Cyclist0108

I just got a 2017 Toyota Rav4 hybrid (currently w/o a trailer hitch, but I can add one).

Previously, I had a Yakima roof rack on my Sienna (which I did not keep), but found it hard to use after breaking an ankle, and also my Enve fork popped out of the quick-release. So this time around, I want either a roof-rack or a trailer-hitch rack that will allow me to put bikes in it without taking off wheels. Also, since we went to the trouble and expense to get a hybrid, I don't want to compromise the mileage, so I need either a roof-rack I can easily disassemble, or else a rear rack. The car has rails but no cross-bars, so I would need to buy the mounts and crossbars in addition to the actual bike racks.

Given all of this, help me decide:

(1) Roof vs. trailer-hitch rear rack

(2) Yakima vs. Thule vs. ???

For two bikes, the Yakima roof option looks like $764.00, whereas a Yakima hitch option looks like $429.00 + price of hitch + install (Toyota wants $500 for the part alone -- presumably a 3rd part option would be more cost-effective). I assume it would be fairly similar for Thule.