My folks, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to get a wolfhound and as such will need a new whip when it gets too big for the Mondeo (sharing with the existing lab/shepherd cross).

Must be able to:

Accommodate one giant and one med-large dog.
Preferably come with Isofix for the grandchilds seat (but not a dealbreaker if the seat can be fixed securely).
Tow a ****-off huge caravan. Bailey Senator Ariizona 6. Basically this thing is about a foot short of needing a second axle, just under 1.5tonnne MAM.
Load floor should be low enough for the wolfhound (big dogs but not particularly agile).

Mondeo is previous gen 140HP 2.0 TDCI, worth about 7-9k dealer price apparantly. Great nick but not top line model. Looking to trade or get best price.

Already looked at Caddy Life, ticks all the boxes as weight and power are both like for like though still a bit lighter than ideal for towing the caravan. Still, never had any issues with the Mondeo. Does come with the usual eye-watering VAG tax though.

Tourano Connect only comes in 1.6 and not powerful enough. Pretty sure this applies to Kangoo and Bipper as well.

Are the newer Sharans and Galaxys worth a look? Does anyone have any suggestions other than a full fat Tourano or T4/5 (doubt mother would let that happen)?

The mondeo will be fine- a lot of the cars you’re listing have smaller boots, just taller – the bipper in particular is much smaller. Cars now are bigger than they’ve ever been but big dogs are the same size as big dogs ever were. My neighbours used to keep great danes and they scooted around happily (slobbering and farting being the most accurate measure of happiness) in the back of a montage and they were smaller than any family-size estates you’d buy now

Skoda Octavia VRS. Big boot and lots of torque.

Not sure I’d want to regularly put a giant breed in the back of my Octavia… Though saying that I did on occasion have to put the parents Great Dane in my old 156 – that was a squeeze!

How about something like a Freelander? Huge towing allowance, fairly car like to drive and the older ones (with the spare on the rear hatch) had a fairly low boot floor for the dog. Not the same depth as an estate but the added height means the dogs can sit happily enough.

Mondeo will not in any way be fine. Its a wolfhound they’re carrying not a veal calf.

Freelander would be a tough sell, not sure he’s keen on the bad rep or still higher than normal floor. But will give it a mention.

Galaxy, Alhambra or Sharran.
Tows brilliantly, bags of space.
Seats 6/7 fold flat into the floor.
Try & get one with opening rear quarterlights, for the dogs. (Button is in the front).
Our Galaxy tows 1500kg with no fuss, very capable tow car.

remove engine from mondeo and fit a harness to the wolfhound.

Always thought the freelancer one was great for a dog as you could put window down, with a guard in place dog was secure

http://www.lrparts.net/freelander-1-rear-window-guard-genuine-land-rover.html

Except the boot on the freelander is small. Oh has had a dead great Dane in one with the seats folded but its too small for a big dog. Any normal estate has a bigger boot.

A Mondeo estate should be plenty big enough. Try it and see.

Failing that Skoda superb, merc E class estate, discovery etc

Oh and you should not drive a freelander with the rear window open as fumes will get drawn in. Only use a guard like that when parked.

Got a Bailey senator Oklahoma same size etc plus two dogs , had a Nissan Pathfinder- boot huge, towed great and pulled like it wasn’t on the back, got a double cage in the boot plus no infringent on the back seat, isofix
Big tax bracket and 23mpg hitched.
Fairly cheap and loads of toys

It’ll have to be a large MPV of sorts, vehicles with higher towing capacities will be rear wheel drive or 4×4 and both come with higher load height so that just leaves S Max, Renault Espace etc.

In my eyes the Caddy and Connect Tourneo would be a step down in size/weight for towing, although 1500kg MAM isn’t that mahoosive really.

We need pics of the wolfhound. 🙂

Superb Estate with 4×4 for getting off muddy grass?
http://www.skoda.co.uk/why-skoda/4×4/pages/our-models.aspx#Superb

Its about as big as you get without going for a van based model I would guess

Hyundai Santa fe, big boot, but not too high as 4×4’s go, good fuel. Economy for its size and a great towing vehicle.

Skoda Yeti 4×4. The newer breed are great going vehicles and surprisingly roomy inside.

Mondeo estate I would say. I have one and it is massive, the ‘boot’ area is much larger than all of my mates’ estates for getting stuff in (a Passat, A4 and a Merc). They all marvel at the luggage capacity of it.

It aint the trendiest of cars but it is very much a case of function before form for me.

We have an Audi a6 3.0tdi Quattro for towing duties. From the research I did, it has the highest tow rating this side of a big 4×4. I don’t like big 4×4’s

Not sure how suitable the boot would be but worth a look.

How about something like a Freelander?

New Freelander’s boot is about twice the depth of the older one so should be big enough, but it’s a lot higher up – as in a LOT.

I’d have thought that if a Mondeo estate is too small, then you’ll need either a double-cab van or a large MPV.

As far as Estate cars go you can’t get much bigger than a Mondeo. If a Mondeo is too small you need a van. Freelanders are much smaller internally.
You could fit a rhino in the back of a Mondeo!

With large dogs it’s not so much the depth it’s more the height, our Dane used to sit upright in the back of the parents Freelander and look out the window. They had the last of the face lifted old shape so lower boot floor, they also got the 5 door and generally had the rear seats folded for longer journeys.

Her most favourite transport was in the open back of my pickup though – you know how much dogs like putting their heads out of windows, it was that but times 1000000!

I did used to have to lift her into it though!

With large dogs it’s not so much the depth it’s more the height

This.

I’m well aware how big the load space is in a Mondeo but it’s in no way suitable for the wolfie to move about in. Likewise for any estate.

Pathfinder looks good on paper but tbh I don’t think the MPG is going to sell itself and it might still be too high. So it looks like a large MPV or 2.0 Caddy (same weight as Mondeo so not really a step down). Will give the Yeti a look as well (suspect the Santa Fe will be too high).

Cinnamon – no pics yet unfortunately.

Any 4×4 will have a high boot floor, you’ll be best looking at larger FWD MPV’s where you can remove the rear-most seats.

Yeah, I did have a look to see if you can get a fold out step to mount on the towbar but tbh none of them look like they have a big enough platform.

These dogs are not the most agile. Most 4x4s will be two high for these to jump into when they get on a bit. The ideal car if I had any of the dogs mentioned would be an old style Alhambra/Galaxy with the 130 tdi. 2000kg towing limit and plenty of room for the dogs with the rearmost seats out. Can’t comment on the new models.

Freelander 2’s are a very good vehicle and have proven to be reliable and well up for towing. The boot for a Wolfhound will be way to small. Our Wire Hair Viszla is to big for a freelander boot.

Volvo XC70 may fit the bill?

The new style Sharans are v comfortable and come with isofix on all 5 of the rear seats the seats fold flat into the floor and are very easy to operate boot size with the rears folded is huge

If a 4×4 is an option xtrails series 1&2 are a good option as they’ve a bigger boot and higher towing capacity that most other similar sized 4×4’s

I was following an old shape Subaru Forester the other day and thought of this thread – they look to have a taller load area than most other estates without the added ground clearance of something like a Freelander.

A friend of mine tows a horse box with one, seems to be fairly bombproof if a bit on the thirsty side.