To recap, I've been looking for a shade maker for dog agility activities to keep me and my dog cool.  I'm a small person, and I need something easy to handle.  A large canopy is hard to lug around and requires at least two people to put up. 

The Sport Brella is light, easy to carry, and goes up in minutes.  I had some minor problems the first time around. Perhaps I just needed more bonding time with the 'brella. 

This time I found the stake that telescopes out of the bottom of the middle rod, something I had missed before, and important element for stabilizing the 'Brella. I also made sure it was well staked down.  Even then, it took just a few minutes to open it up, secure it, and enjoy the shade.

As with any shade cover, a good sense of where the sun will be during the course of the day is helpful.  That will take some practice for me, as my sense of direction isn't entirely adequate. But adjusting the 'Brella is easy, so if it's not positioned perfectly, it's not hard to shift it. 

I might have had more success the first time I tried my Brella if I'd had more complete instructions.  There are several ways you can use the Brella, and the telescopying stake wasn't obvious to me. 

Overall, it was a successful outing, so I'm holding on to my Sport Brella. I'll never have to be shadeless again! Now, if I could just Q next time...

• Lots of storage cubbies & shelves
• Carpeted floor in front, vinyl floor in 2nd row & rear cargo area
• Standard AC
• 3 cup holders
• 6-way adjustable driver's seat

• Ford Work Solutions inventory system for keeping track of equipment/"stuff"
• Available Nokia Bluetooth
• Power windows & locks
• Garmin navigation capability
• All sorts of after-market customizable shelving/storage options
• Reverse Sensing System
• Full-function computing w/Internet access
• PATS - Passive Anti-Theft System
• In-dash Windows CE computer w/wireless keyboard & printer
  

• Ample spatial volume
• Wonderful cargo access
• Good gas mileage
• Unencumbered spare tire access
• Height of the vehicle in cargo area
  

• Slightly underpowered
  
• Somewhat hard ride
• Lack of ventilation & AC in cargo area
• Lack of operable second row & rear windows

When I go to agility trials with my agility buddy, we take along her EZ-UP Dome II.  Two of us can get it up in about 5 minutes.  EZ-UP-type canopies are great for making your own shade, but I know few people who can get them up without help.  It’s really a two-person operation. 

So I’ve been on the look-out for an shade alternative, something that is quick and easy to put up, and will provide just enough shade for Cassie and I, for those times when I’m attending events on my own. 

When I spotted the Sport Brella on sale at a local sporting goods store, I got excited.  This video shows how it works.  Just substitute dogs for kids. 

So I grabbed one.  An upcoming agility match would give me the perfect opportunity to try it out.

When I arrived, I opened up the Sport Brella and set it up in just a few minutes. The Sport Brella is quite light and easy to handle, and takes up very little room in the car.   I nestled Cassie’s crate underneath, and still had room for my chair.  Since I’m a short person, I was able to fit underneath the apex in a regular-height chair.  I staked it down at both ends, and decided I’d found the perfect solution in my quest for shade.  I had more than one person admire my “Brella” and ask me where I’d found it.

Ah, but not so fast.  The afternoon was not yet over. 

First, I used fairly poor judgement in selecting a location.  So I had to keep shifting it as the sun moved.  No problem.  I should have been more careful. 

Then a lovely breeze started up.  Hmmm, being that is is an umbrella, it wanted to fly.  So I opened the “windows” in hopes that would help.  But the breeze continued, and the umbrella kept coming unstaked.  No problem, I thought.  Next time I would need to use all 5 stakes, not just 2.  This was, I figured, just a learning experience.

But as I packed it up, I realized the fabric had come loose from the small plastic tips holding the Brella together, in three places.  This was more serious, especially considering I’d only used it once.

So sadder, but wiser, back it went to the sporting goods store.  The manager didn’t seem surprised to hear that it had not held together.

The Sport Brella is a great concept.  It does, however, need some minor adjustments to make it sturdier. If the manufacturer makes any improvements in that area, I’d be the first one to try it again, because I really liked my Sport Brella.

So I’m still looking for shade….

The initial generation of the xB was styled after a Japanese model. The second generation was introduced in 2008 and was geared more for the American consumer - a little bit bigger and with a little more power. You can read more about the xB in a previous review we did a few months ago.

The xA only lasted one generation with one body style - a 4 door hatchback.  After the 2004 model introduction, the 2006 did receive a bit of a facelift in its last year of production, but it was essentially the same vehicle with slightly different features.  Unfortunately, we at CarGoDogs.com did not get a chance to measure and review the vehicle before it was discontinued.  It is unlikely that it would fit a large number of big dogs, but we'd love to hear from anyone who uses one for their dog travels.

Onward for Scion... In 2005, Scion came out with a more traditional vehicle, the tC coupe.  It was stylish, yet affordable with many optional features.  The tC seats 5 and has a versatile hatchback trunk but it is not generally what one would use as a dogmobile. You could probably use the fold-down back seat feature to utilize the area for dogs, but it surely would take some ingenuity to customize the space for safe travel.

The removal of the xA made way for the newest model in the Scion lineup: The xD.  Introduced in 2008, this entry level vehicle is typical of all Scions with many standard features including a remote keyless entry, air-conditioning, cruise control, airbags, etc. There are oodles of extras to be had either from Scion or other aftermarket companies.  Unfortunately, they're mostly for cosmetics and less for functionality and none of them helps with traveling with our pets.

When we visited the Scion dealership, we were able to look closely at a 2009 xD. The xD has a maximum cargo capacity of 36 cubic feet.  It is bigger than the 26 cu.ft. cargo space of the 2009 Toyota Yaris but this is pretty small compared to the cavernous 2009 Honda Fit at 57 cu.ft, the 2009 Toyota Matrix at 48 cu.ft or the new Kia Soul at 53 cu.ft.  However, the price is also a bit less, with prices starting from $14,650. The xD's standard safety features include antilock brakes, front and full side curtain airbags.  The xD also received an Edmund's award as one of the Top Consumer Rated vehicles in 2008 & 2009, scoring 9.3 on a scale of 1 to 10, so consumers are really enjoying this vehicle.

Some of the positive features of the xD are 60/40 rear seats, a cargo area that folds flat, cargo tie-downs and rear windows that open which would be helpful for ventilation if one were to crate dogs in the car.  Note that there is about a 3" lip at the rear cargo area, so crate doors would need to be elevated above that point to open.  (The Honda Fit also has a "lip" in the cargo area.)

As a dog car, it seems one could make an xD work for small dogs but it probably wouldn't be a first choice for those with medium to large dogs. The Kia Soul, Honda Fit or Toyota Matrix might be better options simply due to the larger cargo space.

According to Reuters, the car will come with a built-in water bowl, fan, and a ramp, as well as easy-wash seat covers.  Sounds lovely, but all of these things can easily be accomodated in any car, so this sounds a little like a gimmick to me.  My definition of a good dog car includes things that can't easily be changed about a car, such as the ability to house large crates, and good ventilation.  The Honda Element already has those things, so the rest is just icing on the crate. 

The Honda web site lists the Dog Friendly Element as a concept car coming in Fall 2009.

In the meantime, if you'd like to have a ramp, dog seatbelt, fan or easy wash seat covers, visit the CarGoDogs Store.  That kind of stuff is out there for cars of just about any size or shape.

See also the CarGoDogs review of the Honda Element.

The Hyundai Entourage is one such casualty.  According to Consumer Reports, Hyundai is dropping the Entourage.

The Kia Sedona is almost identical and will remain on the market for the time being. 

Sponsored by Toyota, you'll have to watch a commercial before getting to the meat of the matter.  Except, well, there's not much meat there, just a few short segments about relatively obvious options, such as cargo barriers and seat covers.  Seat covers?  Jeesh.  Tell us something we don't know! 

We really like our Kia Sedona, and get a much better highway gas mileage (with judicious driving) than than advertised, averaging about 27 mpg. It is an easy, fun and responsive vehicle. The crash ratings and warranty are great too.

The one thing we did have to do, using two 400 varikennels facing the rear, is put one on a 3/4 inch piece of plywood so that the place where the top and bottom parts of the crates join, are one slightly above the other. These crates will not fit if the joints meet each other.

By taking out the two middle bucket seats, we can fit a 3rd crate, possibly a 500- though we have only placed a 400 there. The rearmost bench seat folds down into the floor and it is flat. We had to put the board under one crate to raise it a bit, you can see why. The car has rear air and heat and the rear wing windows open a bit for good air flow. The rear door has a light that comes on when opened.

There is plenty of leg room in the back. I took a cat in a small crate to the vet one day and just bungeed the crate to the folded seat. Another 400 easily fits in the back if the seats are snapped out. Easy to do once you know how and luckily the instruction book is very good.

Here's the front.

Rear with one seat down.

Anya wants to go somewhere!

For more information:

Edmunds.com Review of the 2008 Kia Sedona

Kia Motors - Sedona

I was very taken with this vehicle when I started to car shop around 2006.  The price was reasonable and being from the Toyota family, there was an image of quality and reliability.  It was a hit with the younger set, it's target market, partly due to the ability to customize each vehicle with a myriad of accessories. 

Consumer Reports has this summary of the 2008 remodeled xB: "The redesigned xB is wider and longer. The new 2.4-liter four-cylinder has more power, but worse fuel economy. The ride has improved and handling is responsive. The gauges are still centered on the dash. The rear seat is enormous and the cargo area is large. Visibility is impaired by low windows and thick roof pillars. Curtain air bags and ESC are standard." 

Road test results were good, the vehicle is reported to have good reliability and consumers are very fond of their vehicles.  So, there are a few compromises, but all around, the xB appears to be a good option when looking for your next dogmobile. You won't be able to fit as much as the medium or large size SUV's but as a compact SUV, it's about the best in its class.  For the economical price and functional extras, one can't complain too loudly.