Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Aileen Brown
Posts: 24
Joined: 15 May 2007, 11:13pm

Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Aileen Brown »

Can anyone recommend a relatively small Hybrid car, probably a hatchback which we can easily put 2 road bikes in the back of. One of the bikes will have a mudguard. I don't mind dropping the front wheel out & laying the bikes on top of each other vertically but would like to avoid bent mudguards. I wondered about a Toyota Yaris Hybrid.
fivebikes
Posts: 233
Joined: 9 Mar 2008, 12:46pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by fivebikes »

Hi,
If you can get hold of a Honda Jazz hybrid you can get two full sized bikes in with front wheels off when the rear seats are folded flat. The bikes will go in upright and pointing forwards, at either side of the space,leaving loads of luggage room between them too.
You'll have to settle for a second hand Jazz hybrid as the current model is available as petrol only in the U.K. Think the hybrid was available new until 2015 so should be possible to get a decent one.
Worked well for us but didn't get on with the auto gearbox. Kept it for nearly 4 years though as the load space was Tardis like.
I made a board with quick release clamps to secure the front wheels which made it all quite secure.
If you google 'bikes in a Honda Fit' (the name they give the Jazz in America) you'll find pictures which first led me down that route.
Think the Yaris might be a bit small, certainly not as tall at the back.
fivebikes
Posts: 233
Joined: 9 Mar 2008, 12:46pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by fivebikes »

Just found this pic which gives a good idea of space available. The hybrid battery is in the spare wheel well under the floor but there's enough space for a space saver spare or you can rely on the roadside repair kit that comes with car.....some kind of sealant as a get you to a garage fix.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=two+b ... wmIFUnzysM:
pete75
Posts: 16370
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by pete75 »

Mitsubishi do their small four wheel drive, the Outlander, as a plug in hybrid. It'll take a couple of bikes with ease.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Aileen Brown
Posts: 24
Joined: 15 May 2007, 11:13pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Aileen Brown »

You're right about the Honda Jazz. The only hurdle is that owners love them so much that there are very few for sale 2nd hand & as you say the Hybrid isn't made any more. The Mitsubushi certainluy ticks all the boxes of being environmentally friendly, good driving range & plenty of space but spending £35,000 on a car goes against the grain. I'm a cyclist at heart. The car is a way of getting to bike events & overseas cycling holidays.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Cyril Haearn »

fivebikes wrote:Hi,
If you can get hold of a Honda Jazz hybrid you can get two full sized bikes in with front wheels off when the rear seats are folded flat. The bikes will go in upright and pointing forwards, at either side of the space,leaving loads of luggage room between them too.
You'll have to settle for a second hand Jazz hybrid as the current model is available as petrol only in the U.K. Think the hybrid was available new until 2015 so should be possible to get a decent one.
Worked well for us but didn't get on with the auto gearbox. Kept it for nearly 4 years though as the load space was Tardis like.
I made a board with quick release clamps to secure the front wheels which made it all quite secure.
If you google 'bikes in a Honda Fit' (the name they give the Jazz in America) you'll find pictures which first led me down that route.
Think the Yaris might be a bit small, pcertainly not as tall at the back.


What was the problem with the gearbox?
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
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fivebikes
Posts: 233
Joined: 9 Mar 2008, 12:46pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by fivebikes »

Basically it is a step less cvt design. Probably okay day to day in flattish parts of the country but in hilly West Yorkshire it struggled when going uphill trying to maintain even a modest speed. There was a 'sport mode' which allowed up and down shift points using finger paddles behind the steering wheel but it wasn't great, even trying to change 'gear' when negotiating a gentle bend in the road wasn't great. Previous car was a Prius, a more sophisticated hybrid system although still cvt, which was better on the hills but useless for carrying bikes inside. Plus it was always way off it's claimed fuel economy whereas the Jazz, on a steady run in flattish terrain, would easily achieve the quoted mpg. As a side note, the CO2 emissions were just over 100 but the NOX was much better. Apparently Japanese car makers were/are more interested in this which is why fewer diesels feature in their ranges, even in the UK.
If you can put up with the cvt box the hybrid Jazz is great. Depends on where you live I guess.
Bonefishblues
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Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Bonefishblues »

fivebikes wrote:Basically it is a step less cvt design. Probably okay day to day in flattish parts of the country but in hilly West Yorkshire it struggled when going uphill trying to maintain even a modest speed. There was a 'sport mode' which allowed up and down shift points using finger paddles behind the steering wheel but it wasn't great, even trying to change 'gear' when negotiating a gentle bend in the road wasn't great. Previous car was a Prius, a more sophisticated hybrid system although still cvt, which was better on the hills but useless for carrying bikes inside. Plus it was always way off it's claimed fuel economy whereas the Jazz, on a steady run in flattish terrain, would easily achieve the quoted mpg. As a side note, the CO2 emissions were just over 100 but the NOX was much better. Apparently Japanese car makers were/are more interested in this which is why fewer diesels feature in their ranges, even in the UK.
If you can put up with the cvt box the hybrid Jazz is great. Depends on where you live I guess.

Technically not - it's much, much cleverer than that*, but I'm being pedantic :)

*and worth looking up, were you so minded.
fivebikes
Posts: 233
Joined: 9 Mar 2008, 12:46pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by fivebikes »

Fair enough....I looked it up and it is not a cvt (although described by Toyota as an eCVT system). It was definitely more sophisticated than the Honda but didn't really cut it as a vehicle for load carrying, particularly bikes. We did stick them on a roof rack on the Prius but no amount of sophisticated technology could overcome the resultant drag and the fuel economy was down in the 40s....With bikes inside the Jazz we got around 60 mpg on similar journeys, even more if we kept the speed to around 65 mph.
Also, the Prius is now seriously expensive!!! I'd be looking at the Hyundai hybrids I reckon though not sure what load capacity is like.
We now plan journeys by train whenever possible and take Bromptons!!
Pyranha
Posts: 62
Joined: 18 Feb 2015, 10:42pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Pyranha »

You could look at the Kia Niro. I was considering one as it is often described as one of the few hybrids which can take a tow bar (I put the bikes on the tow bar as the dogs are in the boot) but, unfortunately, the UK models are not sold as towing compatible. I'm not sure I would describe the Outlander as particularly small and the hybrid version doesn't fare well in some reviews.
Aileen Brown
Posts: 24
Joined: 15 May 2007, 11:13pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Aileen Brown »

Popped into the Tpyota garage & measured the length of the boot from the back of the front seats(in their furthers back position) to the back of the boot ie the length of the well to put the bikes in.
Existing 2003 yaris 46"
2016 Yaris Hybrid 54"
2016 Auris hatchback Hybrid 63"
2014 Auris estate Hybrid 72" which I rekon I could almost get a tandem in.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by tatanab »

Here is a useful website for finding internal dimensions, sill heights etc of cars. I don't expect there are many hybrids in their list though. http://www.rica.org.uk/content/car-search
thirdcrank
Posts: 36776
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by thirdcrank »

Aileen Brown wrote:Popped into the Tpyota garage & measured the length of the boot from the back of the front seats(in their furthers back position) to the back of the boot ie the length of the well to put the bikes in.
Existing 2003 yaris 46"
2016 Yaris Hybrid 54" ...


In common with other manufacturers, Toyota seem to have a policy of increasing the size of models and eventually introducing a new smaller car. Since the Yaris was introduced in 1998(?) the Aygo and, briefly the IQ, have slotted in as smaller than the Yaris. One thing to be aware of with the current Yaris - unless they have changed it yet again - is the back seats don't fold down in the same way as they did on the original, shorter, model. Previously, they used to fold over so that they formed a low barrier behind the front seats. Now, the backs fold down perhaps giving more load length but the resulting load area isn't flat. That will affect the height of the front part of the load area with the seats flat. I've had two Yarises if that's the plural. One V reg and the other a 10. I was surprised by the difference. Nothing to do with carrying bikes but the original system of the entire back seat sliding forward to increase the boot size has gone. I was so pleased by our first Yaris that when I got rid of the execrable Berlingo, I didn't fuss two much about the changes to the Yaris. I bought it with barely a look. BTW, I see from a review that the carrying capacity of the hybrid is the same as the conventional versions, which AFAIK, is not always the same.

Mention of the Berlingo reminds me that others seem to have been more successful at getting bikes in than I was. :(
fivebikes
Posts: 233
Joined: 9 Mar 2008, 12:46pm
Location: West Yorks

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by fivebikes »

The problem with hatchbacks is the sloping roof line and useable internal space with the back seats down. Plenty of width and length but not enough height so unless you're happy with bikes laying flat down and stacked then choice is limited. If you're happy to remove both wheels and lower or remove saddles then there are plenty that will do the job. Depends on how much rebuilding and adjustment you're prepared to put up with.....? Probably okay if you're off on holiday somewhere for a week or so but a pain if you drive out somewhere for a 'take the air' ride lasting a couple of hours.
The new road tax levels for newly registered cars make some of the financial benefits of hybrids less attractive too. All electric cars will be okay but hybrids and other low CO2 vehicles don't benefit as before. Providing you don't go crazy and buy a real guzzler that costs a bomb then the tax, eked out by monthly direct debit payments will not be too much of an issue for many though.
You could have a look at some the small 'eco' petrol engine cars. In some cases the engines are small but the cars quite big!
Ford B Max, VW Golf SV.....other makes and models available.....wth tiny 1.0 litre petrol engines which can deliver decent mpg if driven carefully. Probably a close real world match for some hybrids?????
Aileen Brown
Posts: 24
Joined: 15 May 2007, 11:13pm

Re: Hybrid cars big enough to take a bike

Post by Aileen Brown »

Re the road tax. The solution is to buy a pre April 2017 registered hybrid as the road tax is determined by the date the car was registered.
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