good kayak hauling cars/crossovers

4wd?
O, I wasn’t pushing a 4 wheel drive truck for everyone. Most folk don’t need em. I do cause some of the places we go camping you’d have a hard time getting in and out of if there’s any moisture at all. Lol.

Maybe longer

– Last Updated: Mar-07-13 11:24 PM EST –

My Mini is old, a '94. Back then, as you can see in this pic, the cross bars mount through the roof skin directly to the frame inside. It's an incredibly strong connection, but the posts have to be in the positions to match the threaded holes inside:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l234/carldelo/Pachena%20on%20Mini/Pachena005.jpg

The cross bar spacing is short, which is why I used the EZ-Vee carriers to place the boat supports far apart. This type of carrier is very secure, and the boats never move.

As of 2007 (I think it was) the new cross bars hook into a hidden rail just above the door line, the same as Audis and VWs. The new setup look to have about the same spacing, more or less, although the crossbars look to be a few inches longer.

PS: no to the boat inside, but I do carry one-piece GPs without much trouble. Top speed is unaffected by the boats, but it's a short car and mine has a performance suspension, so it's not a cushy ride. In fact with the long roof up top, it's easy to forget they're up there as you can't see the bow normally. There's little impact on MPG.

Base VW Golf
I got mine out the door for 18K, mounted Thule racks & under hood tie down points and love the car. For a base car it’s got a lot of nice features, fun to drive, averaging 31-33mpg,(mostly country driving), and 30+ going to the Bay Area and back with kayaks on top.



Best of luck, t.george

Well, it’s not that we hate them
we’ve been brainwashed by auto manufacturers to believe that we NEED SUV’s that are more profitable to build, and more profitable for oil companies when we drive them.



That said, I also drive a Jetta TDI wagon. All the capacity of a small SUV, low roof height for loading kayaks and canoes, and an average of 43 MPG. Long trips cost very little fuelwise, and I can pack a lot of stuff in there.

Yep
I’m with ya, Kudzu. It’s a shame you can’t find these cars in a wagon version anymore. It seems like the only station wagons left are expensive fancy models from Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, etc. Yeah there’s the Passat, but VW is not what it used to be in terms of reliability and affordability.



The roof on the RAV 4 is way too high. It’s not a car-based wagon, but an SUV. Even Subaru has ruined the top on the Outback and it’s higher than it used to be. However, the new Crosstrek is nice and low, if a bit small.

Same experience

– Last Updated: Mar-08-13 1:49 PM EST –

4wd matters more in some areas than others. Don't need it if always on high-traction surfaces--exception would be something like Slickrock Trail in Moab with max traction but extreme grades, but you wouldn't be paddling there anyway!

Why Crossover?

– Last Updated: Mar-09-13 10:15 AM EST –

All they do is give you a tall car. Look at roof height for Kia Soul at 63.4" compared to VW Golf or Hyunsai Elantr GT at 58". 5" is more than a tippy toe stretch.

The Soul gets 29mpg and the Hyundai GT gets 37.

The Hyundai GT looks like it'll be a more comfortable vehicle and less likely to get tossed in high winds with a load on the roof.

Impressed by Impreza
In mid-February I traded the old Tacoma for an Impreza wagon with the CVT transmission, so far so good. My downtown Atlanta commute mileage is 30+ consistently and 36 max. Added factory crossbars and thule set to go’s for the kayak, but haven’t had a good road trip with it yet, just the local lake. It’s very roomy for a small wagon, and quite peppy for a small engine.

Quite a change
It’s funny how Subaru flipped a switch to make the cars get better mileage.

Late 90’s compact wagons were great
It’s the strangest set of policies over 30yrs that encouraged low efficiency vehicles for people carriers right up to when the price of oil took off. With a majority of suv/light trucks on the road it ended up raising seat positions and rooflines for passenger vehicles and the nutso category called “crossover” vehicles where you get a sedan with big tires and small trunk, ie. Nissan Milano.

improved Subaru gas milage
Subaru didn’t flip a switch for better milage, they flipper transmissions. They changed from 4 spd autos to CVTs while still retaining a manual option on a few models.

Smaller engine also
The must have done a few things on aerodynamics to get that high a freeway mileage

Think the OP left

– Last Updated: Mar-09-13 11:26 AM EST –

I kinda new this thread would go by this car or that car. Either way the OP should now know just about any car can get after market roof rack system. So pick the car YOU like and can afford.

Maybe a better topic for the OP would be rack types. Like J-bars you need to pick the kayak up over your head but V style saddles you can slide the kayak on from behind with a roller. Thule makes one and I got this V-saddle Gull Wing with roller from local Kayak store.Page down about half way there is a video on how it works. I use this on my Honda Fit but this would work on a Kia Soul too.Or any car with rear hatch or SUV or van. http://oakorchardcanoe.com/rackaccessories.php

Pontiac Vibe
is the twin of the Matrix, and several reviews say the exterior styling on the Vibe is better. A used one should cost you less than a Matrix. As far as I know it has the largest interior hauling capacity of any car in it’s class—you can fit an 8’ ladder in it with the front seat down.



The Vibe has superb reviews for utility and reliability from both professionals and consumers. There is only one small complaint—a recall on certain models for the power train control module.

engines vs CVT

– Last Updated: Mar-09-13 10:02 PM EST –

Subaru has been changing their engines the last few years. However, I think the 2014 Forester has the same engine as the 2013 and the 2014 (redesigned model) has noticeable improved fuel economy.

The major changes for 2014 are electronic steering and the CVT transmission in the place of the 4spd auto used past years.

Dave

Making them lighter…
I think they have been working on making Subarus lighter even though they have got a little bigger. Will see how long it takes to get direct injection engines…

Acura TSX Sportwagon
Just saw one today and it looked pretty neat with factory installed “euro” rails that spanned the entire low roof. All that’s needed are a pair of 58 inch Thule or Yakima X bars, some pads, and you’re all set to transport your boats. No way does it look like a soccer mom or dad’s family wagon.

Nice little car
I’ve been interested in these because they appear to have higher ground clearance than a lot of the small cars like the Honda fit and others.

Yeah, nice.
But some of us can’t afford to spend $31,000+ for a wagon. It seems most of the car-based wagons nowadays are fancy, expensive models from Mercedes, BMW, Acura, Volvo, etc.



They need to bring back the Corolla wagon and similar models for us hoipoloi.

kayak transport cars/SUV’s
Thanks everyone for all the helpful hints. I am researching all your suggestions. I realize I can get bars that clamp on roof if no roof racks are factory installed, but just worry a bit about their stability. I did check with Truck America and they said they would install the clamp style racks and that they were stable. I just would hate to have them come loose and loose kayak and risk causing an accident. (Happened to a friend of mine on an improperly tied down kayak) I have some homework to do!