10 Reviews: Best Dog Crates for Car Travel (Apr 2024)

The Pet Gear Carrier & Car Seat is an excellent example of a soft-sided travel crate. It is ideal for little dogs and cats, and it can be held in place with a seat belt. While a more frenzied dog may struggle in this carrier, young pups and calmer dogs will find it pleasant and warm. This all-in-one pet transportation item also includes mesh windows for ventilation and can be folded flat for simple storage. The best part is that it is super affordable!

Easier to carry than the hard cases. I love how this dog carrier attaches to a seatbelt. My dog does not mind being in the carrier and it is has a vision at the bottom. I also like how it unzips at the top allowing us to let her while in the car.

by S. Tam

This travel crate is one of the few big soft-sided boxes that would fit into the rear of most SUVs or hatchbacks. It easily pops up and folds out, and the tough exterior makes it perfect for camping or tougher conditions. Because of the stronger construction, it is suitable for tougher dogs or pups that may be teething, and it features both a side and a top entry for convenience. The cover is detachable and washable, and it can be put up and folded flat in 45 seconds.

This is an awesome travel crate! It fits perfectly even in the back seat with a toddler car seat on the side. Perfect for road trips with an anxious dog!

by haylee

This carrier is intended to use your car’s current seatbelt system, with a strong duty seatbelt clasp to hold the carrier in place in the case of a collision. It’s made to endure with ballistic nylon and industrial-grade stitching, and it holds its structure to avoid collapse. The Gen7Commuter Carrier is also airline authorized (for most major airlines – always verify your individual airline’s standards and specifications), making it a multi-purpose carrier.

Absolutely love this carrier, I use it in the car to transport my 9 week old puppy. It is very sturdy and teething puppy proof. I would highly recommend this product to anyone with a dog under 20 pounds.

by Leela

The Petmate Sky Kennel is an excellent example of a standard hard-sided kennel. This cage is an excellent alternative for medium-sized dogs, thanks to its excellent ventilation, ability to be tied down in a vehicle, and sturdy construction. The vents on the side are made of thicker metal, allowing more air to enter with less risk of escape. The Sky Kennel is also ideal for air travel, either with you or in a baggage compartment.

This crate was recommended by the agents for shipping from the US to the UK. My cat arrived just fine in this carrier. Works great for a kitten to have space for International travel. Good size for a full grown cat when traveling on the road in the US. I use these for car trips as a small litter box will fit in the carrier with the cat.

by Laura Gregory

Does your dog like soaking in the smells and sights of the road, but she might be a touch too exuberant in showing her joy? This excellent carrier straps onto your vehicle extremely securely and safely using your seat belt and also includes a secondary strap to put over the headrest for added security. The whole face is mesh, allowing your dog unobstructed vision and pleasant air. This carrier folds flat effortlessly, making storing and transferring it without your pet a simple task.

I love how this secures to the back set, white traveling with my 8.5 lb dog. I hope to get her to weigh more, so she has plenty of room in this car carrier. Love it, and recomment it!

by Frances Bocksch

If you have an SUV or van that opens from the rear and dogs that aren’t always clean when they get in the vehicle, a dog cage that allows you to carry your dogs straight into the back may be useful. This functional crate is intended to accommodate two cages in the back of your car, allowing two dogs to travel in comfort and safety while taking in the scenery. When not in use, this is a foldable wire cage that may be easily stored.

I bought this crate because it can hold a large size dog but it is a few inches narrower than the standard XL wire dog crate which allowed me to use it in my hatchback compact car. It was the only wire crate that was large enough to hold my dog that would fit.

by Yvette D Skinner

The Pet Ergo Forma Frame Carrier is a fine carrier on its own, but what truly distinguishes it (and helped it pass the CPS crash test) is its unique ISOFIX-Latch Connection, which snaps into position exactly like a child’s safety seat. This latch system pleased the CPS much. They discovered in their research that this novel latch connection offered excellent security and enabled the Forma Frame Carrier to securely enclose the test dog (latch connections were the main point of failure for many other carriers tested).

I researched safe products for my two small dogs to travel in the car. This has passed the testing so I decided to order it. It is great!! My two 6 pound Mexican Hairless dogs fit in it and I feel so much better traveling with them.

by Lynn Barrett

A cozy and secure travel kennel may help make travel joyful and simple for people with a new puppy or an anxious little dog. This little crate also has a comfortable shoulder strap, allowing you to easily transport it from your vehicle to your destination. It is crucial to socialize your young puppy, but you don’t want to expose her to anything that other dogs may carry until she has completed her vaccines, so a handy carrier like this is necessary to allow you to bring the puppy along while keeping her safe from infectious illness.

I feel better knowing that my girl is in the only crash-tested car seat for pets. She is just fine, snuggled and content in the round space vs larger crates. She is a 10 lb. cat. The arctic white color was on tremendous sale & worth it. She is white, so its all okay. I will clean it somehow...

by May11

This kennel is serious stuff; it has been tested to resist over 4,000 pounds of strain! In Gunner Kennel’s testing, they even fired a 12-gauge shotgun at it, and not a single pellet passed through. Wow. Gunner kennels are made of extra-strong double-walled rotomolded plastic, as well as special strength-rated connecting straps, rubber grip feet, and a dual locking function on the door for further structural reinforcement. This kennel takes the cake for structural integrity, guaranteeing automobile safety and security even for bigger dogs.

Wow, this kennel is the Yeti of dog kennels! everything about this kennel is first rate. Yes, there are cheaper, but none can compare to a Gunner kennel.

by Kris T.

The Variocage is a machine, not simply a crate. Although it has an unsettling aspect, this massive box is built to withstand the most severe abuse conceivable. This container is a piece of art, with hydraulic locks, heavy metal bars, and even an emergency escape hatch. It has been proved to be durable in a variety of crash testing and is available in sizes to fit any size dog. Plus, it comes in 14 adjustable sizes to best fit most cats, dogs and vehicles.

This crate is SUPER strong with out limiting your pets view of the countryside. While it is securely fastened to the car. Yes it’s pricey but by the time you replace it with weaker constructed ones and heaven forbid vet bills it pays for itself. Our Airedale bitch is 45-50 lbs. and very active. This crate gives her plenty of room and she still gets to look at the passing scenery.

by Ann-Marie G.