Toyota Highlander for bikes?

[laughlaugh18]

Anyone out there drive a Highlander? I'm considering the Highlander Hybrid, and would appreciate any input on how it is for loading/carrying bikes, especially for a shorty.

I haven't shopped for a car in 13 years, but some things never change - car shopping is absolutely the pits :mad:

[deidre]

I haven't shopped for a car in 12.5 years and am now shopping for not 1 but probably 2 cars since both cars are 12.5 years old (1 is out of commission completely). I was just telling my sister that I am usually not excited about buying a new car (well, since it is inevitable, I am starting to get a little excited now :D ).

Sorry, I don't have any input on a Highlander though.

[Trek420]

we had a thread here about bike hauling vehicles that I may be re-visiting soon:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=4602&highlight=subaru

[biking4health]

My DH drives a 2004 Highlander. It's not a hybrid though. We just started biking after a long hiatus so we don't have a rack yet. I have put my bike in the back and there's plenty of room, but I can't get it in there myself. I'm 5'4" and there's no way I can "heft" it in there alone since it sits a bit high for me.

As far as the Highlander we love it. This is our 4th Toyota and love the product. It's very comfortable to drive and ride in. We just returned from a road trip of 1600 miles.

We talked to a guy when we were in Northern MN who just bought a Hybrid and had driven it from Virginia. He loved it and said the mileage on the highway was in the low 30's, not at good around town.

Carol

[Bikingmomof3]

Since buying a new car was not an option we had to find a solution with our cars. It turned out my minivan carries all 5 bikes nicely. I had a hitch installed and then added a Thule carrier. All 5 of us can easily get the bikes on and off-which is a huge plus, considering I am not tall.

Sorry, I do not know much about the hybrid.

[farrellcollie]

I looked at highlanders (last yr) before buying a volkswagon wagon - (I was looking to haul dogs - not bikes and highlander had a gap when the seats were down that a dog could fall into and hurt leg) - it appeared as though a bike would fit nicely. I carry a little ladder (god I must look like such a dork) to reach my roof rack. It is much easier with road bike (light bike) than with 35+ hybrid. If I was looking now I would consider mazda mpv small van for bikes and dogs.

[dachshund]

I've been looking into either the Highlander or the Prius. The Prius is a hatchback, and should fit at least one bike. I wouldn't consider anything other than a hybrid, though, even though it limits the choices.

[KnottedYet]

Don't forget diesel. You can run biodiesel, which is made from deglycerinzed vegetable oil. Friendliest powerplant we've got at the moment. When the Subaru diesel comes out, I'm planning to seriously look into it. (though I love my current Subie, I'd rather be running biodiesel)

Plus the mileage from biodiesel is impressive. My sister in law gets 54 mpg biodiesel on the freeway in her VW Jetta.

[GLC1968]

If you wanted to save a little cash and still get similar (or better) mileage, you could try the Toyota Matrix. We have one and while we ended up with the 'super charged' version that has slightly lower mileage (we get 30 mpg combined city/hwy), it works well. With the seat down we can fit two bikes with wheels on if we lie them down. With out the front wheels, they'll stand with half the back seat still upright (except for DH's crazy high seat post which he refuses to remove! :mad: ;) ).

I'm only 5'4" and I can easily toss my bike in there by myself with little effort.

Perhaps not quite as environmentally friendly as a hybrid, but with the milage and initially lower costs, it's certainly more pocketbook friendly. :)

[KnottedYet]

Bikes would fit nicely in the back of a VW diesel wagon.... or the back of a Subaru diesel wagon (but you'd have to wait a couple years for that). Or on or in a diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Around here biodiesel is 50 cents per gallon cheaper than dino-diesel. (it used to be the other way around. My SIL is loving current gas prices.)

Knot-tooting-honking-and-pounding-the-biodiesel-horn

www.biodiesel.org www.biodieselnow.com www.fuelwerks.com

[laughlaugh18]

All great thoughts-thanks.

I'm the biggest princess and the pea ever, so comfort is the #1 issue for me. I actually try to rent a car before I buy it to make sure the drivers seat fits me (that's how I discovered that the Prius made my neck spasm!).

I have to admit that I don't quite see myself as a station wagon person; even considering an SUV is a big deal for me - I much prefer an enclosed trunk. I can easily pop my bike into the back seat of my 93' Camry, and would have loved the Camry hybrid but the trunk in the new Camry is the size of a thimble (I don't think it's even big enuf to lay a bike tire flat in it!). What were they thinking?!

Farrelcollie - yeah, ladder. That'd probably be me, too!

KY - I still don't see that many diesel signs in LA, so the idea of it worries me.

What I'm learning is that gas mileage on hybrids is really variable, and mostly never near what the EPA estimates. The Highlander Hybrid real life mileage seems to be closer to 25-27 in mixed driving. Still, that's better than the 20 I'm getting now!

[Lenusik]

I can recommend Nissan Murano belive it or not. We are getting 22 m/gallon in it consistantly, when a Highlander hybrid gets only 23-24. We were looking at it and decided that it is not worth it.
You can easily put two bikes inside a Murano. But we also have 3 dogs and decided to get a bike rack. Check this baby out: http://www.1upusa.com/1upusarackhome.htm
It is sweet. Tt takes only 20 seconds to set the bikes on it.

[dachshund]

Around here biodiesel is 50 cents per gallon cheaper than dino-diesel. (it used to be the other way around. My SIL is loving current gas prices.)
www.biodiesel.org www.biodieselnow.com www.fuelwerks.com

Thanks for the info - I'm forgetting now why I stopped looking into biodiesel.

[beeba]

I originally thought they were quite ugly, but I have fallen in love with my Honda Element!!! It is so versatile! The hubby and I made a "removable" bike rack for the back out of some MDF and 2 fork mounts. Anytime I go for a ride I throw up the back seat and screw the fork in! And clean up is an absolute breeze!!

[dakay]

I originally thought they were quite ugly, but I have fallen in love with my Honda Element!!!

I also love my Honda Element. With the back seats out there is plenty of room for two bikes and I don't even have to move the dog crate.

Kathy

[jeannierides]

A friend of mine just got a Saturn Vue, and it comes with a fork rack for two bikes in the back.:D
Another quirky little car is the Toyota Scion - at least one bike will fit in the back - very inexpensive and good on gas.

[Tuckervill]

Don't forget diesel. You can run biodiesel, which is made from deglycerinzed vegetable oil. Friendliest powerplant we've got at the moment. When the Subaru diesel comes out, I'm planning to seriously look into it. (though I love my current Subie, I'd rather be running biodiesel)

Plus the mileage from biodiesel is impressive. My sister in law gets 54 mpg biodiesel on the freeway in her VW Jetta.

I have a New Beetle diesel, and I traded my gas Beetle for the diesel so I could make my own biodiesel (and diesel was cheaper than unleaded at the time). But it's not as simple as just deglycinerizing the vegetable oil. (Although some people do run straight vegetable oil.) After studying the subject thoroughly, I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble. Plus, the workshop where we would make it is full of shtuff that we haven't cleaned up. IOW, I'm procrastinating (for two years!).

Most people now-a-days, if they live in the NE especially, will consider biodiesel to be what you can buy at the pump in the form of 85% soybean/15% petro deisel. I get 40 miles a gallon in my Beetle on the highway on petro diesel. (Your SIL's car is probably a stick, and she likely drives the speed limit or slower.) When I was in Brattleboro, VT last summer, right after Hurricane Katrina, I paid $3.09/gal for 85/15 biodiesel from a gas station there. I did not get better mileage on that tank.

Right after that, diesel crept up to the price of premium unleaded, and it has never gone back down. The going price in my town is $2.93 for regular no-lead and $3.09 for diesel (ironically what I paid in Brattleboro for biodiesel). I have taken measures so that I just don't drive much, but when I do, I'm still getting 40 miles per gallon!

The only benefit I would get from making my own biodiesel is that I will likely get the veg oil for free, even though there is the initial investment of equipment to process it (less than $200). Mathematically, it seems worth it, but time-wise, I'm not so sure, as little as I try to drive. If the biodiesel were available at the pump here, I'd buy it, though, because of environmental/political concerns. That's not likely to happen, living this close to oil-rich Oklahoma. :(

Karen

[Tuckervill]

KY - I still don't see that many diesel signs in LA, so the idea of it worries me.

That was a problem almost 3 years ago when I got my diesel Beetle. But I did learn which stations consistently have diesel (BP is the only one I can think of that is nationwide). It's not always on the sign. You have to look for a pump with a green nozzle, or a pump set off to the side so trucks can use it.

Even if there's no green handle, look for the pump that has more than the usual number of nozzles (if the other pumps have 3, look for one that has 4, if all the pumps seem to have 1, look for one with 2).

If all else fails, you can line up with the big rigs and use their pump at the truck stop. It's kind of confusing, though. They don't usually have card readers, and the nozzles are really big and deliver the fuel very fast, so it's easy to spill. There are also two nozzles for each pump, one on each side for dual tanks...so you have to use the one with the switch on it. Some of the truck drivers have asked me about the Beetle or the diesel, but most of them just look at me funny.

I enjoy my diesel car. It can go 10k miles between oil changes (synthetic) and other than tires and brakes there are fewer maintenance issues.

Karen

[massbikebabe]

I had a Highlander;

LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT, especially for bikes. We could easily fit 3 bikes in the back. I had to sell it because I had a stroke and could no longer drive and when gas hit 3 bucks a gallon I was glad it was gone because one complete fill of the tank cost me well into the hundred of dollars:eek: If you can get your hands on a hybrid I highly recommend it. I am a huge fan of ALL Toyota products. I had a Corolla that would not die, I think when it did it had well over 300+ thousand miles on it!!

karen

[hurleygirl]

I just sold my diesel VW Beetle and bought a brandy-new Honda Fit.

The VW was constantly in need of repairs, and I was getting tired of paying $1,000 every few months. That could have been such a great car if it was more reliable.

I love the Fit. I've been averaging 37 mpg. I can get my bike in the back with both wheels on - no problem. I can get two bikes in the back if the front wheels are removed, and still have room for gear. For a tiny car, it's got a huge amount of space inside.

[Tuckervill]

I love the Fit. I've been averaging 37 mpg.

Never heard of that until now.

We went camping a few weeks ago on the bank of the Buffalo National River. Everyone in our group but me had a Honda--two Elements and a brand new CRV. Our campsite looked like a Honda commercial.

I pumped the owners for information on the Element and the CRV. The CRV seems great, but it does not get good mileage. The Element is better, but I like the looks of the CRV (and the CRV had a funky folding table in the back).

I might eventually pass the Beetle down to my son (who will be driving in 3 years) and then I will want a bigger car but still with good mileage. I'll have to check out one of those Fits (weird name).

Karen

[tulip]

I just sold my diesel VW Beetle and bought a brandy-new Honda Fit.

The VW was constantly in need of repairs, and I was getting tired of paying $1,000 every few months. That could have been such a great car if it was more reliable.

I love the Fit. I've been averaging 37 mpg. I can get my bike in the back with both wheels on - no problem. I can get two bikes in the back if the front wheels are removed, and still have room for gear. For a tiny car, it's got a huge amount of space inside.

I've been watching the Fit since last fall when I first saw them in Brazil. They came out in the US and Canada in April, although they've been available in Europe, South America, and Asia for the past 7 years (called a Jazz).

When my beloved 15-year old Accord finally decides to pursue greener pastures over the rainbow, I'll likely go for the Fit; hopefully there will be used ones available by that time. I heard rumors on a Fit Forum that they might introduce a diesel fit next year to the US. Now, if they'd just get with it and sell diesel hybrids in which I could run biodiesel, I'd be all set.

But the Accord just keeps on trucking. I don't drive much anyways, so I can't really justify replacing her until she decides to go.

Glad you like your Fit!

[hurleygirl]

But the Accord just keeps on trucking.

And that's why I chose a Honda. I was tired of dealing with the Volkswagon, as much as I loved getting 45-50 mpg.

As for the Elements - I absolutely love them! They have such a cool look. If they came in a hybrid, I'd be all over that. But I'm really big on fuel efficiency, so I can't bring myself to buy one. It was hard enough trading in the Beetle for the Fit, since it meant a less efficient car.

[emily_in_nc]

I originally thought they were quite ugly, but I have fallen in love with my Honda Element!!! It is so versatile! The hubby and I made a "removable" bike rack for the back out of some MDF and 2 fork mounts. Anytime I go for a ride I throw up the back seat and screw the fork in! And clean up is an absolute breeze!!

Hey, my husband did the same thing - here I thought we were the only ones!

Another Element owner here... :D

Emily, who wishes they came in a Hybrid model too....but they're worlds cheaper than a hybrid Highlander - just can't justify that upfront cost.

[cooper]

We use a Highlander(2004) to haul around 2 bikes on top - could also easily fit them in the back......love the Highlander and loading the bikes is a snap. Would highly recommend it!

[Seabiscuit]

My BF just got a Camry Hybrid and had a hitch installed. I kid you not, he is getting 39-40 mpg. :eek: We carry two bikes on the hitch.

[laughlaugh18]

My BF just got a Camry Hybrid and had a hitch installed. I kid you not, he is getting 39-40 mpg. :eek: We carry two bikes on the hitch.

Are you able to get anything, even a bike tire, in that tiny, tiny trunk? The Camry hybrid would be great - I know I could get my bike in the back seat, but the trunk really is a concern for me.

As for the Honda Element, sorry folks, it's just not for me. My niece and I call it the Tupperware car; we figure it must make the Tupperware "burp" noise each time a car door closes! :D

[Aggie_Ama]

We test drove an Element and I really liked it, but the clamshell design baffled me. I know I would be confused by my own doors! I liked the Xb, too. It is weird but I don't mind having a funky car, I had a bright yellow New Beetle as a lease through college. This was when they were just getting popular and it got a lot of looks at my Agriculture university.

I now have a Dodge Caliber and the Thule Speedway 2 works perfectly on it. We had it for my old Saturn Vue and I was so happy it works on the Caliber.

I HATED the interior bike rack on my Vue. The bikes made noise wobbling around, you have to drop tall seats and road bikes don't sit right in there. We got it free from the dealer, but it wasn't worth the hassle. Neither was the Saturn though! It was in the shop 11 times in 18 months and none of it was routine maintenance. I was happy to find out the dealer I got my Caliber at would pay me only $400 less than what I owed. I took the slight upside down note and ran far away from the Vue. <<End of rant>>

[KnottedYet]

Ahhhh, the "Saturn Pattern"

[LaBiker]

I've never had more fun driving a car than with my current Honda Element. I've taken the back seats out and have two large wire crates for dogs and I can still get my bicycle and other gear packed inside. And I don't have to remove wheels!

I drove from Washington State to Colorado this summer, fully loaded with dogs and show equipment. I ran the air conditioner on high most of the way, and encountered hours of stiff head and side winds. Even with that, I got 24.5 mpg.

The Element provides terrific visibility and handles well.

When I first saw one, I thought it was one of the ugliest creations ... now I own one and think it's cute.

[tehj]

I also drive a 2003 Honda Element. I have both rear seats removed and have framed out (with plywood) separate areas for my road bike with both wheels attached, several Rubbermaid containers with my work equipment, and a 30" by 40" dog bed (the dogs go to work with me every night). I've still got room back there for my Mountainsmith bike cube and some extras like an ice chest and tote with extra clothing. The look of the car did take some getting used to-- it grows on you. I have gotten gas mileage as high as 30 mpg but my average is around 24 mpg.

[Saxa82]

I just bought a RAV4 and one of the requirements for this new car was ease of putting in my bike. I have no problems and I am quite short. I just lift her up & in she goes and out she comes, easy as pie, with only the one back seat laid flat- the other seat has my son's booster in it. I was taking the booster out but found I didn't need to, so it's in and out, no problems. I too looked at the Highlander but due to cost considerations and not the best gas mileage, even with the hybrid, I went for the RAV4. I am very happy with it. It's worth a look at.