This Is The Car Dog Lovers Keep Buying

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Buying a car is always stressful, since you have so many things to consider. And if you love taking your dog on adventures, his safety is a priority.

Subaru has done a bunch of campaigns around dogs —but are they actually beloved by dog owners, and are they doing anything to help dogs?

We did some research and the answer is definitely yes and yes. We’re thrilled to award the Subaru Outback our Paw of Approval. Read on to find out just how great this car is for dogs.

The Subaru Outback has a whole bunch of features that are pet-friendly, which makes sense since the company previously revealed that 60 percent of Subaru drivers have dogs.

The Subaru Outback has over 32 cubic feet of cargo space, as well as a lot of back seat space to buckle up your pup for a comfortable, spacious ride.

It’s also got eight air bags to keep you and your pet safe.

The Subaru Outback’s low load floor also makes it easy for older, arthritic or injured pups to get in and out of the car.

And if your dog loves exploring the outdoors, this car has all-wheel drive and stability in off-road environments.

Subaru has a Subaru Loves Pets initiative through which they dedicate major resources to helping animals.

The company does that by organizing and financially supporting pet adoption events. In fact, Subaru has given more than $30 million to provide care and fund rescue and adoption efforts for over 250,000 animals.

The company is the ASPCA’s largest corporate donor and was even awarded the ASPCA Corporate Compassion Award for everything it’s done to help animals.

Subaru also funded two crash-test studies (using dummy dogs) conducted by the Center of Pet Safety in order to figure out which crates and carriers will actually keep your pet safe in an accident.

They named a couple models — like the Sleepypod mobile pet bed — and for the first time, raised public awareness of the importance of securing your dog in his seat belt or carrier while you’re traveling.

We asked The Dodo’s executive editor, Katy Brink, who got her 2011 Subaru Outback a few years ago with her pups in mind, if the car met her expectations.

Our reviewers have ridden around in their parents’ Subaru Outback on lots of adventures and road trips now, and there are so many things to love.

The Subaru Outback’s all-wheel drive makes it stable and safe to drive around on uneven roads or in inclement weather.

“We live in upstate New York, where a lot of roads get tricky in the winter, and the Subaru's been great for getting us and the dogs everywhere we need to be.” — Katy B.

And Subaru’s dedication to those crash-test studies were what led to Norman and Sasha getting their own Sleepypod seat belts.

“Now our pups are belted up whenever we go anywhere.” — Katy B.

The Subaru Outback has plenty of room, so you know your BFF won’t be cramped or uncomfortable while you’re driving him around.

“We thought about a Forrester but liked that the Outback has a slightly larger back seat, which is great for our two big dogs and sometimes a foster to ride in.” — Katy B.

The floor of the Subaru Outback is low enough that your pup won’t struggle to hop in or out when the time comes.

“It also has a pretty low load floor so that the dogs can jump in and out (and plenty of space to store doggy stairs if we end up needing them).” — Katy B.

If you and your dog love exploring, the Subaru’s off-road capabilities will help you go pretty much anywhere.

“The all-wheel drive is great for getting to hiking adventures in any kind of weather. We see Subarus all over the place on trailheads where pups and their parents like to hike.” — Katy B.

As animal lovers, we at The Dodo are thrilled that Subaru is dedicated to finding rescue pets happy homes.

“I love that Subaru has invested a ton of money in their commitment to helping rescue dogs. It's not just branding for them; they really are making a difference.” — Katy B.

We could really only think of one downside about Subarus.

If you’re concerned about the environment, you might be a little disappointed that Subaru doesn’t have an entirely electric car.

The good news is there’s one in the works — the Subaru Solterra — and it’s supposed to be on the market in 2022.

“Of course, one of the best things you can do for animals is reduce your carbon footprint, and we were excited to see that Subaru is developing an all-electric car.” — Katy B.

The Subaru Outback has so many features made with both people and their pups in mind.

The majority of Subaru drivers have dogs, which means they trust this line of cars to keep their pets safe and comfortable.

There are a lot of factors to consider when buying a car, and if you have dogs, it’s worth looking at a Subaru.

A 2022 Subaru Outback starts at $26,945, and older models are available at a range of prices.

Subaru actually has a bunch of dog-friendly accessories for the Outback. The company offers travel bowls, seat protectors, collapsible kennels, cargo liners, license plate frames and even a ramp. Subaru also sells carriers and harnesses manufactured by Sleepypod, which passed those crash tests done by the Center of Pet Safety.

The Dodo may receive complimentary samples to test in our Paw of Approval program, but all our opinions are 100 percent our own. We only publish endorsements of products we (and our dogs and cats) absolutely love! You can find out more about our testing process here.

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