October is adopt a shelter dog month and doing so is a great way to give a previously neglected animal a new lease on life.
Owning a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences for animal lovers and making them part of your daily life is a great way to reinforce that bond. However, in order to do so efficiently you would need a vehicle that is well suited to your needs of carrying family of the two- and four-legged variety. These four vehicles are perfect for family and furry four foots.
Toyota Hilux
Dogs and bakkies were made for each other, just ask Buddy the boxer from the iconic Hilux advert.
While having your dog ride on the back of your bakkie is for well-trained pooches only or dogs in a crate, a double cab is one of the best ways of transporting your four-legged friend without having them dirty your vehicle.
When it comes to bakkies, the Toyota Hilux remains a South African favourite for good reason. The Toyota Hilux offers Japanese reliability, is available in many different derivatives and specification levels to suite every budget, is economical to maintain through Toyota’s extensive dealer network and when it does come time to sell, a Hilux has one of the best resale values on the market, further adding to the value for money proposition.
Range Rover
When the original Range Rover was designed, the Queen made certain requests that were incorporated into the design and one of those was that the boot area be carpeted in order for her Corgis to travel in comfort.
The Range Rover was the original luxury SUV and that tradition continues today with the latest models.
The modern-day Range Rover represents the pinnacle in luxury and practicality, with the vehicle retaining all of its off-road credentials while being able to transport passengers in complete luxury.
There are now many engine versions to choose from, including petrol, diesel and even plug-in hybrid versions, meaning that this big SUV is no longer the gas guzzler that it used to be.
At the same time the Range Rover remains perfect for dog owners, the SUV and hatchback like practicality means that your pets can travel with you in the passenger compartment, albeit in the boot area.
Which is finished in the same level of luxury as the rest of the cabin is and can be accessed via a split hatch. In addition, Land Rover offer a wide variety of genuine accessories for pet owners such as rubber flooring, apparel and even ramps to make loading of pets easier.
Audi RS4
Station wagons are a rare sight on South Africa’s roads these days but if you want a vehicle that combines sedan like performance with practicality, nothing can beat a station wagon. One of the only models that is still available in this body shape is the Audi RS4 and it also happens to be one of the best examples of a high-performance station wagon.
The V6 engine in the latest iteration boasts 331kW and 600Nm allowing it to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250km/h.
This performance is backed up by sporty styling which includes a wide grille, various aerodynamic touches, large wheels rounded off by boxy arches and lowered suspension, resulting in a vehicle that has the show to match the go.
At the same time the luggage compartment has a capacity of 495 litres, which increases to 1 495 litres with the rear seats folded down.
Volkswagen Caddy
The Volkswagen Caddy is the German brands small van and based on their popular MQB platform. Its commercial vehicle roots make this compact cargo carrier perfect for pet owners.
This model is available in various derivatives including a full panel van, half panel van with one row of seats or seven-seater badged Caddy Kombi, Caddy Maxi Kombi and Caddy Maxi respectively. This allows motorists to choose the configuration that best meets their combination of people and pooch carrying requirements.
The 1.6 litre petrol engine or 2.0 litre turbodiesel engine is well proven and offers small car like performance and economy despite the vehicles load carrying capacity.
Being based on the latest platform means that the latest technology in terms of infotainment and safety features is also included.
Being part of the Volkswagen commercial vehicle range ensures inherent features that make the Caddy perfect for pet owners, such as hard-wearing surfaces, easy to clean rubber flooring and a low access height for easy ingress and egress via dual sliding doors or a split rear door.
