Dog-Friendliness Rating - 2014 BMW i3 Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Dog-Friendliness Rating - 2014 BMW i3 Long-Term Road Test

The 2014 BMW i3 clamshell doors aren't ideal for rear-facing child seats, but what about for dogs?

Read the full story here

fordson1

That door configuration definitely has plusses and minuses...I don't see it as clearly superior for access to a regular four-door with front hinges. One big minus is access in a parking lot - always will be like that for suicide doors.

jmick1

Had an RX8 with a similar door configuration and it could be a problem in the garage. Getting both doors open and having me and the dogs inside the open radii of the doors was tight. Also from the user's pawspective, the big opening up front that happens first was very inviting and often taken. Of course, a better trained owner wouldn't have their pups hopping in the front...

agentorange

"But what about when you're loading dependents that don't require a seat large and substantial enough for NASA to deem it excessive for missions to space?" ROFLMAO!!! A more polite slam on that oversized child seat than I could manage.

agentorange

jmick1 said:

Of course, a better trained owner wouldn't have their pups hopping in the front...

Can you give classes on this in Las Vegas? I see too many lap dogs that'll be punched into orbit should the airbags deploy. The rest will be force fed into their owners' sinus cavities. Driving with a dog on your lap, sheesh.

i3madking

My 85lb black lab was able to step into the floor on the rear compartment with the forward seat rolled forward and tilted forward, then step onto the rear seat. so the i3 passed the dog "self-loading" test.