So the company car is going back. I’ll have up to £5000 to spend on a small car that I can fit a 29er in the back of with the seats down. Happy to remove front wheel, but ideally not both….suggestions???

Skoda Yeti? Not small small, but not huge either.

A Fiesta will easily take a 29er with the front wheel off.

Are you sure xico? It was a ball-ache to fit my CX bike in my Fiesta. And a 29er would be a good bit longer too.

Audi A3 Sportback – Camber 29 in mine this morning

Why does it have to be small? A Skoda Fabia estate is probably one of the smallest estates around, or if you can allow a bit more length then Focus, Golf, Leon etc estates become an option.

My civic is brilliant. Can get my medium 29er in the back with front wheel off.

Micra!

Also, have friend who can get his large Solaris in a Toyota Yaris. Has to have the passenger seat as forward as possible.

I have a skoda Fabia and my 29er fits fine in the back with it’s front wheel off.

Needs to be small as my other half will only drive small cars (hers is a 307) and parking is carp round here….and I’m not convinced a 29er will fit in a Micra…..

Mates fits two in his Honda Jazz nae bother.

Jazz or Golf, I’ve done it without too much bother in them. I’ve got a Fiesta and it wouldn’t even fit my 26″ bike without a struggle, just due to the shape of the boot.

Get a towbar and rack or roof bars.

Unfortunately I store the bike in the car on holiday unless I can sneak it into whatever flat / cottage we’re renting…..a Jazz is a v sensible suggestion. However I’m not sensible…..

Don’t want to give a typically unhelpful reply (but will anyway 😳 ) but I’d go with roof bars. Keeps it out of the way, you’ll get the car filthy (especially if it’s a tight fit) and means you can concentrate on the car you like more than specifics of what fits.

Sorry flashes just seen your reason for not wanting bars…slow typing!

Golf?

Dacia Logan MCV. It will be the newest, largest, low mileage car you can get your hands on for 5k.

Any car with roof bars, then you’re not having to keep taking wheel off on off on! Sorry just noticed no bars. Is the car in a garage so said bike can’t be seen etc.

Mercedes A class with the optional removable rear seats.

Out of the mentions so far, the Yeti pretty much wins I think, if it’s an acceptable size…

My Fiat 500 will fit 2 full sus bikes with both wheels off.

Large 29er fits in my Fabia but putting it inside would be a bit silly, the car would get dirty, dropping the seats is a faff(having to remove headrest grr) and putting it on roof bars is simpler.

Fabia estate works for me. Polo sized, but swallows my 29er whole. If economy matters go for the 1.9 diesel – same MPG in the real world as the 1.4, and it will just refuse to die (my sister’s has about 220k miles on the clock and doesn’t miss a beat)!

I assume that a Seat Ibiza estate would be the same, but they’ve not been around as long so may be over budget.

Suzuki Jimny. Front wheel off. Stands in upright.

any hatchback ever made

Civic, you’ll get a good un for 5k, fit 3 29ers no worries. Great cars, I’d have one again in a minute.

Dunno if it’s too big but we had a fiat thing on holiday, basically the car version of a doblo. With the back seats down we could get two bikes in the backs with both wheels on no problem.

Out of the mentions so far, the Yeti pretty much wins I think, if it’s an acceptable size…

Tough to find a decent one on a £5k budget

My twingo takes my road bikes with just the front wheel off. If you have a dropper post, then it will take a 29er the same. Easily with both wheels off.

Are you sure xico? It was a ball-ache to fit my CX bike in my Fiesta. And a 29er would be a good bit longer too.

Certain! Just move the front passenger seat forward.

8th gen Civic.

Small in my definition is not golf or civic size,

Large 29er in a lupo, twingo and polo.
Jazz are bigger and easier to fit bikes in.

Golf two 29ersxeasily.

Yep, I was talking Lupo, Polo. I’ll look into those. A Mini Estate might also fit the bill……

Mini is long and externally not that small, internally not great for size.

Hard. To find good lupo the TDI is a gem,i would avoid the fox variant, ups are good but only a brief drive in one.

Polo is a good size as a compromise.

Jazz are really mechanical good and have several friends who use them for biking and climbing, lots of space.

Ford Focus C-Max could be a good option as they’re quite tall – might even be able to stand a bike up. Plenty of petrol and diesel versions, although if you go for the latter read up on issue with injector seals on TDCi engines.

Honda Civic. Last model before new ones (the wedge shaped ones). Fantastic cars with either a great 2.2 diesel or 1.8 petrol. Loads of space. Rear seats fold flat (magic seats) really easily. Fit 2 29ers in there no problem. You’ll get an excellent model for £5k. Great to drive. Sold mine to get a Mondeo estate for family reasons. I’d buy another one without a second thought. Can’t recommend highly enough

Suzuki Swift (both wheels off), Fiesta (front wheel off) but only just. Much better, just buy the car want, and get a rack of some sort. Small proportion of the overall cost of a car.

not convinced a 29er will fit in a Micra

My fat front Jones fits in our Micra! 😉