You'd be surprised what some vehicles can do.

My very first thought for you was a Subaru wagon of some sort, reliable and long lasting, it should have the room you need and take the punishment and get pretty good mileage.

Also, consider a small Mazda-size truck with a shell to protect your dogs. The shell can be removed if needed. Also, a crew cab could have room for dogs or people in the back seat without the shell.

If you must have an SUV, please look for one with good fuel economy, the country is too filled with these vulgar behemoths.

I have passenger car now that gets only 21 MPG. It is the least efficient thing I have ever driven. In the almost 20 years I was carless, general MPG did not improve at all. If anything, cars got bigger and heavier and less efficient.

Extended cab for extra space and a camper shell. Great mileage and reliable.

I finally drove it to the junk yard only because the body was rusting out from underneath me. It started life in Nevada where winter roads were salted.

We had a nice cap on it - the roof came up even with the roof of the cab and it had a window looking into the cab.

We used to put our dogs in the back. With the cap, they were protected, had a little room to roam, and they could see us and we could see them.

Alas! I got hit last winter by a Ford Explorer - the bolts holding the cab to the frame were broken, the driver's side door ended up at the centerline of the truck. Amazingly, the cab was more or less intact! I limped away with a concussion and a muscle injury that had me using a cane for a few months. If you saw what was left of the cab, you'd never believe it.

Wow. My cousin got hit from the side in his truck and has permanent and relentless back pain.

They might get lost.

They will use the gps, and may even stick to the shopping list.

(Of course I'm biased since I drive one).

Put the dogs in the back end (most car makers have an aftermarket gate to separate it so they don't climb) that way they stay in a temperature controlled environment (as opposed to a pickup). Subarus are dependable cars (mine's about to hit 250K and just passed inspection with flying colors) and good off road (I don't drive much off road though). I spent a lot of time in Maine last winter with my grandfather's death and had no problems at all on the road with (his) Subaru (Legacy sedan, which I would not recommend with your dogs).

With the size of the dogs, I'd go with the Forester as opposed to the Outback.

for comfort and visibility? I have a Mazda 3 sedan and I'm feeling cramped and I'm old and stiff and need something easier to get in and out of. Also something easy to see out the back windows when backing up! I'm hearing good things about the Forester for this, also the Kia Soul. Thanks!


Sorry, not trying to hijack a thread!

Mine is a 99 and it has the best visibility of any car I have driven (to the point where I complain about the visibility in other cars).

My sister has a newer one (12) and I've never driven one but if you want me to (and remind me to), I can ask her when I see her at xmas.

I have (came with the car) a cover for the cargo area that I use as long as the cargo is not higher than the cover (which as at the level of the back seat). It really helps with the reflections.

But the Forester visibility is definitely better than any sedan. Light years ahead.

It may be bigger than what I need. I live in the city and it's just me and my small dog on occasion. The most I haul is a couple bags of groceries, lol Backing up in parking lots full of people is so nerve wracking for me. Twisting all the way around...ugh.

However, I hit the road for work often and it's large enough to haul 6 months worth of stuff in it. They had a major redesign in 2007 and the ones before that are smaller.

In 2000, I was in an accident (driving a compact sedan) with an Expedition. After that (and the damage to my car and body) I don't feel safe driving small cars.

The size of the Forester is perfect for me--- big enough to make me feel safe and small enough for me to handle.

I've never sat in one but they look like they have great visibility. I'll sit in one one of these days

Great vehicles.

I own an '07. I have the dog fence and my dogs LOVE riding in the back. They come in two different sizes, so you can get a half height barrier that keeps the dogs in the cargo area in the rear while retaining all the seating, or a full height barrier that can be put behind the front seats with the rears folded down, so the dogs have the entire back of the car to play in. I own both.

Rubber mats mean the interior is durable. I've driven it through 8" deep snow and down muddy and rutted dirt roads in the Sierras and have never been stuck. I even have the factory tow kit on mine and can pull light duty trailers when I need to move larger items. I'm terrible when it comes to getting my regular maintenance done, and it has never let me down.

My only complaint about the Forester has always been that it's not American made, but no American car company makes a car that can match its specs. The closest is probably the Jeep Liberty, but you'll take serious hits in gas mileage and handling, and the Jeep doesn't have a PZEV super low emission vehicle option...the only American cars offering that option are the Ford Focus and the Chevy Volt. In fact, the Subaru's and the Nissan Rogue are the only offroad capable all wheel drive PZEV/SULEV vehicles sold in the United States by any car companies, so if environmental friendliness is also a concern, it's another check in their boxes (not recommending the Nissan because I've heard terrible things about its dirt and snow handling).

Can't go wrong with it.
If that's out of your price range, look for a Jeep Liberty.

the 4 liter 6 cyclinder engine go forever.
i have an '85 grand cherokee, which ALMOST fills in fine for my beloved old suburban. but it is a v-8 gas hog. also old enough to make the parts chase a bit of a pain. but...

a friend has his mom's 2000-something cherokee, tho, and it is going on 200k miles. smaller than mine, but maybe big enough for you. will fit those dogs, fersher.

you also cant beat an old suburban if your budget can afford the gas. mine was closing in on 300k when it died. most reliable vehicle i ever had.

so when I went shopping for another car, I bought a Ford Taurus station wagon. It had plenty of room for the dogs to move around or lie down.

With the suicide doors, you can load in goats and a Honda Element will also haul eight bales of hay, if need be. Great in snow, good pickup. I highly recommend them. Ours has been a godsend on our little three acres.

Now it's hard to find one with less than 100K miles....

for many, many years. They're tough!

23 years and 340 thousand miles.It was hit in the Driver door or I would still have it.
Change your Oil and Filters! Dammit!

A real 4X4:

Currently driving the Volvo CX-something that can tow a light trailer.

I farm as well and will say nothing beats a 4x4 truck. We'd be lost without it and if it were a choice between our truck and the SUV, I'd go for the truck for farm versatility. If you get the crew cab, there's plenty of room for one to sit up front with you and one behind, or both behind.

Also, if you get one of those retractable covers for the truck bed, it really extends the versatility. You can haul stuff covered and protected or you can open it up and haul oversized stuff.

Good luck!

I always used one for my dog. It allowed her to stand, sit, or lay down. If you are in an accident the dogs can get lost, they can get aggressive with the EMT's while they're working on you.

My dog got so excited when I pulled down the seat belt, because she knew she was going for a ride. I had a Jeep CJ-7 with a soft top and soft doors, from May to October I took off the doors and roof and we drover everywhere. When we pulled to a stop at lights, often the driver alongside us, would look and wonder the dog didn't fall out of the car, I then pointed to the seat belt. (I digress).

Just get the seat belts, please.

for my little dog. It is strapped in good and she has her own seat belt hooked to it. I feel good knowing she is safe!

It not only endangers their lives, it endangers the humans in the front.

with the fighting penguin.

Just saying

Subarus are great. I know people here in the Pacific NW who swear by how great they are in snow and ice. Also, they make a ton of them so that means spare parts all plentiful and mechanics know how to repair them. Just keep up on the regular maintenance and you'll be golden.

Because the $$$$difference between a Ford Expedition and a Subaru can be quite substantial, and may pay for for several years of gas. If you live in a state which salts the roads in winter - think long and hard about that Subaru - Soobies have a well-deserved reputation as rust buckets, as do Toyota trucks. I would'nt buy a Toyota without personally examining the frame with hammer and screwdriver.
My friends have big dogs, and an extended cab 4wd pickup - I used it for a while last summer to get around, 'cuz our car was broken, and it was very nice - not horrible on gas on the highway, very comfortable for long trips, will pull a good-size trailer if you get to some serious farming-type stuff (their race car trailer handles haybales very well, and moves the tractor, too).

NOT the "crew cab" - the one with about two feet between the back of the door and the back wall of the cab.

or a large suv with seats that fold down flat (very impt) - i consider an older jeep GRAND cherokee the cadillac ride of suv's because the ride is so smooth and you can haul or tow just about anything with them. we used them in the forest service to haul equipment and gear back into the sierras.

But it sounds like a Subie would do everything you need admirably so I'd start there.