Toyota Prius V: the roof rack guide
When it rains it pours. Check out this stealth-mode 2012 Toyota Prius V, again set up by Matt B. This time its tracks, Aeroblades and a Thule Atlantis 1800xt. Couldn't look any better in my opinion!
Also, Curt has released a Class I hitch #11276 for the Prius V, you can call us to order or check out our Curt fit guide here.
Take a look at this Prius V set up with Yakima Control Towers and Tracks, set up last week by Matt B out of our Portland store:
The Toyota Prius has become one of the most popular vehicles that we set up at Rack Attack. As much as folks love their Prius, one of the complaints we've heard over and over is that the trunk was too small...especially considering many Prius owners had downsized from a larger CUV or SUV. The good news is that we've had success outfitting thousands of Prii with roof racks to increase the car's capacity while maintaining its unique looks and impeccable fuel economy.
The new 2012 Prius V is slightly larger in every dimension...6" longer, 3" taller, 1" wider. But that's still not large enough to stuff a canoe or four bikes into the car. Thankfully, Rack Attack has your roof rack and hitch rack solutions. First off, lets talk roofline. The Prius V has a longer and less dramatically curved roof. That's a plus in our book...this will make long loads easier to roll onto the roof from the rear and it will allow a wider overall crossbar spread to support long loads. Even though the car itself has more capacity, this will also allow even large roof rack rocketboxes, skyboxes or other cargo boxes to fit and clear the rear gate.
So what can we do about getting a rack onto the Prius V? As of today, Yakima is the only game in town with an available fit, but Thule is close behind. From Yakima, the Q Tower system is your go-to setup, providing a 32" crossbar spread and a 125lb capacity. That is no increase in weight limit, but 2" additional spread compared to the current Prius. This setup is good for just about anything; we suggest you can check the fit guide or call us for specifics.
Thule has announced their 480/480R Traverse series racks, but Fit Kit 1668 won't be available until March 1. If you can wait, you'll have the option of using either of Thule's bars--traditional 'square'-bar, or the latest in aerodynamics, the AeroBlade. You know you want the AeroBlades...with no load up top, they will preserve the quietness of the car (even at highway speeds) and keep that coefficient of drag as low as possible. Not to mention they look sleeker than anything else available for the Prius V.
If clipping into the door jamb isn't your style, Rack Attack offers custom fixed-point and track systems as well; you can utilize any crossbar at that point, be it round, square, AeroBlade or Whispbar. We'll post some photos after a few cars spin through our garages. Of course you can give us a call if you'd like to discuss these custom options for your Prius V or any other vehicle. Regardless of what you choose, you can add ski racks, kayak racks, cargo baskets and virtually any other rack accessory.
Finally, you'll want to find a place to put your bicycles. A bike rack for the Prius V's roof may not be ideal as the car is a little on the tall side, and bikes create lots of turbulence up top (but if you do choose to put them on the roof we've got tons of options). You may consider holding out a little longer for Curt to develop a trailer hitch for this car. Just like with roof racks, the standard Prius is one of the most popular cars on which we install hitches. A hitch bike rack is the perfect way to keep the bikes out of the airflow and make sure they are easy to load. And if you don't want to make the hitch investment or can't wait on the hitch, Thule and Yakima have approved their trunk bike rack lineups for the Prius V so you can carry up to 3 bikes.
