the boxy little Kia Soul was just tested by DogCars.com reviewer Kim Campbell Thornton, and her dogs Twyla, Bella and Harper.

Check out Kim’s review and not only will you find out how capable the Soul is for carrying canines, but you’ll also discover such interesting tidbits as Kim’s height, her husband’s nickname for the Soul, and how Kim and Bella choose to kill time in the Soul while waiting for Bella to finish some medical tests.

Apparently Kim and her crew aren’t the only ones who like the Kia Soul because this year’s Detroit auto show opened with the news that the stylish little boxer has been named Small Car of the Year by FAMA Magazine.

Look for Kim’s Kia Soul review here, and the rest of the DogCars.com reviews here.

Those of us who write for our DogCars.com site, the No. 1 resource for people looking for a car to fits a pet-friendly lifestyle, have given our annual Best In Show Award to a pair of vehicles that marks a change in the the way the auto industry treats dog-lovers — and sets the bar for pretty high for the future as well.

This year’s DogCars.com Best In Show Award goes to the 2010 Honda Element EX Dog Friendly edition and the 2009 Toyota Venza.  The DogCars team who made the choices: Reviewers Kim Campbell Thornton and Gina Spadafori, and our own Dr. Marty Becker, “America’s Veterinarian.” Kim’s Cavaliers are the models in some of the pictures, as well.

Why did we like these two? While no single vehicle will fit all dog-lovers any more than it will be a perfect match to any segment of buyers, we were impressed at how far Toyota and Honda were happy to go to court pet-lovers.

Both vehicles were designed and marketed with the dog owner in mind, taking great measures to outfit the vehicles with custom accessories to help keep a dog safe and comfortable.

The Toyota Venza, which was first introduced as a 2009 model, is a mid-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV) with a design similar to a sport wagon, but with more interior room than a traditional wagon.

The low-to-ground clearance offers small or less-agile dogs easier access to the Venza through tailgate or the side passenger doors.

The Venza was initially marketed to pet owners by offering a variety of dog-safety accessories built specifically to fit the vehicle.

Made by pet products manufacturers Kurgo and Solvit, the accessories can be purchased directly through the Toyota dealer, making it easier than ever to ensure that all dogs are safe and secure when riding in a Venza.

For Honda, this year’s Best In Show award marks a return engagement, as the 2007 Element was honored with our first-ever DogCar of the Year Award. After we caught their attention, Honda upped the ante,  rolling out a special “Dog Friendly” Element package that goes to great lengths to please pup lovers.

The Dog Friendly Honda Element EX offers a package that includes a raised platform and cushioned bed with a soft-sided crate facing out the rear of the vehicles, and an extendable ramp for easy in-and-out suitable for dogs of sizes.

Other dog-friendly features include a rear fan for improved airflow, a spill-resistant water bowl, bone-patterned rubber floor mats, and a tote bags with leash, collar, ID tag and bag dispenser. Special badges on the side and rear of the Element proclaim its dog friendly status.

In a departure from previous DogCar of the Year Awards, which listed top DogCars in several categories, this year’s list features a look ahead at what potential pup mobiles are coming from the world’s automakers.

The reasoning: The past year was so hard on the auto industry – with entire brands disappearing and new vehicle production slowed to a crawl –  we decided that instead of looking back on what was, we wanted to look ahead to what’s down the road.

In addition to the Toyota Venza and Dog Friendly Honda Element, here’s a look at the top five DogCar prospects for 2010:

Ford Transit Connect

One look at the promotional photos of the Ford Transit Connect and you can see that it’s a definite DogCar contender. Based on a model that is popular in parts of Europe, where streets are narrow, the Transit Connect can be outfitted as a cargo van or five seat wagon. The low-to-the road clearance couples with a high profile roof, dual sliding side doors and a pair of rear doors to provide easy access to the cargo area from any angle.

Ford says that you can configure your Connect in a wide variety of designs, including a wide-open cargo area with rubberized floor mats, which is music to the ears of all dog-loving drivers.

Honda Accord Crosstour

In a throwback to the Accord Hatchback of the 1980s, Honda is introducing a car-like Accord Crossover utility vehicle that may – or may not – be considered as a potential DogCar. The Accord Crosstour features a V-6 that gets up to 27 mpg, and boasts 101 cubic feet of cargo space.

And while a hatchback is preferable for dog owners, the sloped rear roof may not be as appealing for those carrying crates for the canines.

Volvo XC60

The XC60 is Volvo’s first small SUV, or what the Swedish carmakers calls the “Small Premium Utility” category. Offered with a choice of six-cylinder engines and lots of design features like all leather interior (easy to clean), panoramic roof (open-air feeling), and fuel mileage of up to 27 mpg.

The Volvo XC60 comes from a bloodline that is definitely DogCar friendly, with the XC90 large SUV receiving five paws and the mid-size VC70 achieving four.

Kia Soul

One of the few completely new models being introduced in 2010 is the Kia Soul, which at first glance appears to be inspired by the original Scion xB. But the Soul has a distinct look all its own and its squared-off tailgate provides great hope for DogCar drivers who need space for crates and other canine cargo.

With mileage estimated to be 24 mpg in the city/30 highway and a price tag starting at under $15,000, there appears to be a lot to like in the Soul.

Hyundai Tucson

This manufacturer has pretty much stayed below the DogCars.com radar screen in past years, with only the Santa Fe getting high consideration (4 paws) from our reviewers. That may change with the new, 2010 Hyundai Tucson, a compact SUV that promises to rival the popular Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape in canine carrying capabilities.

The Tucson comes in at a lower starting price, better estimated fuel economy, a longer warranty and an all-wheel-drive/four-wheel-drive option that can’t be found on those competitors. The question is, will the sloped rear be too much of a hindrance for dog crates?

That’s a quick look at some of the top DogCar possibilities for 2010 — and our team will be reviewing them all.  Be sure to check out these and all vehicle reviews from a dog-lover’s point of view at DogCars.com.

I stopped reviewing new vehicles for our DogCars.com site because I was falling behind when my dad was sick and then dying. Kim picked up reviewing out of Southern California, and Keith kept the home fires burning on the site, which became pretty quiet during a time when the economy was so bad that almost no one was even considering a new car and the car companies were scrambling for their very survival.

Things seem to be easing up some, based on the interest we’re seeing again in the DogCars.com reviews. And I’m a better place, too, which is why when Honda woofed I agreed to take a look at their new Dog-Friendly edition of the Element, with built-in crate, ramp, bone-stamped matting and ultra-tough, stain-resistant upholstery.

The test vehicle arrived a little while ago, and I gotta say: It’s pretty cute.

More after a few days of driving …

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It’s probably just a coincidence that in the same week that global leaders are convening in Copenhagen for the world climate summit, Kim Campbell Thornton, auto reviewer for PetConnection littermate DogCars.com, has completed a week’s test ride in one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles on the market: the 2010 Toyota Prius.

Up to this point, the gasoline-electric hybrid Prius hadn’t been seriously considered as a potential DogCar because its design didn’t fit the typical layout that we look for in a canine carrier. Most DogCars, we surmised, need to have rear portions that are squared-off – not sloping – in order to adequately handle canine crates and dog beds. So the Prius’ long, sloping hatchback was quickly ruled out as a possible DogCar contender because it appears to take away valuable crate space.

However, during her weeklong test drive of the newly redesigned, 2010 Prius, Kim came away pleasantly surprised at the deceptively spacious interior of the highly-popular, four-door hatchback sedan.

I had my doubts about the Prius as a dog car, but like the magical Weasley tent in the Harry Potter series, it has a more spacious interior than its compact appearance suggests.

Kim put the Prius through the test and while she isn’t ready to claim it as the perfect DogCar, she did find it to be more canine friendly than its main hybrid competition, the Honda Insight.

And best of all, she liked not going to the gas station as often as other DogCars. The Prius averages around 50 mpg in both city and highway driving. It is also classified as a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) and, according to Toyota, the Prius:

“. . . is built using processes that reduce emissions in every stage of the vehicle lifecycle, from production and driving, through to eventual disposal and dismantling years down the road.”

That’s news that would even please the Copenhagen crowd.

Read Kim’s full review of the Prius here, and the rest of our vehicle reviews at DogCars.com.

While I’ve always bought vehicles with the dogs in mind, my ‘98 Plymouth Voyager SE was the first purchased with the dogs at the very top of the list.The first thing I did after buying it brand spanking new was pull out the rear bench seats, the better to get crates and dog gear in.

Rare was the time I turned over the engine without a dog or two (three or four) in the car.

The Voyager has been a good vehicle: Countless river runs, lots of training trips, competitions and a coast-to-coast drive to live in a beach house in on the Florida Panhandle for a few months in the winter of 2000-1.  My heart dog, Queen Heather, spent her entire life with me in that van, which I named Forest, as in Green.

And now they’re both gone.

With 12 years and close to 100K miles, the Voyager was becoming increasingly unreliable. So I stole my brother’s little truck — an ‘87 Mazda pick ‘em up with less than 65K miles — as my daily driver (he bought a newer used truck), and also snared neighbor Judy’s ‘97 Toyota Previa van as my DogCar, because it was in better condition.

In the end, I didn’t sell ol’ Forest — I donated him, to Capital Public Radio. Quite a few people responded to my Craigslist ad, but I just got the feeling a lot of them were planning bad things for Forest, and I didn’t want him involved in the smuggling of drugs, puppy-mill pugs or undocumented workers.

So … he went to charity, with lots of Heather’s fur still in him. He just left, and yes, I feel sad. Yes, I know that’s crazy, but it’s still true.

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I even gave away the plates.  My “FLTCOAT” vanity plates will end up on another person’s car in SoCal — she wanted them, and I … am planning to leave the state in the not-to-distant future. So they’re gone, too.

End of an era, truly.

Images …. all pretty self-explanatory, except for Roger and Me: That’s McKenzie sitting on the hay.