I need a quiet, dog-friendly car
‘The rumble and vibration of diesels is probably what upsets your dog’
My Border collie rescue dog, Skye, is terri ed of travelling in our car. She pants, trembles and shuts down. She isn’t travel sick, just scared.
She’s worst on straight, fast roads, but not so bad around town and on twisting country lanes, so it doesn’t seem to be due to motion sickness; we believe it’s noise-related.
This has been going on for two years and we’ve had to avoid car journeys wherever possible, limiting our outdoor lifestyle. However, we recently had a hire car – a petrol Hyundai Tucson – and the difference in Skye’s behaviour was amazing.
We currently own a Citroën C3 Picasso MPV and a Fiat Doblo campervan, but we’ve now decided that we need to nd a replacement as soon as possible.
What it is it about the Tucson that Skye nds less frightening? Is it because our current cars are diesels, or is it that the Tucson has better sound insulation?
Would I be better with an electric car or a hybrid? Is it possible to measure the noise levels between cars? And should I take into account the type of wheels and tyres that are tted?
Whatever car I go for will have to come with roof rails for our canoe. My budget is £12,000 to £15,000 at a push.
Nicky Credland WHAT CAR? SAYS…
There are a number of factors that could be contributing to Skye being more content in the Tucson. The first is that as a petrol car, it will be quieter and vibrate less than most diesels. The Tucson is also likely to have better soundproofing – definitely better than your Doblo, which is based on a van. Seeing as Skye is upset by certain noises, I suspect these are the main reasons why she doesn’t like the diesels, particularly as the rumble and vibration will increase with speed. Another important thing to consider when looking for a car is road noise. It’s therefore important to keep away from cars with lowprofile tyres and/or sporty wheels, because they’re likely to generate more road noise and have a harder ride. For the same reason, avoid cars with sports suspension. As for other options, we’re not sure a hybrid would be the best choice, because they’re usually less refined than regular petrol cars at higher speeds. While the Tucson is a good choice, there are more refined options. The Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen’s Touran MPV (inset) have good soundproofing and quieter engines, so Skye might be more content in one of those. The Touran also has good visibility in the rear seats. We’d suggest drawing up a shortlist of potential purchases and taking Skye for a test drive in each.