There are actually quite a few ways people mount bikes to their vehicle. The most popular being a tension fit, hitch rack, roof mounted rack, and more recently even suction cup racks.
They all have their plus and minuses. The tension rack is what we saw when looking at our choice at the #1 spot in this list. It uses strategic points and is installed quickly and taken apart quickly. But it’s not something that most people feel comfortable adding more than two bikes to.
A hitch rack is probably best for families or those who frequently go biking with more than 2 bikes. They’re extremely sturdy just by the base being bolted onto your vehicle’s frame. The drawback being that they require prior installation of a hitch.
A roof mounted rack is great for saving space on your trunk that the more popular styles occupy. If you don’t like the idea of having a bike sticking out from the back, a roof rack is probably great for you. They do tend to be a bit expensive though, and if you commute to places with low overpasses you’ll have to be extra vigilant.
The most recent design in bike racks involve pressurized suction cups. These aren’t your regular stick on the window type cups either. They’re high quality industrial mounts. They haven’t exactly taken the mainstream by storm yet, but they’ve been used in such place as the Tour de France.