You know, if you can learn to take off the front wheel and even the rear wheel, you can broaden your search. If you can broaden it even further if you can manage Saris' bone on the back.

go for an H2.

A buddy looked at the Prius, and thought it wasn't so great. Since he wanted mileage and a place for his bike, he got a Honda Fit. It does fit his bike without taking off wheels or anything, as the seats fold up. Nice design, but I prefer my Touareg.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

Honda Fit - - and when the 2009 comes out, you should have no problem with a bike that size in the back. I saw an add that showed an adult mountain bike with both wheels still on, standing up in back. Now if you lean to take the wheels off, you could even squeeze 2 bikes in there, gear and riders.

That's the thing, I don't want to get into taking the bike fully apart or putting it on the back. That's what I do now and it's a pain. My car gets scratched and I get worried when I'm going high speed and it is a pain to put a full bike in and take it out of my car. I think my top choice is to get the prius for the gas savings and provide myself with an incentive to get a boring car by allowing myself to buy a nice roof rack. I'm going to test drive the rogue next week b/c I want to see if it handles like they say it does. If so, it will be a tight race, as I'd like a car I can get excited about. Ideally, I'd have a car in which I can just slide my bike into and that gets great gas mileage and is sporty and relatively inexpensive 20-24k, but I haven't found one yet. The trade off with the rogue is that the mpg isn't incredible 21/26.

If you are concerned about gas mileage then you should re-think the roof rack.

I agree. The aerodynamics of every vehicle will vary, but my mileage dropped like a rock when I put on my roof rack.

Look at the Honda Element. I'm always bragging about mine. Gas mileage around 30mpg. I can fit my bike in the back with a seat folded up completely in tack, no wheels taken off. The floors are plastic so you can spill Perpetuem to your heart's content and not worry about clean up other than a wet rag. Cost in the mid-20,000 range depending on which model you get. All time 4 wheel drive. You can fold the seats down and it becomes a bed so you can grab a cat nap before heading home after a race. I've done a full change in the back. With the tinted windows it is easy to do and you have lots of room to move around.

Go crawl around in one, you'll love it.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I knew it reduced a little bit, but I didn't think it would affect it dramatically. How many mpg are you talking? If the prius is getting 46 on the hwy, I expected mpg would be reduced to about 40, but even 40 isn't bad. Do you think it would be worse than that?

Yeah, I know it is great for these purposes, but I just can't get excited over it. Not only can I not get excited over it, but it actually turns me off (no offense). I think the style is such that you either love it or hate it. Having said that, there is no getting around that it is a great car for triathletes.

Honda element without a doubt. You can spray the interior down with a hose and the fabric on the seats are specially made to be stain resistant.

I would think that if you hated the Element(I call it Castro's Hat Car, then you should really hate the Prius. Really ugly, and mileage on the hwy isn't that great, plus it takes 10 minutes to hit 60. I couldn't have he patience for that car.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

I've had several friends tell me that exact same thing until the see the interior of mine, now they all want one. :-)

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I never really calculated it, but it might've been in the 4-5 mpg range. So, it wasn't catastrophic but was a huge surprise to me :) It's all relative, of course, to your baseline mileage (46mpg with the Prius).

I have to apologize. After responding to you I looked into it a little. I wasn't aware of the SC. I love it! That's the car...that's the car for me! It provides everything I want and the blacked out/tinted SC gives me a decent look and sportiness that I require. Plus, I can fit the bikes inside, no problem, so no roof rack or outside racking issues. Beautiful! Thank you so much. May I pm you about your experiences with it as I get closer to purchase?

And if you are concerned about you bike(s) you should rethink them as well. It is so easy to forget about having your bikes up there and drive into someplace with too low of an overhang. Doesn't mean you are going to, it just means you always, always have to be vigilant about that.

A hitch rack might be a nice alternative. But one nice thing about having the bikes inside the car is less worry about theft.

In looking at Edmunds, it says it gets about 21/25 mpg. Has your experience been different? Closer to 30?

Yup. Consistantly high 20's - 30mpg, depending on where I am driving. It has also improved over time since the engine is getting broken in. When I first got it I was doing mid 20's but it is improved since then. I bought it in September.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I like that it is a Honda and has the Honda reliability. My wife just bought a CRV and maybe they will cut us a deal since two cars from the same dealership in a year. Have you been happy with the goodies in the car, the stereo, interior etc etc. Any problems you have come across or suggestions for me when I check it out? How is the ride? Thanks.

What I personally love about the E is that it is a no nonsence car. I don't need frills as I don't want to have to worry about keeping it prisine so I don't ruin the leather. My cars get pretty abused and this one really takes it. I leared several years back that a luxury car just doesn't fit my lifestyle. I want functionality and it sounds like this is what you want as well.

We went with the high end trim, there are only 2 choices, and got the XM satellite radio. Love that! 3 months free and we ended up getting the subscription. Heater and A/C work great, nice bright lights. There is no center console with storage between the front seats but there is an overhead area that fits sunglasses and small odds and ends.

There are 3 cupholders in the front and two in back. I tend to have lots of waterbottles and travel mugs in mine so that is suprisingly handy. Only 3 speeds on the windshield wiper which is annoying since I live in the capital of rain, the Northwest. I feel comfortable on the roads when we do get snow. I'm thinking of adding foglights since we get lots of low fog by my house.

It has a really great turning radius for an SUV. The 2008 was also in the top 3 small SUV for safetly. Side curtain airbags. Also, Es have great reliability and do very good in my area on resale value. But, I plan on keeping mine for many years.

Strange side benefit that I just found out about. I got it washed at my local detailer and they didn't charge me for cleaning the floor since it was considered floor mats and they don't charge for that. Saved about $20.

The standard tires you get are crappy and I need to replace mine after 6,000 miles. My understanding is that is typical for Hondas, not specific to the E.

It has nice pick-up and rides smoothly. Some people consider the interior loud but I haven't noticed that.

Here is a photo of mine. He is named "BOB" because the dealship was Bob Lamphir Honda and it also conveniently stands for Big Orange Box :-)

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Thank you very much for your review. Yeah, I have a prissy car now, a Saab 9-3. I certainly love the performance and luxary of it, but I am a little tired of that. I kinda want something I can throw my mountain bike and tri bike in and all my gear bags and waterbottles without worrying about spilling gatorade or something. On top of that I just got a puppy that is going to be a big dog soon, so I need a bit of a rugged car for her too. I really like the sportyer look of the SC, plus I noticed the awd version is actually cheaper than the top of the line sc without the awd, which I can't understand. Plus it looks like they get the same mpg, which is great.

It is also good to hear that you are getting pretty good gas mileage. Since I'd probably have to put a roof rack on top of a prius, the gap between mileage is closer. Plus, any car that takes regular gas rather than the premium that my saab requires, is a great car to me. I'm going for a couple test drives this weekend!

Yeah, I am not really attracted to the prius, but the addition mpg keeps it on my short list.

When you come home from the dealership with your new E. I want to see a picture of your puppy in the back :-)

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I would assume that a prius is as rare as hen's teeth now. Apparently their sales have catapulted in even just the last month.

My brother has an Element and loves it. I have to admit that it does seem like a great car for a triathlete, with the space, rubber floor, and jump seats. All that, and it's a Honda(=$$$ resale)

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

just FYI the mileage on the Element is rated at 19/26 and i find that to be right on.....even when empty and the rear seats taken out. overall still an awesome vehicle! could maybe stand up four full bikes if you removed the rear seats

Someone had mentioned the Honda Fit...I didn't see you respond one way or the other...but based on what you said, it seems to be what you're asking for.

I don't own one, but I'm part of an automotive enthusiast forum, and those that have a fit, seem to really love them and how they handle (as in sportiness).

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

They go quickly, but living near DC we have a lot of large dealerships with large inventory. The inventory may go fast but they replenish quickly. You really bargain on them as they are in demand and the margin on them is really thin to begin with, but they are reasonably priced, so no real need.

You might want to read some of these threads. Hard to beat a minivan for value, space, ease of access on all sides, etc.:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...=post_time&mh=20

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

A base-model minivan like a Dodge Caravan with the Stow-N-Go seating is ideal. Under $25,000, sliding doors on both sides, roll your bike in the back, and your middle and rear seats store in the floor. Can't go wrong!

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

Yeah, but then you're driving a minivan.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Ditto!

I like to call mine a "mobile sporting goods store":
Side view

Rear View:

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

In case you're still looking: take a look at the Subaru Forester models w/out the turbo. Rated 20/27, AWD, great space in the back. You tend to sit upright (more of a trucklike seating- the interior is very tall, especially to my 5'7") rather than a carlike legs-forward. I drove a Jeep for 10 yrs, so was comfortably familiar. The turning radius is very nice as well.

I did like the CRV and element, but we are a 1-car family right now, and it had to be something my wife liked and would drive (she hates the element). The CRV was nice, but pricey.

Since the 2009 models are out, you can pick up an '08 Subaru cheap. I got the LL bean (leather and a few other things) for less than invoice on EVERYTHING- car, tax, title, destination, total was $23.5k. We got blue book for our trade in (my PITA of a 2 y/o Malibu) and 0% for the rest for 2 yrs. Perfect. They really want to be rid of the 08's; a 5-spd w/ cloth can be driven away for $19k.

It's nothing hugely fancy, but it is utilitarian and nice. Based on what others have gotten from their Subarus, I'm figuring on it being my 4 y/o daughter's 1st car. A bike easily fits upright w/ room to spare (I ride a 52).

FWIW, my buddy has a 4-5 y/o CRV and it's a good trimobile as well. 3 of us, plus bikes, all fit inside to ride Madison last summer. Good luck on the search!

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If I don't, who will? -Me
It's like being bipolar in opinion is a requirement around here. -TripleThreat

For me, a vehicle is purely utilitarian. I personally couldn't give a rat's ass how cool my car is as long as it does what it's supposed to, which is get me and all my stuff from point A to point B and be reliable. I got my minivan 4 years before we had our first kid and my friends laughed at me, but when they'd see me lay a futon in the back and camp in there with all my surf gear still easily fitting in the back, and see me able to squeeze into tighter parking because of SLIDING side doors instead of the clam shell type (like on the Element), they were jealous! Ha, ha.

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

However, our fleet at work added an Element last year. There is no doubt in my mind now, that may indeed be the perfect vehicle.

I think people were turned off when they first came out because they looked like a clown car but the new models have gotten much better. They don't get the credit they deserve. I love my BOB :-)

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I would definately suggest the Honda Element SC. Got one in November and it is the ultimate bike/race equipment haul vehicle. Mine has a rear spoiler, special root beer color, special interior, XM radio and is slick. Huge amounts of room in back. Just took it 250 miles to a TT and it was everything I had hoped. Like it more than my house.

Cheers,
Ric

life is full of compromise. if you want lot of space, but a quiet well-handling vehicle with decent mpg, get a basic minivan, just pop the seats out. you could practically live in one.

but if you want to go to distant races, get a prius. the gas savings will soon be very substantial, ours is getting 50mpg. and plenty of inside space with the rear seats folded. and there are some tricks out there to milk out a few more mpg.

believe me, the way things are going, soon we're all gonna be waxing nostalgic when gas was "only" $4 a gallon, because the price is only going one way: up, up, up ....

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Where would you want to swim ?

What kind of mileage are you getting? It is reported in Edmunds as 21/26 I believe. Is there a difference between the SC and the regular element in terms of mpg?

Yeah, I checked out the Honda fit. It's just a bit small for kids, dogs and other things beyond tri.

Actually to go off a little further on this same tangent, it is amazing the kind of long-distance mileage you can get if you just drive the speed limit.

I have a 98 Honda Civic EX. Driving around the city, I usually get 25-31 mpg. Normal highway mileage pushes me up towards 38-40. But if I actually stay at the speed limit the whole way and don't do any hard accelerating, I can get 50 miles to the gallon. I've done it several times before. Couldn't believe it. This isn't a hybrid or even the most economic Civic made that year.

I imagine in a Prius driving this way you could go significantly higher.

Ok, so now my math goes likes this:

Prius = 46 mpg
- 5 mpg for the roof rack
____________
= 41 mpg
+ 6 mpg by driving the speed limit
________________
= 47 mpg

So if I get a roof rack but drive slowly, I can still get the projected mileage. That's tough to beat. It's definitely not as convenient or roomy as an element. We'll have to see. My wife already has a crv which also weighs in because I'm not sure we need two crossover/small suv type vehicles.

Just some thoughts...

1. the Prius would be a better buy if you did mostly city driving. This is where it shines....real world driving on freeways/highways....is NOT as great:

"The Prius has been praised for bringing hybrid technology to the masses, but many have criticized its real-world gas mileage, which is nowhere near EPA estimates. I averaged just 34 mpg in a 104-mile week of frugal, A/C-free driving. That’s a far cry from the car’s window sticker, which reads a lofty 60 mpg in city driving and 51 mpg on the highway. New EPA regulations for the 2008 model year are reportedly going to lower mileage estimates on hybrids by roughly 30%."

Source: http://blogs.cars.com/...prius_mileage_1.html

That is only ONE example.

The Prius was designed to travel light...per the people I "know" (auto forums) the mileage falls off even further if you actually put people in it (spouse, kids and dog :)

So in your first post you said you wanted to stand a bike up inside it...I don't have hands on experience with a Prius, but I DOUBT that'll happen....which you alluded to with the talk of the rack.

Summary on the prius, based on what you said...

Retain some sportiness = NO
Travel with bike(s) upright inside = NO
good mpg = Yes, under the right conditions

You ONLY get mpg...and that's mostly city driving (not that's it's BAD on the highway...better than the element).

Element...

Per Honda's website EPA:

5-Speed Manual (City/Highway/Combined; 2WD) 18/23/20
5-Speed Automatic (City/Highway/Combined; 2WD) 20/25/22
5-Speed Manual (City/Highway/Combined; 4WD) 18/23/20
5-Speed Automatic (City/Highway/Combined; 4WD) 19/24/21

SC
5-Speed Manual (City/Highway/Combined; 2WD) 18/23/20
5-Speed Automatic (City/Highway/Combined; 2WD) 20/25/22

So....if you're JUST highway driving....25 at best. Which, honestly for a vehicle of this type...is pretty darn good.

It looks like (in the pics on Honda's website) that the Element is: 2 front seats, 2 rear seats and then a 3rd row. You had mentioned gear and dogs....not 3, 4 or 5 kids :)....so let's just go with the 2 front and 2 rear seats...and the dog in the "trunk" area :)

The fit seems to have a similar layout...unless you have a great dane...and need the height.

For argument sake...

Fit:
5-Speed Manual (City/Highway/Combined) 28 / 34 / 31
5-Speed Automatic (City/Highway/Combined) 27 / 34 / 30

In the end, it's your money, your car and you need to be happy with it. Just based on what you've said you're looking for...the Fit seems right.

Though I'm a BIG fan of the Mazada3....

Sporty...check!
Roomy...check - though I'm not sure it'll fit a bike standing up.
Economical....

22/29 (for both Auto and manual)...that's pretty good!

Same mpg goes for the VW Rabbit.

Unless you just WANT the Element...in which case.....get it! Can't go wrong with it :)

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

hehe... he.. he... he

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

Mazda 5. Average 29 mpg. I took out the rear seats and installed my Thule bike rack inside. Can hold two bikes with the front wheels off.

--Laurente

do you have any pics? I've been considering a 5 also and the whole 'do I need to get a hitch mount for the rack or not' question is still not settled in my mind.

I'd take a serious look at the newer Rav 4s (just because I haven't seen them mentioned).

1) I didn't know they allowed cars in tri's

2) Best car for getting to tri's is a Porsche Turbo. I saw one at IMNZ a few years ago. All the bags went behind the passenger seat and the bike went on a custom mounted tow hitch bike rack. The bike rack was cut from sheet stainless steel and looked like a guy in a tuxedo, holding the bike from the top tube, with 2 upturned hands. Awesome looking classy rack on a killer car. No SUV or people mover can hold a candle to that!

Get the Porsche!

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

they are nice, but price it with similar options compared to a mazda 5 and you'll wonder just how much toyota is gouging you. Toyotas are nice (I do drive a matrix for example) but lately the gouging has gotten way out of control...

Honda element, whether you think it is ugly or not, it is a portable locker room and I have fit three bikes in the back WITHOUT having to take the front tires off.

True, but the Mazda 5 probably falls into his "minivan-ish" category. Its a good car and I'd have no problem with it. Minivans are actually the way to go if you want to carry a bunch of stuff.

I have a 2007 Fit and love the thing, I fit my bike in it with the front wheel off, that's it nothing more, there are so many ways to adjust the rear and front seats to accommodate a lot of cargo. Go to a Honda dealer and have them give you the tour and test drive, I have a 5 spd. manual and it's a blast to drive. Great gas mileage and more giddyup than you'd expect from a small car. Hell, it's a Honda, it'll live longer than you will.

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I'm not a complete idiot, some of the parts are missing.

This might be a little small to fit a bike without taking a wheel off, but what about some of the newer VW's? The Passat wagens are pretty sweet looking. I have an older Passat TDI (diesel) and average about 45 mpg on highway. I've put my road bike in the back seat area (after taking the front wheel off), so I had complete access to the cargo area. I also have a hitch mounted rack that I can put 3 bikes on that I can use if I need to use the back seat.

It's so easy just to pop the front wheel off. I do this every time.

How lazy does one need to be to wenge about removing the front tire before and after a 100+ mile ride?

Just think, with a Z you could sleep in 5 minutes later and still make it to the race on time. Did you mean upright inside the back? My bad ;)

Subaru Forester XT. Fast as hell, great on gas, really nice inside, good clearance and AWD if you're the outdoorsy type, and I can fit my 58 soloist with both wheels on it sideways in the back (I know it's not standing up but why do you need to stand it up?).

Couldn't be happier with it as a tri car.

x 2 on the pics.

the mazda 5 looks like a great pick. on my short list of replacement cars for a stolen civic. with 1 boy and another on the way, it looks like a good fit. Question...can you fold down or remove the middle seats? wondering about 4 in the car and a bike.

and...in response to the mini van......i've heard it called a micro van. it really doesn't look like a van to me, plus...if i get one, i don't have to break my vow of never owning a mini van. :)

Cars suck.

Ford Escape Hybrid (or if Money is a little less important to you, Toyota Highlander Hybrid).

I would have to recomend the Element as well as purely the triathlete's vehicle. I have a 2003 since new and it has been a pure joy to own. Never ever brakes down, easy to do your own maintenance on if you so wish ( brakes, oil etc ). The gas mileage is fair. I get around 20-22 MPG in the winter and 22-26 in the warmer months. I have gotten as high as 27.5mpg. The element is also very good in the snow. I have the 5spd AWD.
There is no better smallish car\suv for hauling bikes and dogs.
If high MPG is one of your main concern's then maybe go with the Fit. I hear wonderful things about the fit and the re-design for 2009 looks pretty cool and will hold alot.
And yes... Honda = Great re-sale.

Whoa. Do you mean the second row or the third? Or both? Need pics!

I have an '07 and love it. Doesn't drive or feel like a van at all.

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Fragile time can't be laid to rest. Fragile time can lead you to the grave or fragile time can start eternity. -Norma Jean

Well, we already have a CRV which is the same car. Plus, the other poster is correct, everything with Toyota is a la carte. It gets very expensive, very quick.

I was thinking about a passat wagon. What's the price on that? I think they are expensive which is why I'm not considering one more seriously.

Yeah, but as I replied before, the fit is a good car for the bike, but I have other things going on dogs, kids etc. I need to be able to pack in more than just a bike or two. It looks like with the fit, you can fit in a couple of bikes, but then you are out of room. I need room for passengers and bags as well. Thanks.

Not sure what your budget is, but the MSRP for a Passat wagon starts about $25K. Another option is the upcoming Jetta Sportwagen. Used is another option. I'm a fan of VW, so I'm a little biased. I just know that my Passat wagon has been incredible durable, versatile and drives great. I got mine used, so I saved a lot over new..

Thanks. 25k is about the budget limit. I'm not a big fan of buying used, but I will check it out. Thanks.

used or new, vw products are notoriously unreliable.

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Where would you want to swim ?

What is different about the 2009 Fit compared to previous models?

Does anyone have a Jeep Compass? Apparently best mpg in the crossover market which is basically the market in which I am looking in addition to the prius. Let me know what you think if you do. I know it's not a Honda, so I would take a hit on resale.

2009 is a bit bigger. Link should answer your q's.

http://www.motortrend.com/...t_comparison_gallery

If you're considering the Mazda 3 then you should take a look at it's Swedish sibling (same platform), the Volvo V50. I absolutely love the thing, two people, two bikes, a dog (with a kennel), a cooler full of beer, all my race gear, stuff for a weekend away from home, all fit perfectly. MPG isn't amazing but I'm generally getting 22-24 city and 27-29 hwy which I can live with.

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Ann Arbor Triathlon Club

Follow me on Twitter

Do you know if the new Elements will seat 5. That was a deal breaker for me. No kids yet, but we haul people around alot.

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Tiger for Life -- War Eagle!

What kind of $$$ are you talking. My budget limit is 25k.

A small pickup is about perfect in my view. I can leave my disk on, can't do that with my roof rack. You can also help your friends haul stuff. Maybe that is not an advantage but they do generally pay in beer.

Last year I finally drilled holes in the side rails to mount the bike racks. I should have done that years ago, so much better than messing with that board. After 160,000 miles and a hail storm, I figure that resale is not much of an issue.

New they start at $26-27k. I'm not sure if you're considering used or not but I got mine used and got the fully loaded top-of-the-line T5 AWD model for well under $20k.

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Ann Arbor Triathlon Club

Follow me on Twitter

No, I'm not into used cars. Always worried that I'm just buying someone else's problems.

Mine was from a dealer and just off lease so I wasn't too worried about problems. I can respect your position though, sounds like the V50 might be a little pricey in that case. For the 'fun' factor I'd go with the Mazda 3, but for practicality and hauling lots of bikes/gear/etc I'd lean toward an Element (though IMO they're god-awful ugly). I'd be interested in hearing from Rogue owners too but since those are so new I doubt you'll hear from many. What you should do is take your bike (or two) with you when you go to a dealership and just try loading the vehicle before a test drive. Oh another car that I liked when I was out test driving was the new Subaru Outback Sport, but I can't remember what the MSRP is on those.

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Ann Arbor Triathlon Club

Follow me on Twitter

Thanks. Yeah, I'd like to hear from Rogue owners too. It is a sharp car and reasonably priced. Kiplinger reports that it actually only gets about 18/24 though.

I'd agree if you drove at 45 or 55 on the freeway....you'd do better than 34, but to be fair...at 70+ (which at least HERE in kinda/sadly a minimum)....34 is much closer to what is being widely reported.

As for not getting 34mpg....then you're not trying hard enough :) drive faster! :) I'm kidding of course....it's great to hear you're getting that great of mpg. (no sarcasm meant in that last bit)....I'm just saying, being a automotive enthusiast....I spend a lot of time on auto forums....and 50mpg in a prius (in real world driving) is not terribly common.

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

No, unfortunately it only seats 4. No bench seat in the back.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

well, i'm not sure where you get your info, but before we bought one, i did some research and found that "typical" drivers get just under 50mpg. but drivers who were willing to do a few small things were getting over 50mpg, and this includes fast freeway driving. here is a typical post i read from users on prius forums:

"I now have 2 prii. My first is a 2001 with about 180,000 miles and I am still consistantly getting about 46 to 47 MPG combined highway/city. Much of my mileage is at 65 miles per hour with cruise. While I have had to put in a new computer, my batteries have had no problems. This computer is the only problem I have had in that 180,000 miles."

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Where would you want to swim ?

There are of course exceptions to the following guidelines....but....

1. to keep mpg as high as possible, I'd avoid anything with 4wd or AWD. Unless of course you live in many parts of Canada, where you'd actually NEED it for more than 2 mos. out of the year :)

2. Get a wagon over an SUV/CUV. Again better mpg, and with the price of gas going up...there are more and more of these "UV" on dealer lots...so resale/trade-in is going down on them.

3. Unless you really just WANT an SUV/CUV...then list the SUVs you're looking at...and we can start the discussion from there.

4. I understand what you're saying about used cars, and I'd never suggest a 10 year old (or older) car...but many of the newer one...1, 2 and 3 years old are actually pretty good. Many times comes with a dealer warranty. Plus, you get more bang for your buck, since someone ELSE has taken the biggest hit with depreciation. Might be worth at least considering....but in the end...you're the one that needs to be happy with it :)

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

I like it! (Element)

Sounds like we're actually closer to agreeing than I thought originally.

You had first said 50+ mpg...and I countered with a blog of 34
Then you said "typical" is under 50....and so now that I'm going back to some of the archived threads...I'm seeing things more in 39 to 43 area.

So it looks like via my first google hit I provided an uncommon low number and to be totally fair 50+ is probably a bit high :) (at least for "typical" driving)

This is all sorta OT...since the OP seems to want something he can fit a bicycle without taking the front wheel off, plus dogs and kids in...and seems to be leaning towards some sort of SUV/CUV

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

anyways, it is a smart and remarkably well-designed little car. in terms of high speeds, it is the most aerodynamic production car available in the u.s., always an appeal to triathletes. and it makes going to distant races affordable.

but what is a "cuv"?

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Where would you want to swim ?

I used to have an Element & love the functionality & space for my bicycles but just did not care for the way it drove & the MPG's. I find that a lot of the MPG numbers quoted have been slightly overinflated.

I am a Prius convert, aka 'gas sipper' & never regret my decision to go from SUV to car. I spend 1/4 of what I used to spend on gas & that puts more $ in my pocket for cool tri products or to take my wife out after a long day of training- "A happy wife makes a happy life" :)

In terms of space, I have absolutely no issues. For SUV's, you lose your extra seat space by folding up the seats & putting the bike in; the same holds true for the Prius- but, with that said, there is no problem getting your bike in the car (1 wheel off). I have only put my bike in the car with 2 wheels once, and I had to lower the seat post. Below is a pic of my bike in the car before I started packing it up for a long trip. On this trip, I ended up having one bike in the back, 2 on the roof, 3 duffle bags, a cooler & 3 wheels. All fit without a problem & I still had room for 2 passengers.



If you really crave an SUV, the new highlander hybrid gets great MPG's & also has tons of space- this is a pic of my buddies with his bike standing up in the back. This is an older model; the newer version has a lot more head space & rear space as there is an optional 3rd row of seating & makes me think you can fit a bike with both wheels standing up.

Depends on who you talk to :)

I was using it to cover:

Cross-over Utility Vehicle
Compact Utility Vehicle
"cute" Utility Vehicle aka "cute ute"

I also was not aware it was the most aero. :thumbsup:

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

Yeah, for me it is either an incredibly fuel efficient car that I don't get excited about and its not especially practical, but that is best economically speaking and put a roof rack on it

or

Get a relatively inexpensive but practical crossover/small suv that gets mpg that I can live with (22/27ish range) that can fit all my tri crap, kids, dogs etc and maybe offers a little sportiness like the Rogue.

I'm really looking for the best of both worlds, which at first glance appeared to be the Honda Element. However, Kiplinger reports that real mpg on the cars is more like 18/24. That's a bit on the low side for me.

Here's my short list as of right now in order of likelihood of purchase: (1) Prius w/roof rack; (2) Honda Element; (3) Nissan Rogue; (4) Jeep Compass

I've been looking for pics of bikes in the prius. Please repost the pics as they seem unavailable.

no pics...but here is some talk about a Prius and bicycle inside.

http://answers.yahoo.com/...0080301123133AAOOS2J

HTH

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

well, the suvs and crossovers in your list will likely be cheap. but they will also be nearly impossible to sell when gas hits $10 a gallon (and that's not as far away as you think), especially if this is already happening now:

http://www.boston.com/...load_their_guzzlers/

about excitement, the prius doesn't top the list in that, i agree. but if i wanted excitement, i would buy a corvette, or race triathlons (oops, i already do that!). but the prius is well designed (a rarity in the world of cars) and it does a lot of tasks very well. it also has a lot of very satisfied owners (another super rarity in the car world). heck, get a roof rack for it, and you'll still get way better gas milage than any of the other pigs ...

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Where would you want to swim ?

I know, I know. That's what the angel on my shoulder keeps telling me. But that guy dressed in red is telling me have fun, get what you want, you work hard dammit.

I have a MazdaSPEED 3. I love it! 4 cyl Turbocharged with plenty of room INSIDE. Thought about a roof rack, but since I only need to xport one bike at a time, I just fold the back seats down and put my bike in there. As well as all my other gear whether it's for a brick workout or a race weekend. Not a problem. Gets decent mileage. I'm currently getting about 27.8 MPG based on what the computer is telling me. Have no idea what the Mazda 3 gets (not turbocharged).

My $.02

I also suggest looking at regular old mini-vans. David K

Since you already have a small/mid SUV I'm not sure why you are looking for a "tri" car (kind of an odd thing to begin with).

That said, it sounds like you are looking for a sporty hatch that gets mid-20s plus on the highway...I'd go Mini, Mazdaspeed3, WRX. Mini probably fine for your applications and one of the most fun cars you can imagine.

We got a Rogue in November. Replaced a Mazda Protege 5. Honestly the Pro5 is slightly better for bikes. However the Rogue is able to fit 2 road bikes w/ aerobars semi-upright and still allow the small rear passenger seat to be used. I haven't tried bikes in a Mazda 3.

Driving it, it's pretty nice. It's quieter and slightly more luxurious than the old car, which is what we wanted. I do like the CVT (but I've always been a CVT fan). The blind-spot is terrible. The rear window is small which contributes too. We're getting 25-26mpg average driving.

Do NOT get the Prius... especially if you think it's saving you money on gas and/or think it's actually saving the environment.

Our friend (a big cyclist) was looking at new cars this week. She would have gotten the Honda Fit if they were in stock based nearly purely on this:
http://www.serotta.com/...amp;page=2&pp=15
Now that's cool!

I'm not a "fan" of the Prius, but why would you say it's not gonna save someone $$ on gas? what is that based on? Even though the Prius is not for me, I'd say that it IS well suited to use less gas than 98.7% of all other cars - credit where it's due.

As for the Fit....

I'm surprised, impressed...and wow! about the pic of the 2 bikes....I'm always surprised who much stuff you can fit in that little car.

It's on my "maybe" list....now only if they offered an option sun/moon roof.

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The world is full of pricks who can only criticize. Are you one of them?

Your time and energy are limited. Are you wasting them by talking shit on the forums? -Dave Tate

Not exactly a "tri" car but a car that I can use for all of my outdoorsy adventure sport stuff, of which tri is a big part. I may want to throw in mountain bikes, camping gear, kids, dogs, etc etc. I want a very practical vehicle for those purposes.

As I have said, the fit is just too small for me. Yes, it can fit bikes, but I have a lot of other stuff. Mini is the same thing.

The mini van is not going to work. My wife already outlawed a minivan and I have too much dignity to drive one as a man still in my twenties.

Keep the ideas coming. I like them.

How many more ideas do you need?!

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"Lemond is cycling's version of Rev Jessie Jackson." -johnnyperu 5/18/07
"Just because I suck doesn't mean my bike has to" -rickn 9/2/08

I'm just saying you already have that if you have a CRV. Get another one? Bleh.

MS3 or Mini for times when you just have "some" stuff to bring with you and you want good mileage and a fun car. When you have "more" stuff just take the CRV and let your wife drive the MS3/Mini. Easy.

Well, if you end up getting an Element, you could get one of these for it:

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

Yeah, you're probably right. My wife keeps telling me I'm making this harder than it is. I guess I just want a car that I can get excited about. The CRV is a little soccer momish. I'd like more of a man's car, but I'm having a difficult time trying to justify the economics of it.

"My wife keeps telling me I'm making this harder than it is"

Understatement of the year.

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"Lemond is cycling's version of Rev Jessie Jackson." -johnnyperu 5/18/07
"Just because I suck doesn't mean my bike has to" -rickn 9/2/08

Ok, so for anyone who was following this post months ago, I finally decided and purchased my new car. I got a newly remodeled 2009 Honda Fit. I love it. It has a sportier look than the last one. It comes with some neat stuff like sport shifter paddles, Ipod/usb port standard, fog lights std, spoiler std, nice sport alum 16" wheels std, chromed exhaust, and lots more. It is incredibly fuel efficient, rated at 28/35, but I've been getting more like 30/39.5. Best of all, it is incredibly practical. It offers a variety of seat combinations. You can lay all seats flat, including the front, or lift the seat bottom of the back seat up to have tall storage space, or you can lay the back seats down 60/40/100. You can easily fit two bikes standing up right in the back, which you would never believe by looking at the car. I put my bike in there last week and still had about 6" of clearance above the saddle. I put in a Saris fork rack made for interiors of vans and SUVS and it fits perfectly. Plus, it is not attached so I can just pick it up and put it in my wife's CRV. The car features Honda reliability and will be high on resale. Plus, it is relatively inexpensive. I got mine for 17,500. You wouldn't believe the high quality of the factory sound system either. In any event, I would rate this as the best value on the road and the best car for tri transportation if value and fuel efficiency is your #1 priority.

I loved my saab 9-3, but I'm not missing it a bit. Enjoy the pics.

nice little cart.

if honda made a hybrid version, i'd be at the dealership yesterday.

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Where would you want to swim ?

how about a pic with the bike in there? pics or it didn't happen.

nice ride. i have one of the new civics (2006) and love it. the bike won't stand up in mine, but it will fit with the seats down (and its a coupe, no less). not sure about your sound system, but mine is great - and factory. i wouldn't have added a sub, but i like that it has one.

and, my mileage has improved over the three years of ownership (best of 42mpg average for a tank).

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mckenzie

How tall are you? I doubt I could get my bike in there, and my seat is probably low by ST standards. :)

I rented a Pontiac Vibe and drove Atlanta to Clermont and back for Great Floridian ~ 1800 miles include some side trips. It was great. You can get a 54cm tri bike in laying down if you take front wheel off and move passenger seat up slightly.

I mention this bc I imagine a pre-owned American car like this wb a good deal, still under warranty. It had XM and iPod input.

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

can you tell me the model of that Saris rack? That is sweet that it fits in there like that. A friend and I went to soma and drove down with our bikes, and now mine has a scratch on it. :( I'll be getting a new car in 2009, and love the small zippy cars. the bike rack inside is a BONUS!!!

I made my own with a $25 Yakima mount and $4 piece of 1X6 from Lowes. You can custom fit it to your vehicle with not much expense.

The Yakima mount is like this:

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Suffer Well.

That thing is cool. Good color choice too. One nice little detail is the up-front windows. Very fun. It's nice and swoopy. I like it. Cool.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Congratulations on avoiding a "Keeping up with the joneses" mentality and getting a sensible car =)


All of you with huge ass cars go punch yourself in the nuts for being silly.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Most of the "joneses" I know are switching to cars like the Fit.

Can I punch you in the nuts on general principles? :D

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

How fun is it to drive? That car weighs like 2400 lbs, so it's got to be a hoot with those comparatively wide tires.

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Ignorance is bliss until they take your bliss away.

I'm a big fan of the Fit.... ever since I used one with ZipCar.

Though I'll likely get a Scion xb next (currently have a 2000 honda accord and a 2006 Honda pilot family wagon/sport utility vehicle - though in our case it actually is an suv with a bike roof rack, and at least 2 running shoes and a jogger in the back at any time) when the Accord dies.

Though I love the pilot... gets about 21mpg (not the greatest but not the worst for a vehicle of it's size), it can easily carry bikes on top, 8 people inside (6 - 7 adults comfortably) and some gear....

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MyGearGarage - Track all your gear!

I'm assuming you take at least the front wheels off.

The Fit can fit 3 58cm bikes with the front wheels off.

All of you with huge ass cars go punch yourself in the nuts for being silly.

We may be in the minority but some people have a legit need for a large SUV. My wife has an Expedition and we love it.

Can someone post a pic of this? I have a fit and I love it. Only ever need to transport 1 bike so i just lay it flat in the back (with the front wheel on). So great to just throw the bike in the back after a ride with such ease!!

The Fit is an awesome car- you can't go wrong with a Honda.

On a side note, has anyone seen this setup by any chance?..



EDIT: Looks like it can hold two...

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goals, personal:
- under same username post st rr of Kona m80-84ag mop, tail end of the dopers finish
- shoot age from tips on par 72
- beat SuperDave in one-on-one
all within single wk- Viva Chopin, Fryderyk; Faulk, Peter; Helmsley, Sherman; Palillo, Ron; Rogers, Fred McFeely; Sanford, John Elroy; Snuka, Jimmy- and the water bottle isn't half fuller on the other side

You get a 2 x 4 and put on 3 Yakima mounts at an angle so that you can turn the handle bars. The back wheel goes towards the front of the car.

I have NOT done this but saw this done.

I do the same as you just lay the bike it there it is very nce.

It has to be one of these, when they finally start making them. Saw it at the show this year. Too nice.

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Owner/Trainer
Simply Fitness Personal Training
http://www.simplyfitnesspt.com

Your luck. The hybrid version will be out this spring.

I'm 5' 10". I ride a 54 cm soloist. I will take pics of the bike in there.

I think it is called the saris unique rack. If you google saris and 35" it will come up. They also make a 48" I believe, but I thought that would be too big for my back.

 
Thats good news!
It was a sad, sad day when SUVs became cool, maybe it will end

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Yes, front wheel off mounted to the fork rack.

I wonder how that effects the stability of that car. ????

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

I don't know about stability, but that kills your fuel efficiency. The difference between the fit and cars like the prius or vibe etc is that it is tall enough to fit the bikes on the inside so there is no intereference in the aerodynamics. If you have a prius, you have to get a roof or trunk rack that takes off something 4mpg.

sadly, no.
the latest info from honda is 2010.


there will be another hybrid from honda this spring, but not the fit.

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Where would you want to swim ?

In the spirit of "you don't need a big car for big hobbies"

I present to you:



Don't need a big car to be a hunter either!
\

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I'm 6'1", my Felt (58cm) fits in it just fine standing up. Plus all my other stuff i lug around.

I've got a 07' Fit. the new one is sweeeeet.

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The fatfoot is coming....

I didn't read all the posts so not sure what direction the thread headed but I bought an 2008 Honda Element. Took one seat out completely so my 58 centimeter goes in standing up with both wheels on. I can also put my wife's 48 cent. in along side with no problem. All rubber interior is great for wet stuff and clean up is easy.