The 9 Best Dog Ramps for SUVs

Are you looking for the best dog ramps for SUVs?

Maybe your dog is starting to get older, has an injury, or is suffering from arthritis.

A dog ramp is a great assistive device to help your dog safely get into a vehicle such as an SUV.

In this blog post, I discuss the 9 best dog ramps for SUVs, including their pros and cons. Note: I discuss both ramps and steps interchangeably since they serve the same purpose.

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1. Best Overall Ramp: PetSafe Happy Ride Extra Long Dog Ramp

There’s a lot to be said for versatility, and the PetSafe Happy Ride Extra Long Dog Ramp is an absolute jack of all trades that are going to handle most of what’s thrown at it.

Rated for 300lb at an 18lb weight, it’s strong and tough enough for even the largest breeds. Long, at 87 inches (the second longest ramp on the list,) means that it’s going to have a gentle incline and be easier to walk up on taller SUVs and trucks.

Instead of folding, it slides and locks on itself, which can be difficult to get used to but once you’ve got the knack it’s simple, and the sole real downside is that the surface could be better.

Rubber feet keep it stable, and there are loads of accessories available including a side door adapter and a carrying case to keep your car clean. I love Petsafe products, and after using them, you probably will too.

Pros

• High maximum weight limit
• Simple to set up
• Works on almost any vehicle
• Strong and safe

Cons

• Quite bulky

2. Top Overall Steps: Maxpama Premium Nonslip Steps

Steps can be simpler for a lot of dogs to climb up, and they collapse down much smaller than ramps, which is why these steps from Maxpama are absolutely one of my top choices.

A 5-step design, they’re incredibly easy to fold down, but unfold into a massive set of steps that elevate from 30 to 40 inches, which is high enough for most SUV doors and a lot of tailgates.

The simple metal design is strong, holding up to 150lb, but also very light, weighing in at only 11.6 lbs, so it’s easy to maneuver.

The steps themselves are made of fabric, with a rubber non-slip coating that adds a lot of grip, so even on wet and windy days, your dog’s going to feel secure.

Finally, they’re very safe and easy to use, folding up and unfolding in seconds, with grippy foam handles and a safety tether clip that locks everything in place.

Pros

• Very tall
• Good weight limit
• Very safe

Cons

• Steps can be harder to descend than a ramp

3. Highest Weight Limit: Petsafe Happyride Deluxe

If you’re looking for the ramp with the highest weight limit, you’ve found it. This telescoping ramp from Petsafe is rated for a patently absurd 400lbs, so if you want extra security, this is probably the ramp for you.

Despite holding such a huge amount of weight, it’s deceptively simple to move, because of the aluminum and plastic design that only weighs 13 lbs.

Instead of folding, it extends outwards, from 39 up to 72 inches, with a safety latch that locks it in place for extra security.

The top surface has a high traction covering, and the telescoping design has built-in side rails for safety. It’s also very easy to clean. You can literally just blast it with a hose, maybe with a touch of added detergent.

There’s a reason Petsafe is a trusted brand with a 30-year heritage. This ramp is a monster, and offers a lot to potential owners, for a very reasonable price.

Pros

• Colossal weight limit
• Lightweight design
• Very easy to use

Cons

• Could have a better grip

4. Best for Ease of Use: Silly Milly Foldable Steps

Designed around simplicity and ease of use, these steps from Silly Milly differentiate themselves from everything else on this list for two big reasons.

The first is how incredibly easy their steps are to use. You can literally open and close these steps with one hand using the patented design, which gives you one free hand to keep your pet under control.

The second is how strong the steps are for their size. Despite being the smallest steps on the list, they support up to 300 lbs. That weight limit means that they’re also safe for human use, something that a lot of ramps on this list can’t promise.

Made from strong plastic, the 2-step design is light at 5.75lb. At only 17.5 inches tall, they seem low, but adding another step puts the usable height at 26 inches, which is tall enough for most average SUVs, and also tall enough to use as a seat.

The one major downside is obvious. The height doesn’t quite match the other options. But if these are the correct height for your vehicle, they’re a fantastic option that offers a whole lot, and for a really good price.

Pros

• Incredibly stable
• One-handed open and close
• Light, small, and easy to store

Cons

• Low maximum height

5. Longest and Widest: Rage Motorsports Extra Wide

Specifically designed for larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs, this ramp by Rage Motorsports is one of the longest and toughest on our list.

At a ridiculous 96 inches long and almost 19 inches wide, this ramp is massive. That does mean that it weighs a hefty 32 lbs, but the aluminum construction and built-in carry handle mean that it’s not too hard to unfold or move.

The topside is covered in high traction friction tape which is rough enough to offer solid grip, and the huge length means that the walking angle is usually low, unless you’ve got the biggest truck.

A lipped edge holds the ramp in place when it’s unfolded, but the weight and size mean that this is going to hold itself down anyway, and when it’s folded, a strap holds everything in place.

Bear in mind that this is still 4 feet long when folded, so it can be hard to store.

Pros

• A huge ramp
• Very good grip
• Big 250lb weight limit

Cons

• Large even when collapsed

6. Top Pick for Stability: Pet Gear Tri-Fold

A big ramp in every dimension that folds down to a portable package, the Pet Gear Tri-Fold ramp is an excellent choice for almost any vehicle.

For a start, it’s huge, at 71 inches long and an extra wide 19.5 inches across. That gives your pet a lot of walking room, which means added security for you both, and should also make it much better for more anxious, or older, pets.

This safety is backed up by side and top-mounted reflectors that make it incredibly simple to see where the ramp is, even in the middle of the night.

The top of the ramp is covered with SupertraX, a material that’s widely used in the pet industry for traction, which offers a lot of grip and can be removed for cleaning.

Finally, there are rubber bottom grips and a safety tether to keep everything in place, and a side handle that makes transportation simple when it’s folded down.

Pros

• Extra long and extra wide
• Stable and safe
• Very easy to see

Cons

• Quite heavy

7. Safest Pick: Pet Gear Extra Wide Free-Standing

Boasting one of the highest weight limits on the list, this free-standing ramp by Pet Gear is super stable and perfect for the biggest breeds.

If you’ve ever seen a dog ramp with a larger dog on it, you might have noticed that there’s some flex in the middle. This ramp solves that, by adding standing supports underneath that let it hold a colossal 300lbs without issue.

At 55 inches long and 23 inches high, it doesn’t seem like it’s big enough to compete with a lot of the other options on this list, but that’s because it works slightly differently.

Instead of attaching to your car with a safety tether, they instead set up like a stepladder, with free standing legs.

The tread is SupertraX, which Pet Gear models all seem to rely on. It means the ramp’s topside has good grip, and is soft and washable. Rubberized bottom grippers offer a lot of stability, and when it’s not in use, this folds down just like a folding chair.

Because of the size and design, this ramp is perfect for your SUV, but also wouldn’t look out of place inside your home. If you’re looking for the safest ramp on the list, this is probably it.

Pros

• Huge maximum weight
• Easy to set up
• Very safe

Cons

• Not the tallest

8. Lightest: Luffwell Portable Steps

Light, with a good weight limit, these portable steps by Luffwell miss out on the top spots only because they don’t reach quite as high as some of the other choices on the list.

A simple 4-step aluminum design, the construction is rugged and strong, supporting up to 200 lbs worth of dog, despite only weighing a tiny 8 lbs.

The steps reach up to a maximum height of 28 inches height, which is average, and should reach a lot of SUVs, but make sure to check yours before you buy.

One place where these steps do excel is even footing, with up to 9.5 inches of horizontal foot space per step, which gives even bigger breeds a lot of room to move.

When they’re not in use, the steps fold down to a convenient 15 by 13 inches, and they’re simple to move around using the foam handles.

On top of this, slip-resistant rubber steps and a safety tether keeps your furry friend safe, no matter the outside conditions.

Pros

• Light, but strong
• Big steps
• Easy to fold and unfold

Cons

• Not the tallest steps

9. Nicest Design: All for Paws Portable

A mid-range ramp that’s decent at almost everything, but just doesn’t do enough to excel and reach the top spots, the All For Paws ramp is a great-looking product that’s not going to let you down, but I think there are better options out there.

Made from tough plastic, it’s light but still holds up to 200 lbs. The non-slip surface, raised side rails, and ramp-mounted walking bars add a lot of stability, meaning that your dog should be comfortable walking on this.

It’s only 60 inches long, and when it’s folded down is very bulky, so it’s going to take up a lot of trunk space, and there’s no way to fix this to your car as standard, meaning that it’s going to slip unless you hold it steady.

Overall, there’s a lot to like, which is why this makes the list. However, a few things could be improved, so if the manufacturers read this, add rubber foot pads and a safety tether and this could be number one!

Pros

• Attractive design
• Strong construction
• Easy to open and close

Cons

• Large and bulky
• Not the longest, despite the size

Conclusion

Well, I hope I have given you some good dog ramps to consider for your SUV.

As you can see, not all dog ramps are the same. They vary in length and height, weight capacity, foldability, traction, stability, and of course their price.

You can also choose between steps or ramps depending on what is best for your dog.

If interested, I also wrote an article on the best dog ramp for pools and the best dog ramps for older dogs.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments below.