<OT> SUVs - best one to fit bikes inside?

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I am looking for a new family rig to haul four people but I really want to be able to carry my road bike inside for long trips. My post isn't searching for opinions on which company builds the best SUV, but I need to know which ones people have found that can swallow a bike (wheels off) plus luggage.

I will make this question one level more difficult by saying that I am not interested in any full-size rigs (i.e. Suburban, Denali, Expedition, Durango, etc).

My list of ideal candidates would be a 4Runner, GX470, Sequoia or RX350. I would consider a mini-van (Odyssey or Sienna) becaue I know they have enough space but we live in a rugged area with lots of snow so a true SUV with 4WD is a better option.

Any advice would be great :)

Get a four seater pickup truck. Put the bike in the back seat and put the kids in the bed.

I've got a Dodge Grand Caravan, works fine with the rear seats out (bucket and bench).

Any quad cab truck is the best. (with a cap) I can fit my bike with wheels on and still have room for luggage. The two other families we go to the beach with both have big suv's. I'm always the one who has to bring all the extras, along with my bike because we have the room.

Chrysler PT Cruiser. Don't even have to take the front wheel off. Plus the rollover rating is better than with other SUVs.

The quad-cab pickup works great. There's lots of room for bikes, luggage and gear. I'm currently using the Cherokee a bit more though because it rides better. Until I get the truck loaded up, it's pretty stiff.

The quad-cab pickup works great. There's lots of room for bikes, luggage and gear.

Another vote for the quad-cab pickup approach. I drive a Ford F-150 Supercrew, and it's great for hauling bikes, gear, and 4 (or even 5) people.

Another vote for the quad-cab pickup approach. I drive a Ford F-150 Supercrew, and it's great for hauling bikes, gear, and 4 (or even 5) people.I've got a Titan Crew Cab it it works great and I opted for the front bench and it seats 6 adults comfortably, wanna race that Ford? We also have an Odyssey, both work great but the Ody is getting 20city and 27 highway. Beats the 18 of the Titan, but the Titan is quicker and pulls 9500lbs, lets see, my trailer weights 1700lbs so that means about 280 bikes. And the Ody has VDC which works quite well. The only snow we had a problem was a 16" wet snow storm, but the Titan was the only one to make it out in that, not the neighbors Silverado, Excrusion, Exploder, Suburban, Ranger, Ram 3500, Pilot, 4Runner, Trailblazer......I got to play chauffer for a couple of days till the plows got out on the side roads.

I've got a Titan Crew Cab it it works great and I opted for the front bench and it seats 6 adults comfortably, wanna race that Ford? We also have an Odyssey, both work great but the Ody is getting 20city and 27 highway. Beats the 18 of the Titan, but the Titan is quicker and pulls 9500lbs, lets see, my trailer weights 1700lbs so that means about 280 bikes. And the Ody has VDC which works quite well. The only snow we had a problem was a 16" wet snow storm, but the Titan was the only one to make it out in that, not the neighbors Silverado, Excrusion, Exploder, Suburban, Ranger, Ram 3500, Pilot, 4Runner, Trailblazer......I got to play chauffer for a couple of days till the plows got out on the side roads.

Your Titan may seat six, but comfortably? I doubt it, unless they're six small people. My SuperCrew has a front bench seat, too, and will seat six. But I wouldn't want to take a trip with that many people.

If the Titan had been available in 2000, I may have considered it. But at the time, the SuperCrew was the only truck available with 4 doors and a bed long enough to accomodate my music gear. In addition to my bikes, my truck also has to haul an 88-key electronic keyboard.

Your Titan may seat six, but comfortably? I doubt it, unless they're six small people. My SuperCrew has a front bench seat, too, and will seat six. But I wouldn't want to take a trip with that many people.

If the Titan had been available in 2000, I may have considered it. But at the time, the SuperCrew was the only truck available with 4 doors and a bed long enough to accomodate my music gear. In addition to my bikes, my truck also has to haul an 88-key electronic keyboard.Remember, the Titan cab is larger than your SuperCrew. I've had 6 200lbers in there without elbow fights, and the rear has more leg room than a suburban, and its wider, runs to St Louis (280miles round trip) have been no problem. My truck is a work truck, usually 800+lbs of tools, large saws, compressors, portable work stations, etc.

None of you guys with your poser SUVs have got shit on my wheels. The ultimate cycling transport:

Remember, the Titan cab is larger than your SuperCrew. I've had 6 200lbers in there without elbow fights, and the rear has more leg room than a suburban, and its wider, runs to St Louis (280miles round trip) have been no problem. My truck is a work truck, usually 800+lbs of tools, large saws, compressors, portable work stations, etc.

Front seat hip room for Titan - 61.3 inches, for 2001 SuperCrew 61.0...

I'm sure that extra 0.3 inches makes all the difference. :rolleyes:

Actually, Popular Mechanics just did a truck (Quad Cab) roundup and the Titan finished 1st for the second time in a row. Tundra 2nd then Chevy, Ford and Dodge brought up the rear.
Tundra was a rocket according to them. Dodge was a pig. Titan was the best package, including retail price offering the best interior, economy (considering engine size) towing, hauling and everything else.
I have an older Chevy 3/4 ton and it's ran great. Has 120,000 miles on it and still runs like a top. If I had to choose right now, I'd probably go with the Titan.

Actually, Popular Mechanics just did a truck (Quad Cab) roundup and the Titan finished 1st for the second time in a row. Tundra 2nd then Chevy, Ford and Dodge brought up the rear.
Tundra was a rocket according to them. Dodge was a pig. Titan was the best package, including retail price offering the best interior, economy (considering engine size) towing, hauling and everything else.
I have an older Chevy 3/4 ton and it's ran great. Has 120,000 miles on it and still runs like a top. If I had to choose right now, I'd probably go with the Titan.I had a Silverado that fell apart. By 200K it was on its second engine, third tranny, second rear end, was a member of the alternator of the month club, AC was out again, door panels comming loose. I've got 57K miles of shear work horse duty on the Titan and its stronger than the day I drove it off the showroom floor. Even hauling 11,700lbs (yes I know its rated at 9500) it had no problem pulling steep hills. I have two friends that came from F250 Superduty trucks and three from Silverdo 2500HDs and all say the Titan will pull circles around thier old trucks, are much more comfortable, and infinatly more fun to drive than thier former trucks. On electrician in town has one, he's owned Vettes all his life and said this is the closet thing he's found to the driving experience in a truck. My wife refused to drive my Silverado, asided from parking the beast, she loves the Titan. Don't know what to tell ya about the .3 inch difference, except that may be the case at the hips, but upper door panel design and general cab design may have something to do with it. I felt clostrophobic in the Ford, I looked at one before I bought the Titan, but the Titan feels huge compared. Lower window belt line may be part of it. And the Ford was a total slug in comparison. Just for fun, I raced a punk in a Dodge Rumble Bee reg cab 2x4 5.7 Hemi and smoked him in a crew cab 4x4. I had the kids roll the rear windows down to wave at him at the next light.....talk about pissed.

I'd say a Dodge Grand Caravan with Stow N' Go seats is best. And the 3.8L engine is better than the 3.3L for towing a trailer. The 2008 model is ugly though - I don't like the new designs. 1999 to 2007 models look nice to me!

Just for fun, I raced a punk in a Dodge Rumble Bee reg cab 2x4 5.7 Hemi and smoked him in a crew cab 4x4. I had the kids roll the rear windows down to wave at him at the next light.....talk about pissed.As if all your chest-thumping ramblings about how your truck is so big and fast weren't juvenile enough, now you openly admit to racing with your children in the backseat. Why don't you grow a real pair of balls, and stop jeopardizing your children's lives for the sake of your ego?

Nevermind, a quick search of your past posts reminds me I can't talk any sense into an idiot.

If it is still possible to get this thread on track I will try...

I have been reasonably happy with my GMC Envoy (03). It was fairly cheap with about 35k miles when I bought it in 05. It has a nice Inline-6 that has enough HP/torque to tow my 3500 lb trailer without much effort. With synthetic oil, high tire pressure and a K&N air filter I have pushed the highway MPG to low 20s if I stay light on the right pedal. Cargo room is more than enough for what you are talking about, and it comes stock with a Class 3 hitch on the back so you can do what I do and use a hitch mounted bike rack if you want more space. I would stay away from trucks that have the spare tire inside the cargo area. The Envoy/Trailblazer has the tire mounted under the rear end, using the cable winch method.

It's not perfect. I hate the driver sight lines and the anti-sway bars on the front suspension loosen up easily, but I would consider another one if I had to replace it. I do most of my own maintenance.

Sounds like you don't do any towing, so you might be able to get something with less grunt and better MPG. But to be honest, with just a few mods, I have easily been able to exceed EPA ratings by 2 MPG, and rival the smaller SUVs.

I'd say a Dodge Grand Caravan with Stow N' Go seats is best. And the 3.8L engine is better than the 3.3L for towing a trailer. The 2008 model is ugly though - I don't like the new designs. 1999 to 2007 models look nice to me!but they, at least the caravan prior to the new model release are not rated well, the Toyota, Honda, and Hyundia/Kia are all rated superior to the Caravan. We know a couple of families with the Caravan with stow and go, well, one now, they are uncomfortable, slow, and have rather poor handling. We can get our bikes in the back of our Odyssey without removing the second row, all four of them. And we are getting better gas mileage, has much better safety rating, and is more like driving a luxury/sport Sedan than a minivan. And resale is MUCH MUCH higher......even with 200K on it.