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10 best cars for carrying bikes and cyclists

December 21, 2021 by Jamie Edkins

Whether you own a rugged mountain bike, a road racing bike or a commute-friendly foldable model, we’ve rounded up the 10 best four-wheel companions to swallow your two-wheel ones when they’re not in use. The very best also make great all-round vehicles with comfy cabins perfect for the long slog to your favourite cycling route.

Our pick of the best cars for carrying bikes are:

1. Skoda Superb Estate

Boot capacity: 660-litres
Starting price: £28,460
Recommended trim/engine: SE L/1.4 TSI iV
Wowscore: 9/10

The Skoda Superb Estate boasts an SUV-rivalling 660-litre load bay along with a brace of other talents. There’s a selection of bike-friendy accessories including an internal bike holder and a lockable roof mounted cycle carrier. The Superb represents great value for money thanks to its excellent build quality and modest purchase price – the Greenline diesel also manages an impressive 76.4mpg.

Passengers in the Superb will also have plenty of room thanks ot its spacious back seats, however a Volkswagen Passat is slightly more comfortable.

Find a superb deal on this Skoda our Skoda Superb deals page

2. Mercedes E-Class Estate

Boot capacity: 660-litres
Starting price: £39,499
Recommended trim/engine: Sport/E220d
Wowscore: 8/10

The Mercedes E-Class Estate is as luxurious as it is practical with a massive cabin and immaculate build quality. Its massive 660-litre boot is available with a handy load liner to prevent dirty marks. Mercedes also offers some bike-specific accessories including a roof rack for carrying up to four bikes or a rear-mounted bike carrier that’s able to take three more – the latter option can be folded for easy storage.

The E-Class is an immensely comfortable car to commute to the office or to the south of France on a family holiday. All the engine options are good, but the diesel in the E220d offers the best blend of performance and economy.

Spec up a Mercedes E-Class Estate deals page to find the best savings currently on offer.

3. Skoda Kodiaq

Boot capacity: 770-litres
Starting price: £37,205
Recommended trim/engine: Sportline/1.5 TSI
Wowscore: 9/10

The Skoda Kodiaq is a great all-round SUV with one of the most practical interiors you can buy. In five-seat form, it boasts a gigantic 770-litre boot that expands even further with them folded meaning you don’t need to take your bike’s front wheel off to fit it. The Kodiaq’s off-road mode is offered with the 2.0-litre diesel four-wheel drive models can help you get to those tricky-to-reach trails.

The Kodiaq offers excellent value for money compared to some alternatives, thanks to the generous equipment and competitive price. The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol is nippy in town and economical on the motorway as well.

See just how much you can save on this practical family car on our Skoda Kodiaq deals page

4. Citroen Berlingo

Boot capacity: 775-litres
Starting price: £22,135
Recommended trim/engine: Feel/1.2 PureTech
Wowscore: 7/10

Thanks to its origins as a van, the Citroen Berlingo is a very versatile car. The huge tailgate and option to remove the rear seats means fitting your bike in the boot will be a breeze. Alternatively, there are many options for roof racks or rear mounted bike racks available. The sliding rear doors make loading kids or cargo in and out in tight spaces a lot easier as well.

The 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine is a great all-rounder, offering decent economy and enough punch to tackle motorway journeys. However, if you spend the majority of your time on the motorway or hauling heavy loads you may be better off with the diesel engine.

See how much you can save on a Citroen Berlingo by heading over to our deals page.

5. VW Tiguan

Boot capacity: 615-litres
Starting price: £28,585
Recommended trim/engine: R Line/ 1.5 TSI
Wowscore: 8/10

The VW Tiguan is practical, comfortable and really easy to drive thanks to light controls and good visibility. The Tiguan boasts a 615-litre boot that’s easy to load thanks to a square opening and no load lip. All models come with handy 40:20:40-split-folding seats allowing you to squeeze a bike through the middle between rear passengers. VW offers a range of bicycle accessories including roof rails and a bike carrier that easily folds way into the spare tyre well when not in use.

The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine puts out 150hp and offers plenty of oomph for overtaking on the motorway, as well as being quiet and economical. This does come at a price though, and the Tiguan costs a bit more than come alternatives such as the Skoda Kodiaq.

Want to save money on your new car? Then check out our VW Tiguan deals page to find all the latest offers.

6. Land Rover Discovery Sport

Boot capacity: 981-litres
Starting price: £33,095
Recommended trim/engine: Standard/2.0 D165
Wowscore: 7/10

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is a serious off roader capable of carrying seven. Its 981-litre boot can swallow bikes with ease plus Land Rover offers a range of bike-friendly accessories including bike racks and a handy towbar-mounted bike rack. Unlike many similar-sized family SUVs, the Discovery Sport is really well suited to off-road driving thanks to an advanced four-wheel-drive system and high ride height.

The petrol engines can be quite thirsty, but if you go for the 2.0-litre diesel engine you’ll get decent economy and plenty of pulling power. The discovery sport is also a very comfy car to travel long distances in.

Spec up a Land Rover Discovery Sport through our deals page to find the best savings on offer.

7. SEAT Ateca

Boot capacity: 510-litres
Starting price: £25,140
Recommended trim/engine: SE/1.5 TSI
Wowscore: 7/10

The SEAT Ateca is the VW Tiguan’s Spanish stablemate, based on the same platform and powered by the same engines. It’s well put together and has loads of space for its five passengers. Its 510-litre boot, 60:40-split folding seats and low loading lip make it easy to slide bikes in and out. If you don’t want to store your bike inside, there’s an optional roof-mounted bike holder and protective boot liner.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine offers the best blend of performance and economy in the range. You’d be best off avoiding the 1.0-litre unit as it can feel lethargic when the car is fully loaded with kit.

See just how much you can save on a SEAT Ateca on our SEAT Ateca deals page.

8. Ford S-Max

Boot capacity: 965-litres
Starting price: £33,335
Recommended trim/engine: Titanium/2.0 EcoBlue
Wowscore: 7/10

Few cars can match the Ford S-Max’s enormous boot capacity – f0ld the sixth and seventh seats flat and you’ll open up a spacious 965-litre boot that grows to a cavernous 2,020-litre space once you collapse the middle row as well. It’s worth knowing that there’s also a range of bike-related accessories such as a rear carrier and optional cross bars – although you’ll have to spec a roof rack to fit it.

Titanium models get a generous level of equipment, but no matter which model you go for it will be comfortable to travel in. There are only two engines available and they’re both diesels. The entry level 150hp version should be plenty for most peoples needs.

Want to save money on your next car? Then check out our Ford S-Max deals page to find all the latest offers.

9. Dacia Duster

Boot capacity: 478-litres
Starting price: £14,295
Recommended trim/engine: Comfort/1.3 TCe
Wowscore: 6/10

The Dacia Duster be the perfect small SUV for bike owners who enjoy taking their adventures off the beaten path. Entry-level models cost less than £10,000 and offer a huge amount of space for the money. Two-wheel drive Dacias get a 478-litre boot that expands to 1,623 litres with the rear seats down. Accessories such as a boot liner will catch any dirt while an optional towbar-mounted carrier can hold two bikes.

If you want to take the train out of day-to-day driving, then the Duster is available with a 1.3-litre turbo petrol mated to a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’s a smooth gearbox, but for most people the 1.3-litre manual model will be fine for daily use.

Check out our Dacia Duster deals page to find the latest savings.

10. Honda Jazz

Boot capacity: 304-litres
Starting price: £19,910
Recommended trim/engine: SE/1.5 Hybrid
Wowscore: 8/10

You don’t necessarily need a huge SUV if you want to lug your bike around, as the Honda Jazz proves. Ok so you might struggle to fit it in the boot, but you can get a myriad of different bike rack options for the roof and the back of the car. The Jazz offers decent practicality as well for such a small car. The rear seats fold down to create more boot space, or you can flip the bases up to store taller items in the back.

There is only one engine option for the Jazz, a 1.5-litre hybrid unit. It may not be lightning quick, but you’ll get decent economy from it. It’s easy to drive as well thanks to it’s small size and great visibility, making it ideal in built up areas.

Spec up a Honda Jazz through our deals page to find the best savings on offer.