Well, I drive a Honda FIT (2011).

I can easily fit 2 bikes inside, or one bike and kids, or 3 kids squeezed in the back with two booster seats.
So easy to fit into tight parking spaces, good mpg.
Note: my bikes are small sizes, might matter.

I love my car.

Friends of ours have 2 jetta diesel's and love them, powerful and mega mpg. One is a 2002, and still running strong. Don't pass on, trying a prius, rock solid reliability and big storage area. Power, well if you aren't a lead foot it will move you. My wife's has 100K and never been in for non std maintenance, even original brakes. Personally I have a 2008 Saab 9-5 wagon what we have put 4 bikes, gear, and 2 kayaks on top for 10 day vacation. If you can deal with a bankrupt company, lot of car for the money.

I hate to be the guy that throws another option out there, but have you considered the Hyundai Accent 5 door? I'm picking mine up on Monday. It's comparable to the Fit size-wise, gets just a hair better mileage, and the warranty is tough to beat. I drove them both (Accent SE and Fit Sport), and felt the Hyundai had a bit more pep, too. The Fit Sport was just a bit more money. I can get my bike into the back of any of these if I take the front wheel off.

The kicker (and it's something that Hyundai doesn't seem to advertise very well) is that there are some really cool roof rail mounts kind of hidden along the black weatherstripping above the doors. If you get to the point where you want to mount your bike or other stuff on top, it makes for a very neat installation.

The Kia Rio5 has the same drivetrain as the Accent, in case you prefer the style of the Kia better. I didn't get a chance to test drive the Rio5, as they seem to be a bit hard to come by in my area.

Anyway, good luck with your decision - I don't think you can go wrong with any of these choices!

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Travis Rassat
Vector Cycle Works
Noblesville, IN
BikeFit Instructor | FMS | F.I.S.T. | IBFI
Toughman Triathlon Series Ambassador

I know it's not on your list, but... I've got the Ford Escape Hybrid. Absolutely love it. We're at 115k miles and had zero issues past regular maintenance. If it's just me and the tri-bike, I open up the back, fold the seats down, and the bike slide in. Even with the wife, 2 bikes on the back, dogs in the cabin, and roof box on top, I still get close to 30 mpg on the highway. Something to consider.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

I bought a Scion xB in 2009 . . . before I even started cycling or triathlon. My bike fits in the back without even taking wheels off. There are also lots of roof rack options. I also bought a trailer hitch and installed myself which was VERY easy and can use a hitch rack as well. I drive about 64 miles round trip to work so mileage was important to me too. It gets around 31 mpg no matter where i go. I have the manual transmission.

I meant to add, that I looked at the Honda Fit as well. I needed a lightweight hatchback style car that got good mileage and could be flat towed behind a small motorhome. The list was pretty short. I found the Fit to be a little bit harsh riding for my long daily commute.

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Pete Githens
Reading, PA

If you can afford the prius, look at the new wagon model, or reg. Prius. That will be my next car when the wife needs to replace her corolla. Stay in the toyota family.

+1

Best bang for the buck out there. And when you fold the seats down its like having a small pickup truck. I can get more in it than I can in our Chevy Equinox. And it's so easy to drive. Like a little go kart. Haven't had a moment of unhappiness since I got mine in '08.

Prius. It is purpose built and functional. Takes only a few seconds to get the bike in back and has an amazing amount of cargo capacity. Note you will have to learn how to live with the "slowness" of the vehicle, especially when you go eco mode to maximize mileage.

Jetta Diesel Wagon... hands down... The more miles you drive the better for fuel economy 40+ avg. The engine is crazy stong ... kils the anemic economy cars listed above. I put my 54" p3 in withought turning handlebars and with both wheels on with room to spare ! It drives and rides excellent. I got every option available for 28400 cash and they tinted the windows for me!

I've got a Toyota Matrix. Fold the seats down and it's a barn. I can get my 58cm Madone or my TT bike in the back without taking the wheels off. Very high quality compared to a lot of the other cars out there.

However... My wife's 2012 Grand Caravan is the greatest tri vehicle of all. My bike, all my stuff, a cooler, 4 lawn chairs and 4 people. It's got a 283 hp engine and and it's pretty good on gas.

Brad

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3SIXTY5cycling.com

Oh , without a question , get a ZX3 Focus. I love mine . Got the hatch to load the bike, good mpg, good performance and fun to drive . Mine is heavily modified,ready for two tracks to get to my local swimming holes....here its is in the beginning of this video
I picked this baby up for 5 grand ...she gets it
http://www.youtube.com/...cftGywvw&index=1

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sometimes

the only thing the triathlon lifestyle requires is that the car hold a bike or two, which is all cars.

so get whatever car you want and resist using it as an excuse to keep up with the joneses and get the BIGGEST CAR EVER

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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

A Fit or Jetta is hardly "BIGGEST CAR EVER". ;)

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The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

Please note: If you go the Scion xB route, get a used one that still has the really boxy shape. When they redesigned it in 2010 or 11, they reduced the back area. I can get my bike in mine if I fold the seats down and take a wheel off, but I can't stand it up or leave wheels on.

John

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

VW Golf TDI are awesome and get over 40mpg. If you enjoy driving and want something more fun the GTI can't be beat. Hatchback, fold down seats. Awesome

This type of thread shows up about once a month or so. Use a search to find the older posts. I am surprised to see that no one has yet mentioned a Honda Element, Land Rover Discovery, or some pickup truck, these are usually the big vote getters in older threads.

I am always interested in these threads, but they are pretty mush useless without pics of how the vehicle is packed. Are the bike laying down or standing, are the front wheels removed and the bike mounted with a fork mount, etc...

Just looking at cars like the Toyota Matrix, Honda Fit, etc... they look much too short for a bike to fit in straight (bike you have to be diagonal?) Also, a lot of sport wagons like Audi A5, Subaru Outback, have large wheels and the cargo area is built over the wheels and not sunken down between the wheels. This basically prevents the bike from being stood up (except maybe a bmx bike). Finally, another thing to note is how the back seats fold down, are they split fold? Do they fold down truly flat or are the seat backs on an incline?

My dad has a Ford Focus wagon (2007? model, the square ended one not the hatch with the curved trunk). It has a deep cargo hold (height wise), with the front wheel off the bike I only have to lower my seat post about a cm (54cm P3alu 650c). With alternating bikes (forward, backward, forward, backward) you could fit four fork mounted bikes. However, here is the major caveat the back seat isn't a split fold, it is all or nothing, so when the back seat is down the car is only a two seater. However the back seat folds down 100% flat. It has easily handled by parents bikes and camping accessories for camping/biking trips. Too bad Ford doesn't make this model of the focus any more. The new Focus 5door is much too short. I don't have pics of this set up, as I previously requested of others, so I amy truly sorry for my hypocrisy.

Other cars that I would like to see would be the Chevy HHR, Mini Cooper ClubMan, and the Mazda6 wagon...

Well, I did just see this on Honda's site:



Though I think the Honda Fit is an ugly car.

 


Just note that when you drive with a TT bike with this setup, the aerobars stick into the passenger seat headspace. I actually use the headrest to clamp over top the aerobars which keeps the bike from moving in transit.

I currently have an Element, but I got in an accident a few weeks ago and started looking at cars in the event mine was totaled/too expensive to justify fixing with 195k miles on it. I was looking to get something a bit more fuel efficient, as the Element can maybe squeak out 25-26 mpg when I'm setting cruise control to below the speed limit and have a tailwind, so I was looking same cars as you, something wagon-ey that can still hold all my toys. I'm 6'6" and the Fit is HUGE inside compared at least to how it looks from the outside. I went and test drove one and loved it. It turns out my Element will live to see another day, but I know I'm getting a Fit when I get my next car. Plenty of cargo room, as that picture shows.
And something Jack can't do in his Prius is sleep in it with his bike securely inside the way I can with my Element. Hell, even plenty of other large SUVs aren't designed for that.
Double-and: you can't beat a Honda's reliability. They don't have a very good warranty because, well, they don't need it. Element is going strong at 195k, previously had an Accord with 280k that was running fine until I decided I wanted to be able to throw a sopping wet wetsuit and towel, or a muddy mtn bike, etc in the back of the car and be able to hose it out.

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IG: idking90

Honda Fit. I ride a 58 and I don't even have to take the front wheel off to fit it in if I don't want to. Can easily fit 2 bikes in there (probably more, I never tried) plus all your other tri crap. Comfy, great mileage, auxiliary connection for your iPod, and the thing seems to defy the laws of physics because it looks tiny from the outside but there is a ridiculous amount of space in it. I'm also pretty tall and have plenty of leg/head room.

Focus wagon & Mazda 5.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

Land Rover LR4

Heres my 2013 fit with 3 bikes (58-60cm)

I'm sure i could have made it look nicer if i would have taken my time putting everything in.
I'm getting about 33mpg with mostly city driving, i only drive about 150 miles/week though, if i was doing 700, i probably would buy a prius.

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Nothing to see here

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