Whether it’s a short trip to the park or a long adventure ride, our golden retrievers enjoy every minute of their time in the car. They love their car rides, so we prioritize their comfort and safety when choosing a vehicle, like an SUV.
On our recent trip to Santa Barbara CA, Mazda gave us a 2024 Mazda CX-50 to test drive and for my dogs. The Mazda CX-50 is a crossover SUV (CUV), which means it combines features from a traditional car and an SUV.
8 Things We Like About the 2024 Mazda CX-50
1. Indoor Size Matters Especially for Large Dog Owners
The Mazda CX-50 can accommodate 5 passengers. We have enough legroom in the front seats.
How is the backseat? The backseat accommodated our two 70+ lbs golden retrievers. First, the headroom is just right – they can sit or stand.
It is useful to put a dog car cradle cover with an extender on the backseat. The extender covers the cradle and fills the gaps between the front and back seats. Our golden retrievers lie down and take naps on their car rides.
2. Safety as a Top Priority
Safety should be an important factor whenever you’re looking for a new SUV, especially when driving your furry friends.
We are pleased to share that the 2024 Mazda CX-50 has won the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award. You can read the detailed report on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website.
We found blind spot detection and lane departure warnings to be useful safety features when driving. We heard several warning beeps as we drove, and our dogs did not react. These are gentle beeping sounds.
According to Mazda, the 2024 Mazda CX-50 is designed to be proactive and reactive to enhance safety, giving drivers the peace of mind they need.
We felt safe as a driver and a passenger. We also felt safe traveling and bringing our dogs.
3. Convenience A Must!
The Mazda CX-50 is comfortable to drive, and most importantly, our golden retrievers have a comfortable ride in the car.
My younger dog, KENZO, jumped into the car easily, but my older dog, KB, had trouble sitting up off the ground. Having a car ramp for the dog would have helped. However, KB found a creative way by stepping first on the floorboard and then on the chair.
Yes, my golden boys have a very comfortable car ride. During our two and a half hour drive to Santa Barbara, CA, they lay down and rested. KB remained lying down, but KENZO sat up and looked happily out the window.
4. Say YES to Luxury Appeal
We drove the 2024 Mazda CX-50 Turbo edition, equipped with all the luxury features. We loved the Zircon Sand Metallic color, which complimented our golden retrievers’ fur very well.
We were surprised by the beauty of the interior. The terracotta brown/orange seat color with black contrasting trim is a very unique combination and looks great on an SUV.
5. Budget Friendly
The Mazda CX-50 has good gas mileage. With a full tank, we made it to Santa Barbara, CA, about 145 miles away, and only refueled halfway home. The money we save on gas can now go toward our dogs’ health fund.
6. Navigation A Plus
Mazda has its own navigation system, but for this test drive, we found it easier to connect our iPhone and use Apple CarPlay to navigate our route. This way, we don’t waste time driving and spend more time with our dogs on adventures.
7. Cargo Space
For our weekend trip, the cargo space was adequate for our needs. However, we wish it had a roll-out rear cargo cover. Additionally, if we bring a large or XL crate, it will need to be foldable.
8. Off-Road Ready
The Mazda CX-50 offers a variety of drive modes through its i-Activ AWD system. It’s pawfect for long road trips with the dogs and handling changing road surfaces and weather conditions. Unfortunately, for this trip, we only drove the highway, but it’s good to know that the Mazda CX-50 is ready off-road.
Verdict: Dog-Friendly Mazda CX-50
All in all, the 2024 Mazda CX-50 is a front-runner to be a dog-friendly SUV for big dogs. The spacious interior, award-winning safety features, and luxury appeal gave us comfort and peace of mind as drivers with our dogs as our primary passengers.
If you’re looking for an SUV, here’s a great article to guide you in your choice, How To Choose The Best SUV For Your Family.
If you want to learn more about the Mazda CX-50, visit your nearest Mazda dealership for a test drive.
As Mazda’s tagline says, ‘Feel Alive’, you and your dog will be energized and ready for any amazing adventure.