Temporary roof vs hitch rack for 4 bikes on Prius v

Yes, a hitch is more useful; besides a bike carrier, you can add a cargo carrier or tow light loads (not recommended I'm sure). For example even though I had enough interior room for all this beach stuff, I wanted to keep it and the sand outside the car as much as possible. Worked very well. I've noticed not difference in FE carrying loads such as this.

 

I assume the roof rack and bikes will have a large effect on mpg at 60+ MPH.

 

That is not correct. The requirement is less than 200 pounds on the tongue.

If all 4 bikes along with the rack weigh less, it is fine.

If not, but you have the easy-off front tires and room inside the car for them, that works too.

 

Class-I = 200 pounds

Class-II = 350 pounds

In other words, if you can get by with carrying a maximum load (bikes & rack) of 200 pounds, a Class-I hitch is ok.
My bikes are about 30 pounds each (without cargo bags) and the 4-bike rack 35 pounds. So, the total load is no big deal.

Note that Class-I typically only comes in the 1.25" size. If your rack requires the 2" size, you'll need an adapter and will have to deal with the extra weight and the distance it pushes the rack away from the car.

 

I could write a book about the evils of roof mount bike carriers vs. the joys of hitch mount bike carriers. I used mainly a Prealpina roof bike rack from the 1970's until I bought a hitch rack in 1990.

Roof rack drawbacks:

* Difficult to lift bikes on to it - particularly if you carry more than two. Impossible for a shorter person (i.e. my 5' tall wife to put a bike on a roof rack.
* Wind noise .... horrible, never ending wind noise.
* Safety - always have to be on guard for low hanging objects such as entries to parking lots and parking garages and even you own garage at home.
* Damage to roof. I was careful when putting my bike on my roof rack but others weren't always. But my roof rack required removing the bike's front wheels; it was the front bike wheel fork that usually did the damage.
* Did I mention wind noise.
* Sometimes requires adjusting doors to allow clearance for clamps - instructions on how to do it are on the Toyota/Lexus Europe service website.
* Often cannot be transferred from vehicle to vehicle due to differences in vehicle width and design. May have to have vehicle specific attachments.

Roof rack benefits:

* Teenagers think they look cool? (why would anyone care what kid's think?)
* Cost - they are usually cheap to buy and don't require expensive add-ons like a hitch.
* They do not interfere with following drivers seeing the tail and brake lights.

Hitch rack drawbacks:

* Can make it difficult for following drivers to see tail/brake lights. Use of the type of hitch racks sold in the U.S. is prohibited in many countries where hitch racks have their own light module.
* A rear end impact can trash the bicycles.

Hitch rack benefits:

* No wind noise! Makes carrying bicycles much more pleasant.
* Much quicker to mount a hitch rack than a roof rack. I can mount the hitch rack to my car and secure it with a locking pin in less than 1 minute.
* Easy to put bicycles on it - a child can do it.
* A hitch rack can be used as a repair stand when working on a bike - done that countless times.
* Safer - wind less likely to rip a bike or accessories attached to one off.
* Never have to worry about overhead objects trashing bicycles.
* Can be transferred from vehicle to vehicle - any vehicle with a trailer hitch.

I've used the same hitch bike rack for 23 years on a variety of vehicles. My Prealpina roof bike rack went at garage sale in 1999. My Yakami roof rack and all its attachments for a variety of vehicles is in the basement - nobody wanted it.

 

If you are handy, have tools including a torque wrench and want to save $60, you could installing the hitch yourself - only four bolts hold it on. etrailer.com has a Draw-tite hitch for a regular Prius for $111: Trailer Hitch for 2012 Toyota Prius - Draw-Tite 24847

I don't know if it fits the Prius v but etrailer could tell you if you call or email them or tell you if they have another Draw-Tite class II hitch at the same price that does. If you there are other accessories you need (e.g. a locking pin to lock the rack to the hitch), a total purchase of $150 currently gets you free shipping. I may seem like a "shill" for etrailer but that's where I bought the Draw-Tite class II hitch and trailer wiring harness I have on one of our current vehicles. I remember having some technical problem installing the wiring harness and got great support when I called etrailer and even received a call back a few days later to see if I needed more help.

In the reviews of the Thule vertex 4, I'm reading that the four bikes need to be "bare" (e.g. no racks) to fit on it and that the 5-bike version allows more room to load bikes with racks. Extra cost adapters are of course needed to carry bikes with "step through" frames. I guess I'm curious of the Thule rack will tilt away from the rear the Prius v to allow opening the rear door without unloading the bikes. If you are buying the rack at a local bike shop, they should allow you to test load your bikes before you pay for the rack.