Changing jobs, so company car is being handed back. Plan is to replace it with an MPV, needs to be big enough to fit 3 people and 2 (min), 3(ideally) bikes inside the car, front wheels off. Prefer the security of bikes inside the car, plus they aren’t getting covered in motorway grime.

Work is a 6 mile round trip and car only used at the weekends for riding.

Obvious choices to me so far is Touran and SMAX, any other suggestions.

any other suggestions.

yes buy an estate

Height can always be an issue even with dropper posts so I’d focus on looking at that if you plan to carry bikes upright.

old style Picasso

My Galaxy happily takes 3 people + 3 bikes with front wheels off.

But a diesel on a 6 mile commute would not be great. But – you could always cycle to work?

I’ve seen Skoda Yetis used to carry multiple fully assembled bikes in the back, they seem to do the job quite well …

I would avoid an estate, from experience, and particularly because the opening is quite shallow compared to a MPV/SUV. Or choose a very large one, which might not be ideal for your non-bike logistics needs.

Touran is difficult to beat, not least because you choose the number of seats that you can remove from the car, freeing up invaluable space.

I’ve the same criteria for my next car have been looking at Citroen Berlingos, peugeot/renault/fiats sku on the same car and the Skoda Roomster.

But a diesel on a 6 mile commute would not be great. But – you could always cycle to work?

That is the intention!!! The reality on the other hand…

Considering estates, but they really arn’t that practical for multiple bike transport. MPV of sorts is the better option for me atleast, other option is a van, but rather something less specific.

I’m loving my SMax, but generally carry bikes on a towbar mounted rack.
On occasion, I have folded one middle row seat (rear row has never been used) and loaded a 4th bike, in a bike bag. 4 passengers accommodated without any squeezing, and all 4 sets of bags behind them. The real wins with the SMax are the independently folding (and wide) seats & the huge leg room in the middle row.
With only 3 passengers, I think 3 bikes in the back (probably with all wheels off) would be easy.

P.S. have a look at hatchback.co.uk for a custom fitted boot liner, with extra flaps for when the seats are folded.

With only 3 passengers, I think 3 bikes in the back (probably with all wheels off) would be easy.

Intention is to just pull the front wheels out and have some sort of structure to keep the bikes upright using the rear wheels. Dimensions suggest this is possible.

I reckon a Touran is too small in reality. And not high enough. Front wheel off needs the rear seats up or some taking out to carry three people. Think you will struggle with a Yeti as well.

Looking at Sharan / Galaxy or Caddy Maxi tbh.

and have some sort of structure to keep the bikes upright

I just lean them up, with some padding between them, and some bungee cords to stop them falling over.

Only problem I’ve ever had is, when removing the front wheel, forgetting to take the bolt-thru axle with me… 😳

I’ve had 5 people + 5 bikes (2 adult + 3 kids 24″) with all wheels off inside a galaxy. With the wheels off the frames fit across the car

Don’t know what he new Doblo’s are like but I could easily get 3 bikes with wheels on and 3 people in my old mk2 version.

I reckon a Touran is too small in reality. And not high enough. Front wheel off needs the rear seats up or some taking out to carry three people. Think you will struggle with a Yeti as well.

Looking at Sharan / Galaxy or Caddy Maxi tbh.

Was expecting to have to take a couple of the seats out. Yeti is definately a no, its pretty small. Need around 1.6m of length to fit the big bike in with no front wheel.

rickmeister – Member
I reckon a Touran is too small in reality. And not high enough. Front wheel off needs the rear seats up or some taking out to carry three people. Think you will struggle with a Yeti as well.

In my reality, the Touran was plenty big enough for the OP’s brief although I assume he needs to fit 3 people including driver and front passenger, but not sure.

I can get 3+3 in my C-max with 2 seats out (front wheels out, seatposts down). So surely Touran/galaxy/s-max should be no bother?

Yeti is definately a no, its pretty small. Need around 1.6m of length to fit the big bike in with no front wheel.

Yeti is good for my xl remedy 29er with front wheel out, also had an XL mondraker dune in too. 2 adult and one child bike is doable with three seats but our next car will be bigger, been looking at tourneo connect, caddy maxi life and galaxy.

If work is only 3 miles each way, it’s really worth cycling. We’ve currently got a Ford Grand Tourneo Connect (ie passenger version of the small van). On a recent trip there were three of us, a tandem and a road bike – no wheels needed removing. We’ve not had three bikes in the back, but three or four would fit. It’s a pleasant enough drive and I’m told the second row seats are comfortable – I removed the third row to give a bit more height.

And get a towbar rack anyway. Fitting/removing that is far quicker than having to clean out the car afterwards in winter!

I agree it’s not so secure so wouldn’t leave whilst going into shops, service stations etc, but it’s better for mid-week rides etc when I’m just stopping somewhere on the way home from work.

Its easy enough to fit 3 bikes (1 wheel off each) plus 3 people in most large estate cars (mondeo etc – I once stuffed 5 full sized people and 5 bikes in mine, both wheels off though), a people carrier should be no issue. If you’ve a real need for 3+3 then maybe look at a multipla or whatever that Honda was – 3 seats across the front mean tonnes of room in the back (might even get the bikes in both wheels on..)

3 bikes (wheels on, 26″) plus 3 adults in a 2005 Berlingo no worries.

I now have a 2013 Doblo. As above no probs. With wheels off I can get 2 adult and 2 kids bikes in the boot. I think 4 adult bikes might fit with wheels off.

Usually I use a towbar mounted rack though. Ease, cleanliness, hassle. I wouldn’t leave the bikes unsupervised, even locked up, except in circumstances that were suitable.

Another vote for the Ford Grand Tourneo Connect. Three bikes with front wheels on is easy, just need to drop the seat posts. Plenty of room for three people and all their gear,The tailgate is huge to shelter under if you need to.
A mate had an SMAX that had a clever rail that fastened to the floor to locate the forks with the wheels out,seem to to remember they had to be at an angle to get the bars to clear.

In my reality, the Touran was plenty big enough for the OP’s brief although I assume he needs to fit 3 people including driver and front passenger, but not sure.

3 people total, so looking at the measurements, two bikes is easy, 3 will be a bit of a squeeze.

And get a towbar rack anyway. Fitting/removing that is far quicker than having to clean out the car afterwards in winter!

Owning a specialized enduro, means it doesn’t fit my Thule 928 bike rack without some modifications to clamp onto the seat tube and also the shear length of it. The other bikes that will be carried are also enduros and frames with shocks in a similar position. Will be fabricating a boot liner to keep all the muck off the inside of the car.

If work is only 3 miles each way, it’s really worth cycling

Will be doing my best, also good excuse for N+1!

If the car can be older, Honda FR-V, Fiat Multipla have 3 seats across the front, loads of space in the back for kit then.

VW Caddy maxi*, sirrus do a fully certified 3 seat (2+1)rear conversion, seatbelts and all for £995. They take 2 mins to fold forward or lift out, meaning can still be used as a van/stealth camper when required.

*I only have experience of looking into this for the caddy, i’m sure there’s many other types of vans that it can be done with, but there’s defo more 3rd party stuff for VW vans to do as you wish, whatever suits.

I’ve had 2 Tourans in the past and put 100k miles on each of them, great car for bike and kid lugging.
Often used to carry 3 bikes standing upright with front wheels off along with 3 people and gear for a weekend away in the car.
I used to just remove 2 of the centre seats leaving a single seat in place. Then once the bikes are top and tailed there is still plenty of room for the rear passenger and plenty of gear.
I also had a rear mounted carrier if I needed to take the whole family but much preferred carrying the bikes inside.
I had the 140PS diesel Sport version and it went well fully laden and handled extremely well.
Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

That’s what I was trying to say about the Touran. Plus you can use it as a normal car. It’s very versatile and should be considered as the default choice before being ruled out. Cheap as chips too.

Not an Altea Freetrack (from experience).

Thought it would be fine, but it has a high floor so the boot space is tiny for the size of the car. My mates C Max is miles bigger inside.

He had an older Galaxy before that and it was huge!

Caddy Maxi Life with 3rd row of seats removed?
I fancy one of those.

Not an Altea Freetrack (from experience).

Thought it would be fine, but it has a high floor so the boot space is tiny for the size of the car. My mates C Max is miles bigger inside.

Freetrack = Golf Plus?
Golf plus is too small, reality is its two bikes with both wheels off.

Thanks for all the replies, currently on the hunt for a Touran, ticks all of the boxes.

We get 6 of us and 6 bikes in and on a Galaxy.

We easily got 3 bikes and 3 of us in a Touran.

Any people carrier should do – but you will have to take off front wheels and seatposts (or dropper) for some.