In this article, we will be recommending the best bike racks for the Kia Soul.
We’ve been testing vehicle accessories for over a decade now, so we can help you make a better decision when it comes to buying bike racks for your Kia Soul.
For most use cases, the Tyger Auto Deluxe 3 bike rack ticks a lot of boxes. It is compact, durable, and secure, all while having a well built frame that does not flex or bend.
We consider every aspect of a bike rack in our testing. The durability, the build quality, how secure the bike mount is, and even whether or not the look of the rack fits in with your vehicle are all features we think about and address.
Keep reading for more information on the best bike racks for the Kia Soul.
Tyger Auto Deluxe 3-Bike Rack
Overall Best
Tyger Auto’s trunk mounted bike rack for the Kia Soul is one of the best built in its class. It also carries more bicycles than other bike racks, and does so very firmly.
This is one heck of a sturdy bike rack. Most of the frame and the carrying arms are made of high quality alloy steel. It also uses thick nylon straps to keep the bike rack in place on the back of your Kia Soul. It uses the straps for the top and bottom, and even the sides of the rack.
We can report that this rack is stable and firm even at highway speeds. It does not wobble or bounce around. Furthermore, the tiedown method used for securing your bikes also deserves praise.
Speaking of, this bike rack uses ratcheting straps to hold your bike frames. The straps are adjustable so you can carry different shapes and sizes of bike. They are also lined with smooth rubber to avoid scratching or denting the bike frames.
All the parts of the rack that come into contact with your Kia Soul are also padded, preventing them from scratching or denting the paintwork of your car. As for the rack’s durability, there is a standard black E-coating that resists rust and also soaks up any scratches.
Carrying capacity is three large sized bikes. The max load capacity is around 100 lbs, which is a little bit more than most trunk mounted racks of this bike capacity offer.
Installing the rack is easy. It comes fully assembled and the instructions are very clear. You won’t need any extra mounting hardware either.
Moving on to special features, the carrying arms can be folded when not in use to make the rack even more compact when it is on the back of your Kia Soul. There is a special safety strap that holds all of the bikes in place so that they don’t bang against the rear glass of your Kia Soul. It also adds a lot of stability for the bikes.
We also appreciate the fact that this bike rack comes with a limited lifetime warranty although it is only available for US customers.
Pros
- Alloy steel build
- Sturdy and firm design
- Nylon straps on top, bottom, and sides of the rack for more stability
- Rack does not wobble or bounce
- Ratcheting straps hold your bike frames in place
- Straps are adjustable
- Will fit most different bike shapes
- Rack is padded to prevent scratching the Kia Soul’s paint
- 100 lbs load capacity
- Carries 3 large bikes
- Easy to install
- Can fold down into a more compact size
- Safety strap prevents bikes from banging against the rear glass
- Limited lifetime warranty available
Cons
- Warranty is only offered for customers in the US
Swagman XTC2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack
Premium Choice
This premium offering from Swagman is a platform style bike carrier for the Kia Soul with robust build quality, high loading capacity, and a secure bike mount that reduces wobbling.
The build quality of this bike rack is something else! It is made from alloy steel, and takes up less space than most other platform style racks. The special abrasion resistant coating is also really useful for Kia Soul drivers who need something that will stay free of rust.
We really liked how secure the bike mount is with this rack. The cradles comprise wheel loops that secure both wheels of your bike. There are also adjustable ratcheting straps to keep the wheels in place.
The bikes are made more stable thanks to the central mast which has carrying arms for securing the bike frames. These arms are padded in soft material so that they don’t scratch or damage your bike frames.
We tested the rack in different road conditions with the Kia Soul. It performed well in all of them, thanks to the stable hitch which comes with a locking pin. The hitch is compatible with both 1 ¼” and 2” hitch receivers, providing more versatility. We can report that the bike rack does not wobble or shake around even at highway speed.
Installation is straightforward. You won’t need more than 20 minutes to have the rack fully set up and ready to go on your Kia Soul. The instructions are well-worded enough that we did not even need to watch any videos!
Finally, you get a lot of cool features with this bike rack. It can fold up to allow for easier storage and transport. You can also get a security cable that locks your bikes to the actual rack preventing them from being stolen. And there is a push button that moves the carrying arms up or down to fit more snugly on your bike frame.
Pros
- Alloy steel build
- Abrasion resistant coating
- Wheels loops have ratcheting straps for a more firm bike mount
- Carrying arms secure the bike frame
- Arms and ratcheting straps are padded to avoid scratching
- Compatible with 1 ¼” and 2” hitches
- Hitch comes with a locking pin
- Easy to install
- Folds up into a more compact size
- Push button for raising or lowering the carrying arms
- Security cable for bikes
Cons
- Security cable for the bikes is sold separately
MaxxHaul Platform Style Bike Rack
Worthy Consideration
Maxxhaul makes an appearance with their platform style bike rack for the Kia Soul. It features a robust build, top notch load capacity, and a worry-free bike mount.
We like Maxxhaul’s products for their meticulously designed build. This one is the same, with its alloy steel build and thick black powder coating for enhanced rust and corrosion resistance. The rack does not bend or flex when fully loaded up with bikes and driving at speed.
This is another platform style rack that uses wheel loops with heavy duty ratcheting straps to secure your bikes to the Kia Soul. There are carrying arms on the main mast that hold the bike frames in place, making the whole rack even more stable. These arms are of course covered in soft rubber to avoid damaging your bike frames.
Load capacity is decent, but not great. It is designed to hold about 80 lbs of bike. That means you can only carry about 40 lbs per bike, which isn’t the highest we’ve seen.
Furthermore, it really isn’t ideal for carrying heavier bikes like mountain bikes or electric bikes on the Kia Soul. Not to mention, the trays aren’t wide enough to carry fat tire bikes.
That said, it does offer a lot of utility. The 2” hitch is very secure and stable, and we did not have any issues with wobbling or shaking of the bikes in transit. Installation is dead simple and we did not require more than 20 minutes to get the rack fully setup.
The rack will fold in on itself to become more compact. The ratcheting straps hold the bike tightly, giving us a lot of peace of mind when carrying our bikes.
Not only does it fold up to become more compact, it also tilts forward with both bikes loaded up to allow for easier lift gate access. All of the ratcheting straps are lined in rubber to avoid damaging your bike’s wheels.
Pros
- Highest grade alloy steel build
- Thick powder coating is applied
- More resistant to rust and corrosion
- No flexing or bending in fully loaded rack
- Wheel loops keep both wheels in place
- Ratcheting straps secure the wheels
- Carrying arms hold the bike frames
- Carrying arms covered in soft rubber
- Holds 2 large sized road bikes
- Easy to install
- 2” hitch is very stable and firm
- Rack can fold up
- Easier storage and transport
- Tilts down for easier liftgate access
Cons
- Load capacity is only 80 lbs
- Not the best for carrying electric bikes mountain bikes
