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WHAT’S THE BEST SMALL CAR FOR TRANSPORTING BORIS (MY DOG)?
The best consumer advice to save you money and make your driving life easier
QI am a single girl with a dog – called Boris – who lives in London. For the past six years I’ve driven a Ford Ka. I love it because it’s nippy, easy to park and if someone takes a wing mirror off in a collision, it doesn’t cost a fortune to replace. I did want to get a new one, but they don’t make them any more. I know I don’t want a premium brand, as they’ll be expensive to repair, but I do want something that feels stable on the motorway. What would you suggest I get instead? CS
A
I’m often surprised by the number of people who think you need a big SUV if you’ve got a canine companion to cart around. In fact, SUVs don’t always make great cars in which to transport our faithful hounds; yes, they come with useful dog-shaped boots, but they also tend to have high load lips which makes it hard for
City cars are few and far between these days as they’re simply not that profitable to produce
smaller or more infirm dogs to jump up and in. Even our labrador-staffie Luther struggles with the boot lip of a big SUV – and at 35kg he’s hardly tiny.
I’m going to assume that, by contrast, Boris is a little chap, because the Ka is quite a small car. You’re right that Ford doesn’t make it any more and, indeed, there is no direct replacement planned. In fact, city cars are few and far between these days, because they’re simply not all that profitable for manufacturers to produce.
There are a few remaining, though, and among those our favourite of the moment is the Hyundai i10. It has exactly the same positives you point out about your Ka – it’s nippy to drive (although I would choose the 1.2-litre engine over the slightly sluggish 1.0litre version), it’s easy to park, with big windows, good visibility and light steering, and parts should be relatively affordable to buy. Hyundais tend to be reliable, too.
What’s more, it’s very spacious inside, with a surprisingly large boot for such a little car, and you get a fiveyear warranty, so you should have peace of mind for a while yet.
If that doesn’t appeal, you could try the Skoda Citigo instead. It’s a little smarter to look at than the i10, and its interior is maybe a little better laid out, though you do without that warranty.
I’m conscious that going up a size probably sounds daft, given your need to park on the clogged streets of London. However, there are a few cars from the class above that are worth a look, so hear me out.
The latest Ford Fiesta, for example, allows you to stay with the Ford brand. That keeps your repair and servicing costs about as low as they are at the moment, and means you get the same zingy performance you’re used to. The new Fiesta can also be had as a mild hybrid, which should help to keep your fuel costs down.
My final recommendation would be the latest Honda Jazz. This clever little car features one of the lowest load lips of any small car, which makes it easy for Boris to climb into the boot, and when he’s in there, you can flip up the base of the rear seat like a cinema chair, leaving a large load area in which to carry luggage.
Or if you’d rather have Boris with you in the passenger area – properly secured, of course – you can try the Crosstar version, which comes with water-resistant upholstery that should make it easier to wipe off muddy paw prints.