Will the Thule OutWay Fit a 2011 Chevy Cruze

Question:

My vehicle is a 2011 Chevy Cruze. One of your competitors racks caused bleed thru on the bumber cover as well as scratches in the clear coat thru to the color coat. Will your carrier fit my car.

asked by: Al W

Expert Reply:

According to our friends at Thule, the OutWay 3 Bike Rack, part # TH56BV is a fit for your 2011 Cruze. The attachment hooks on the OutWay are completely coated in soft plastic, and if adjusted and installed correctly will not further scratch the finish on your vehicle. For ease and speed of installation and removal, the Raceway is the best trunk-mounted bike rack we offer.

When installing the rack, Thule specifically states that the bottom mounting hooks need to attach to the metal bumper structure that is behind the plastic bumper fascia.

I would also recommend making sure that the attachment points on the vehicle and the inside of the rack attachment hooks are perfectly clean before installing the rack.

The absolute best method of ensuring the bike rack does not damage the vehicle would be to go with a hitch and a hitch mounted bike rack. We offer a Curt Class I receiver that would work great for a bike rack, part # C11282. I have provided a link to the instructions for the proper installation of this hitch onto your vehicle.

Because all the hitches available for the Cruze are Class I receivers, you would be limited to carrying two bikes. The Thule Camber, part # TH9058 is a great budget-priced rack that has features like an padded anti-sway cradles and tilt-away function that are usually found on more expensive racks.

For women's bikes or bikes with sharply angled top tubes or step-through frames, using a frame adapter like part # TH982XT is recommended. The adapter spans the distance between the seat post and the handle bar gooseneck, and provides a level attachment point to the bike rack so the bike is not carried at an angle.