Best Cars For Carrying A Bike

Cycling is a great opportunity to blow the cobwebs away, but there's no denying it can be a little stressful, especially when loading your bikes into a car.

Bikes are an odd shape, and it takes a fair amount of manoeuvrability and effort to load them into a car. Along the way, you might end up chipping some paintwork or damaging the boot, which is no good if you drive a lease car.

Manufacturers have tried their best to accommodate the inner Mark Cavendish in us, with some providing bike racks and rails at an extra cost, but which cars are the best?

To help you out, car leasing experts Nationwide Vehicle Contracts list the top eight cars for carrying a bike.

Before we get into the list, here are a few features that make a car much more bike-friendly:

• Folding rear seats: Gives you a flat surface and enough space to fit a full-sized bike inside.
• Wide boot opening and low load lip: Makes loading and unloading easier, especially with heavy e-bikes.
• Roof rails: Let you attach a roof-mounted bike rack without extra fittings.
• Towbar compatibility: Essential for towbar-mounted racks, which are better for carrying multiple bikes.
• Auto tailgate: Helpful when you’ve got your hands full.
• Protective boot liner: Saves your interior from mud, grease and scratches.

Here are the top 10 cars for carrying a bike in 2025, ranked by boot space, loading ease, bike-carrying flexibility, everyday practicality, and overall comfort.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 986L (5 seats) / 2,300L+ (2 seats)
• Powered tailgate and low load height
• Great off-road and towing capability
• Ideal for families with lots of kit

The Land Rover Discovery is a full-sized SUV that’s designed with practicality and versatility in mind. It's a great option for mountain bikers as it's ideal if you regularly travel with bikes and want the option to go off-road or tow additional equipment.

With five seats in use, you get 986 litres of boot space, plenty of room for two or even three bikes with the wheels off. Fold the second row and that expands to over 2,300 litres. The square boot, powered tailgate, and low loading height make it easier to manage bulky gear.

It also has a strong towing capacity and is available with accessories like tow-bar mounted bike carriers. If you want luxury, space, and rugged capability in one package, the Discovery fits the bill.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 605L (seats up) / 1,714L (seats down)
• Long electric range (up to 385 miles WLTP)
• Flat boot floor, no load lip
• Compatible with roof and tow-bar racks
• Modern, EV estate with loads of space

The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer is one of the best all-electric estate cars on sale in 2025, combining long-range electric performance with an impressively spacious boot. It's a strong option if you want to go electric without compromising on practicality.

With the rear seats up, you get 605 litres of boot space, expanding to 1,714 litres when folded, plenty of room for a full-sized bike or two with the wheels off. The boot opening is wide, the floor is flat, and there’s no load lip, which makes it easy to slide bikes in and out.

VW also offers factory-fit accessories for roof-mounted or tow-bar bike carriers, making it ideal for anyone planning regular cycling trips. The ID.7’s quiet, smooth drive and low running costs are a bonus if you’re clocking up miles to reach your favourite routes.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 640L (seats up) / 1,700L (seats down)
• Wide, flat boot floor
• Optional roof and tow-bar racks
• Practical and efficient estate

If you're after a truly practical and affordable estate car that will easily fit your bike, the Skoda Octavia Estate is a great choice. It’s well-built, dependable, and has a simple, fuss-free interior that prioritises function.

The Octavia's boot offers 640 litres of space with the seats up and a generous 1,700 litres when folded. The tailgate opens wide and the boot floor is low, making it easy to lift bikes in and out. For most adult bikes, you won’t need to remove the wheels.

If you’re planning on transporting more than one bike, or want to free up boot space for other gear, you can add an optional roof rack or tow-bar bike carrier.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 570L (seats up) / 1,700L (seats down)
• Low boot lip and power tailgate
• Spacious, premium cabin
• Great for long-distance comfort

If you're looking for something more premium but still want excellent practicality, the BMW 5 Series Touring fits the bill. It’s smooth to drive, well-equipped, and easily makes the list of the best cars for carrying a bike thanks to its well-shaped boot.

You’ll get 570 litres of space with the seats in place, rising to 1,700 litres when folded down. The tailgate opens electronically, and the load lip is flat, so sliding a bike in is straightforward.

It’s also ideal if you plan to drive longer distances. The refined cabin and efficient engines make it a good choice for weekend trips or longer adventures with your bike.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 640L (seats up) / 1,820L (seats down)
• Long, flat boot floor
• Underfloor storage
• Premium interior and tech

If you want a large estate with a bit of luxury, the Mercedes E-Class Estate is worth a look. It’s spacious, comfortable, and loaded with clever tech that makes life easier.

The E-Class offers 640 litres of boot space as standard and 1,820 litres when you drop the back seats. The boot floor is long and flat, so you can slide a bike in without any awkward lifting or adjustments.

There’s also underfloor storage in the boot—ideal for keeping tools, helmets or muddy shoes separate. For long journeys or more refined trips with your bike, this estate car handles it with ease.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 561L (seats up) / 1,848L (seats down)
• Standard AWD and roof rails
• Built for off-road use
• Wide boot opening

The Subaru Outback is built for people who spend time outdoors. It has all-wheel drive as standard, decent ground clearance, and built-in roof rails that make it ideal for carrying bikes on all sorts of trips.

Boot space comes in at 561 litres with the seats up and expands to 1,848 litres when folded. The wide rear opening and minimal load lip make it easy to slide bikes into the back.

The Outback’s rugged build and reliable drivetrain mean it’s well-suited to rougher roads, making it a solid pick if you regularly cycle off-road or visit less accessible routes.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 580L (seats up) / 1,690L (seats down)
• Hybrid powertrain
• Wide-opening boot
• SUV practicality with good efficiency

The Toyota RAV4 is another hybrid SUV that strikes a good balance between everyday driving and weekend activities. It’s reliable, economical, and practical.

The boot holds 580 litres with the seats up and 1,690 litres when flat. It has a wide opening, and the floor is fairly level, which helps with loading and unloading bikes.

With hybrid efficiency and good onboard tech, the RAV4 works well if you want a modern SUV that won’t struggle with your cycling kit, whether it’s for local trails or longer road trips.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 510L (seats up) / 1,604L (seats down)
• Roof rails included
• No load lip
• Compact but roomy

The Seat Ateca is a compact SUV that offers a good mix of everyday usability and weekend practicality. It’s well-priced, looks smart, and has plenty of space inside without being too large to park or manoeuvre.

The boot gives you 510 litres with the seats up and 1,604 litres when folded flat. The opening is wide and square, and there’s no annoying load lip, making it easier to slide a bike inside.

Most versions come with roof rails fitted as standard, so adding a roof-mounted bike carrier is straightforward. If you want an SUV that’s easy to live with but still handles your bike gear, the Ateca works well.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: 304L (seats up) / 1,205L (seats down)
• ‘Magic Seats’ allow upright bike storage
• Hybrid available
• Compact and fuel-efficient

The Honda Jazz is a compact car that punches well above its weight when it comes to practicality. It's an ideal choice if you live in a city or don’t want to drive something large but still need to carry a bike.

What makes the Jazz unique is its ‘Magic Seats’ system. The rear seat bases flip up, allowing you to stand a bike upright in the rear footwell. This avoids the hassle of removing wheels and keeps your bike safe from the weather. With the seats folded flat, you also get up to 1,205 litres of space.

The Jazz is also extremely reliable and economical, especially the hybrid model, which suits daily commuting and weekend rides alike.

Key Features:

• Boot capacity: Up to 2,850L with seats out
• MPV with sliding side doors
• Easily fits bikes without disassembly
• Great for families or clubs

The Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life is a van-based MPV, with van-like space and sliding doors. This is hands-down the most versatile for carrying multiple bikes inside, no rack or wheel removal needed. If you want to transport bikes inside the car with no dismantling at all, this is one of the best options.

With the rear seats folded or removed, you get an enormous 2,850 litres of load space. The wide tailgate and sliding side doors make it incredibly easy to get bikes in and out, even if you’re carrying multiple adult-sized bikes.

It’s especially suited to families or cycling groups who want to avoid using racks altogether and need a practical interior that can cope with muddy tyres and bulky kit.

This list brings together ten of the best cars for carrying a bike in 2025, covering estates, SUVs, MPVs, and now fully electric options. Whether you’re loading one bike or transporting several, these cars offer the right balance of space, ease of use, and adaptability.

The right choice depends on how often you ride, where you go, and how you prefer to carry your bikes. All of these models make it easier to fit cycling into your lifestyle.

For more information, why not check out our Best Small SUVs 2025 blog? We also produce a range of weekly blogs on various topics, which can be found in the blog section of our website.

Nationwide Vehicle Contracts are one of the UK's leading car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit every need. To find out more, check out our comprehensive car leasing guides or call one of our experts on 0345 811 9595.