Carrying bikes with a Seat Leon?

[JellyLegs]

I am not sure this is the right place for this but couldn’t see a better one so….

The time has come for me to replace the family car and I am looking at a 2018ish manual Seat Leon hatchback.  Mrs JellyLegs says they meet all her requirements.  The one remaining important question is whether or not I will be able to squeeze my road bikes in the boot with the seats down (1 at a time is fine) and if not, what kind of bike carriers are suitable.  Anyone here have experience of a Leon and carrying bikes?  Bikes in question are both drop bars, 700c wheeled road bikes, one with full mudguards.  Nothing particularly unusual about them.

Also, anyone with experience of the Leon got any comments on them, good or bad.  I use a car purely as a means of getting me, my bike and my “stuff” from A to B and really don’t worry too much about looks or features.  Reliability, fuel economy, a decent sized boot and as least bad for the environment as my wallet will allow are my criteria.

Thanks in advance.

[Mrs Pingu]

Try looking up the nearest model in here and you'll get measurements of the size of the boot opening and the length available when the seats are down. https://www.ridc.org.uk/features-reviews/out-and-about/choosing-car/car

[rafletcher]

It’s effectively a Golf/A3. With ‘guards will be a struggle I think, without one will fit wheels off. Depending on how often and in what circumstances (solo, holiday with wife, etc.) the best carrier would be a tow ball mounted one.

[JellyLegs]

Thanks.  A quick measure based on the website Mrs Pingu mentioned says the winter bike has 170mm to spare with the front wheel removed and seats folded down.  The summer bike is in for a service at the moment but has no guards and is if anything slightly shorter so that should also fit with front wheel out.

Thanks Rafletcher also.  In the short term it would be solo, for getting me to more distant audax and solo ride weekends.  The penny has just dropped.  I think I have seen your username on another forum, possibly single track world?, talking about bikes and the boot of an earlier mark of Leon when I searched this question during the week.

Long term, to cope with family holidays, I will be looking at getting a tow ball fitted and an appropriate bike rack but that’s an expense I would like to delay until next summer when hopefully finances will be a little less stretched.  I wasn’t expecting to be replacing the car quite just yet and secondhand car prices have caused a sharp intake of breath!