Before you rush out to the shops or get clicking on your mobile to buy the best cargo roof boxes for Subaru Crosstrek, have you consulted your car manual? Every car has a roof loading limit, and the same goes for the roof of your Subaru Crosstrek.
The Crosstrek is usually capped at about 150lb, so always check your manual and confirm the loading limit before making any sudden decisions.
The Subaru Crosstrek manual brochure for accessories contains many recommendations of Thule products. Thule has been around since 1942, so have been supporting outdoor enthusiasts with their wide range of roof racks and carriers of all genres for a very long time.
However, they are not the only brand of cargo box you can use. In fact, many cargo boxes could be great alternatives!
But how do you choose? Well, that’s where we come in. We have checked out a lot of cargo boxes over the last few weeks. We have been impressed with some, and we have been disappointed with others.
For now, why not let all our hard work benefit you. Sit back, grab a coffee, and pick your cargo box for your Subaru Crosstrek from one of our favorites below.
- Best Hard Rooftop Cargo Carrier - Thule Motion
- Best Soft Rooftop Cargo Carrier - Amazon Basics Rooftop Cargo Bag
Table of Contents
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Thule Motion XT XXL
Best in Design: Inno Shadow 16
Most Durable: SportRack Horizon XL
Best Subaru Crosstrek Cargo Roof Box
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
#1 Thule Motion XT XXL Cargo Carrier
We fell in love with this carrier the moment we saw it. The sleek, aerodynamic, and spacious design will leave you drooling. Once we were able to bring ourselves out of a trance, we had a look at its specs.
This roof-mounted box is so simple to use! The dual-sided opening makes accessing your essentials super easy.
The integrated torque indicator snaps with a clear sound when the box has been satisfactorily mounted – guaranteeing a secure fit.
The box will not sit in the way of your rear door opening, and the Slidelock system will automatically lock the lid when the box is securely closed.
Weighing 55lbs and available in two colors, with a 22 cubic feet capacity it can store everything! OK – well, maybe not everything, but this still is a mighty big baby.
However, if you want to travel light, you can opt for the 16 or 18 cubic feet model.
The easy, efficient, and effortless choice.
- Easy to open/close irrespective of weather conditions
- Grip friendly outer handles and supporting lid-lifters
- Load capacity 75kg
#2 Inno Shadow 16 Cargo Box
This is an attractive box. It is easy to install and has a diffuser design making your drive much quieter. We love dual-sided openings, and this is another product with this feature.
Aside from the Crosstrek, it will also fit SUVs, Mini Vans, and Wagons. This product range includes a memory mount system (new from Inno) for easy installation.
Weighing about 42lbs, it has a capacity of 13 cubic feet and interior dimensions of 72 x 25.6 x 11 inches.
- Aerodynamic design
- Dual opening ability
- Load capacity 110lbs
#3 SportRackHorizon XL Cargo Box
This cargo box doesn’t look as stunning as our other picks, but what it lacks in glamour it makes up for in durability. It is made from impact-resistant ABS material, which is very hard-wearing.
Its volume is 17 cubic feet, and it comes with a quick-release attachment kit for easy mounting and removal.
It will fit on round bars, square bars, and most factory racks, not just the Crosstrek. There is also the Horizon Alpine or L, for those of you looking for something smaller.
This weighs 44lbs.
- Durable and hard-wearing
- One side opening only on passenger side
- Load capacity 50kg
#4 Yakima Carbonite Skybox
This is a spectacular box but weighs a mega 75 lbs. It also has a low load limit considering its size. This box offers 21 cubic feet in volume. But bear in mind that the Thule is smaller, yet the weight load capacity is higher.
The box does benefit, however, from a few positives. The product has a dual-sided opening and a super latch for effortless opening or closing. It has a beautiful tapered design which reduces hatch interference.
This is a tool-free mounted product. Again, it is also available in smaller sizes if you would like something lighter from Yakima.
- Tool-free installation
- 21 cubic feet
- Load capacity 28kg
#5 Thule Force XT Rooftop Cargo Box
With 11 cubic feet capacity, this box looks great on our Subaru Crosstrek. It is the smallest of our top picks, yet it looks so delightful that we had to bring it to your attention.
It uses a Power Click quick-mount system to allow easy mounting to your car roof.
The integrated torque indicator snaps with a distinct clicking sound when the box has been adequately mounted – ensuring a secure fitting experience. The lock knob means it is smooth to open or close. This also helps you to avoid damaging the Thule Comfort Key.
OK, so it is another cargo box with a dual-sided opening, but you will understand why this feature is so important once you have a Cargo Box.
The box sits slightly forward on your car roof, which gives you full trunk access with little or no risk of contact with your box. This product weighs 32lbs.
- Secure clicking mounting systems
- Light
- Load capacity 165lbs
#6 Amazon Basics Rooftop Cargo Bag
We have provided you some great options so far, but you are already worried about the cost of your trip and can’t really afford to invest big bugs in a Cargo Box right now.
Look no further as this Cargo Bag will solve that problem!
This bag offers a lot of space, 15 cubic feet to be precise. It has 8 cinch straps. The straps have well-designed buckles for a secure, fast and simple connection to a Subaru Crosstrek’s roof rack.
It is fade-resistant for protection against sun, dust, rain, wind and is waterproof. We loved the oversized zipper closing mechanism with stay-dry flaps.
The seams are strong, and after use, this can fold away and be stored in a small space. Additionally, a stowaway case is included so that your bag does not gather dust when you are back at home.
It’s made with waterproof materials. It looked a bit slack once we loaded it on. But all we had to do was tighten the straps, and we got a really secure fit.
With 1-year limited warranty and no-tool installation, it makes for a superb budget buy.
- Water-proof
- Low-cost
Conclusion
We have shared our thought process on how we decided which products were the best, which will also help you determine what factors are important to you.
We hope you have found this article useful and that it has helped you on your way to finding the Best Cargo Box solution for your Subaru Crosstrek.
