2012 Ford Transit Connect XLT

Need tons of cargo room sans human passenger in a vehicle that’s easier to maneuver in traffic and on those narrow roads on the way to some obscure trial site? The Transit Connect might be for you!

The Transit Connect is a workhorse! It’s primarily marketed as a business vehicle and the interior and features certainly reflect that!

Width between wheel wells (narrowest part of the vehicle): 47.5″

Cargo depth with all rows up: NA – no passenger seating behind the driver and front passenger seats

Cargo depth: 71″

Interior height (min): 52″

Interior height (max): 54.5″

Hatch dimensions: 51″ tall, 50.5″ wide

MPG city: 21 mpg

MPG highway: 27 mpg

True to its service vehicle marketing, the Connect doesn’t come with a ton of additional bells and whistles. There are a few though: multiple lights throughout, including in the rear and in the middle of the cargo area ceiling, 12V outlet in the rear, multiple cargo tie down points, and optional second row seating or shelving is available.

Additional vents are added with second row seating, but the salesman was unable to tell me if those seats were at all easy to remove if needed.

The Connect does NOT have 4WD as an option, so it’s not suited for off roading, but otherwise it seems to be a very flexible option for those with multiple large dogs!

2010 Ford Edge SEL

The Ford Edge seems like a pretty nifty looking crossover – is it as equally nifty when looked at through dog vehicle glasses?

[not my image – found via Google image search]

A typical small crossover, the Edge does not have a 3rd row seating option, but it does offer more interior space than other vehicles in the same category.

Width between wheel wells (narrowest part of the vehicle): 42″

Cargo depth with all rows up: 34.5″ on the floor, 27″ deep at the narrowest point (seat back 20.5″ above floor level)

Cargo depth with the second row down: 60″

Hatch dimensions: 31″ tall, 32″ to 48″ wide

MPG city: 18 mpg (this was a 2WD model)

MPG highway: 25 mpg (this was a 2WD model)

The Edge has extra lights in the cargo area and rear facing air vents on the console between the front two seats; both features appreciated when using a vehicle for dog toting!

Unlike the Equinox, which is very similarly sized inside but is larger outside and has several features that make the interior harder to use for crated animals, the Edge provides a wider space between wheel wells and slightly longer interior cargo space with the second row folded. The second row is slightly angled when folded, but less angled than many other vehicles we’ve looked at.  The hatch opening *is* smaller than other similarly sized vehicles in some dimensions, but should still be functional given its size at the widest point. Folded crates are likely much easier to fit through the hatch than pre-assembled crates.

The wider space between the wheel wells does open up the possibility of larger crates sitting side-by-side, but you will need SUV-style crates if you hope to fit 36″ or 42″ long crates into the space.

Overall, the Edge is a decent option in this class, but I highly recommend trying your crates in the vehicle before jumping to conclusions as it does have some drawbacks that may make certain crating setups more difficult.

2006 Ford Escape

A number of people have mentioned the Ford Escape as a possible option as a good “dog car” for those people wanting 4wd as an option. I’m usually an import girl, but I couldn’t *not* check it out when I saw it on the lot. How does it compare to other small SUVs?

(not my photo, found via Google Image search)

Well, it has similar dimensions to most of the smaller SUVs out there, and the seats DO fold flat (yay!), but overall it seemed a lot lower quality inside when compared to similar imports. Lots of plastic, the carpeting in the back cargo area was very cheap feeling and not well secured, and the dash seemed very light on any bells and whistles. It struck me much more as a basic, no frills vehicle, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when you’re looking for something that can stand up to use as a dog hauler.

Width between wheel wells (narrowest part of the vehicle): 40.5″

Cargo depth with both rows up: 32.75″ on the floor, 23″ deep at the narrowest point (seat back 20″ above floor level)

Cargo depth with the second row down: 57.5″

Hatch dimensions: 34″ tall, 37.75″ to 47.75″ wide.

MPG city: 22 mpg (this was a 2WD model)

MPG highway: 26 mpg (this was a 2WD model)

The Escape, for all of its workhorse styling, does have some nice features. The glass in the hatch opens independently, allowing you to increase air circulation in the vehicle even with the hatch locked. There is a small light above the cargo area which is great for late night or early morning packing and unpacking. The seats did fold flat as I mentioned earlier *and* they were very easy to fold – no complicated series of handles and latches here!

The Escape definitely doesn’t have the bells and whistles of other similar vehicles, but it’ll certainly get the job done! With the second row of seats up, you should be able to fit smaller crates in the cargo area, and with that row down, the cargo space is quite flexible and generous for a small vehicle. The distance between the wheel wells does mean putting two larger crates side by side might not be possible (most 36″ crates are 24″ wide with SUV-style crates still being 21″ wide), however. Overall, this is a decent option for those with only a few larger dogs or a larger number of smaller dogs if you don’t need the more high-end interior styling found in some other small SUVs.