Looking for a roof box for Subaru Outback might be difficult with all the choices that you can find online. Some of the roof boxes online are from known brands, some are brandless, some are extremely expensive, others are cheaper than their shipping cost.
In this guide, we have a list of the best choices that other Subaru Outback users choose for their vehicles and recommend them to others.
In order to go traveling for long duration trips, you must have a roof box with you, and this is more true if you are traveling with a group of people.
The Subaru Outback is a great vehicle, except for its limited cargo capacity. To solve this issue and fulfill all your traveling needs.
A roof box is a necessary part for any Subaru Outback owner.
Below, we have listed all the roof boxes that we believe meet the requirements needed in order to be used on the Subaru Outback.
Factors to Consider before buying a roof box for Subaru Outback:
- What is the internal space of the roof box?
- What are its dimensions?
- How heavy is it?
- How difficult is the process of mounting the roof box on the roof of the car?
- Does it have a security system to protect the cargo?
- What material is used to build the roof box?
- How about its aerodynamic design?
- Is it compatible with other vehicles?
List of the most recommended rooftop cargo boxes for Subaru Outback
Thule Motion XT Rooftop Carrier
We recommend the Thule Motion XT roof top carrier cargo box as the best choice for Subaru Outback. Thanks to its huge internal cargo space, a big family or a group of friends need a lot of space during road trips. In this situation, Thule Motion XT is the best choice right now.
The noise reduction technology in this roof cargo carrier box depends on its new streamlined aerodynamic design. This design also has the benefit of lowering the impact the roof box has on fuel usage (the Thule Motion XT roof box is the best choice for people who are searching for a roof box that is economically viable for the initial cost and the fuel consumption cost).
It can hold many items inside like snowboards and skis and many more items and luggage.
Thule Motion XT combines both the ease of installation and the high security and safety levels. Which makes it the best roof box for long-range family trips.
A simple mounting system was fitted to this cargo box which allowed it to be compatible with most Subaru Outback roof racks on the market, if you get any roof bars for your roof rack (or get a roof rack if your car doesn’t have one already), then you are set to install the Thule Motion XT.
The uninstallation process can also be done within minutes and doesn’t require any specialized tools or additional personnel to provide assistance, the removal of this box is the simplest thanks to its design and lightweight.
From its past experiences in the field of manufacturing roof cargo carrier boxes, Thule attached a lid-lifter inside its roof box to help in keeping it open and prevent it from accidentally closing which can be annoying or dangerous.
The high compatibility doesn’t stop in roof rack matching, this box is also made to not interfere with the hatchback of different SUVs and sedans.
The body of the Thule Motion XT is an ABS composite, the Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene makes this roof carrier durable, sturdy, and damage resistant, with the addition of being completely waterproof.
If you don’t have a lot of time to keep reading and want just the best option for you, we believe that Thule Motion XT is the best roof box for Subaru Outback.
SportRack Skyline XL Cargo Box
Another, highly praised, name on the market of roof cargo carrier boxes.
SportRack is a brand that produces high-end vehicle-related products such as roof boxes.
SportRack Skyline is extremely durable and sturdy and has the ability to withstand shocks that another cheap roof box might not do, especially while traveling in rough terrain.
What we like about this roof carrier is its ability to open from both sides, this feature is great for both security and convenience. You don’t need to go to the side of your vehicle near the dangerous traffic in order to unload your cargo, it is also annoying sometimes to have the need to always go to a certain side of your Subaru Outback in order to use a roof box.
For safety and security reasons during your travels, you need a secure roof box. For this reason, SportRack equipped the Skyline with an advanced locking system that provides the security needed for your precious cargo.
SportRack has its own quick mounting and unmounting system, the “U-belt” is easy to work with and makes this roof box compatible with a lot of Subaru Outback roof racks and it doesn’t need any tools.
For Subaru Outback owners with a large family or who might travel with a group of people, the SportRack Skyline is a good choice with its 150lbs or 68kg cargo carrying capacity.
The aerodynamic design of this roof box plays a huge role in lowering its impact on the gas mileage of your Subaru Outback. Besides that, it helps with lowering the noise generated by the wind resistance.
INNO Shadow Rooftop Cargo Box
This roof box might look like it came from the future with its extremely aerodynamic design.
The INNO Shadow is a high-grade roof carrier with a design that reduces noise resulting from road vibrations and air friction.
But the greatest benefit of this bullet-shaped design is the removal of any possible fuel consumption penalty that might be added by using a roof box, this is the greatest selling point of the INNO Shadow roof cargo carrier box.
The streamlined design doesn’t minimize the internal cargo capacity. With its 13 cubic feet space, INNO Shadow can carry a lot of items, enough for a large family.
And just like the Skyline, the INNO Shadow has the dual opening feature. Dual opening means a way better experience in loading and unloading the content of the roof carrier without being forced to go to the driver’s side every time you need to use the roof box.
From the info that we got from the manufacturer, we know that INNO Shadow can host up to 8 pairs of skis and up to 6 snowboards inside it.
This capacity is also a nice choice for Subaru Outback owners who love to go for a camping trip, which is large inside, you can transport a lot of camping gear inside it.
It is compatible with most roof rails on the market, it fits without any issue on almost every roof rack that exists on the Subaru Outback.
An advanced locking mechanism offers the needed security to your luggage during travels.
It has a structure with three successive layers that make it strong and lightweight at the same time.
Thanks to its lightweight (INNO Shadow weighs 41lbs), a single person can carry this cargo carrier box without the need to have someone to provide help.
Thule 615 Pulse Rack Large Box
We decided to add the Thule 615 to the list of the best roof boxes for Subaru Outback for many reasons like:
A large skis and snowboard carrying capacity, it can carry a number of medium and small items and luggage needed for simple travels or for enjoyment skiing trips.
It can easily carry four to six snowboards or 3 to 6 pairs of skis inside this huge roof cargo carrier without any problem.
You can be assured that by using this roof cargo carrier, you’ll be able to take everything you need in order to enjoy your trips.
With its huge length of 180 centimeters and cargo carrying capacity of 15 cubic feet, it makes perfect sense to choose this roof box for a large family.
The Thule 615 Pulse has a glossy premium looking design. This design is aerodynamic and has many advantages like the noise level reduction and the low impact on your gas consumption bill.
The look of the Subaru Outback itself will improve thanks to the design of the Thule 615 Pulse. It will definitely attract people’s eyes.
In order to increase the safety of whatever is inside the roof cargo carrier, there is a button that when pushed it latches and secures the roof box from accidentally opening.
And as life improvements, Thule incorporated two lid stiffeners that can hold the box open and keep it that way when you are using it to load and unload luggage.
The SKS roof cargo carrier security system can also be found in the Thule 615 box, a very appreciated feature that is a must-have while traveling in any place with people in it, you don’t need to keep watching your belongings all the time when you are away from your car.
SportRack Vista XL Cargo Box
With its new design, the SportRack Vista XL can fit with every roof rack that fits on the Subaru Outback. It is the roof box of choice for people who don’t like to have a new one every time they get a new vehicle.
It is also compatible with older roof rack and crossbars brands without any need for having someone to install it.
The mounting hardware of this roof cargo carrier box is simple and easy to use, and as a plus, no tools are needed to install it.
All you need to assemble this roof box on your Subaru outback is to use your hands, especially with its lightweight of 28 pounds.
And with 19 cubic feet of internal cargo space, the SportRack Vista XL is perfect for a long duration trip with family or a group of friends and having a great and satisfying traveling experience.
The manufacturing of this cargo box using sturdy ABS materials allows for many benefits like an increased lifespan, strength against shocks and vibrations, and protecting the cargo of the roof box from water and snow, and dust during trips.
The use of ABS also makes it possible for the roof box to carry more than 60 kgs of cargo, with this cargo fully protected from weather conditions, accidents, and also fully secure.
Something that is very different in this cargo box in comparison to the other ones on this list is the opening.
This unique way of opening the roof box lets the user get their belongings from both ways of the vehicle without any interference from the car’s trunk.
Yakima Showcase Rooftop Cargo Box
Another brand that we have to include in the list of the best roof box for Subaru Outback is Yakima.
With its Showcase roof cargo box, a Subaru Outback will become the perfect car for traveling with your family and friends.
This advanced roof cargo carrier cargo box has a total loading capacity of 15 cubic feet, a capacity that makes it a good choice for a very large family and even for use on large SUVs and other large vehicles.
However, the Yakima Showcase is heavier than many other roof boxes on this like (like the SportRack Vista XL), with a weight of 70 pounds
This rooftop carrier box weighs 70 pounds or 31 kgs. Some people might need help mounting it on the roof of their Subaru Outback.
The other measurements of the Yakima Showcase are: a length of 82 inches or 182 cm, a width of 38 inches or 93 cm and finally, a height of 16.75 inches or 42 cm.
With that length, this roof cargo box makes it possible to carry various sports gear like skis and many types of snowboards
In order to make it easier for packing and unpacking luggage, Yakima Showcase has a dual opening system that provides convenience and safety at the same time.
To prevent the box from accidentally opening an/or for security purposes, the Showcase has (like the previous garo box) a latch that keeps the box closed, a small push-button can activate this latch.
From the picture above you can see the streamlined design that will automatically improve the performance of the cargo box, the bullet shaped design will lower the wind noise and also the gas consumption.
Yakima Showcase is available in my color schemes, you might go for the color that suits and improves your Subaru Outback’s look.
Speaking of color, the glossy design of this Subaru Outback roof cargo carrier will give the car an expensive look and will definitely attract people to look at it.
For security reasons, an SKS locking mechanism is included with the Showcase in order to increase the security of your belongings.
And finally, there is enough space between the rear of the box and the hatchback of the Subaru Outback, this is definitely a sign of good design.
Yakima Skybox Carbonite Cargo Box
Another great Yakima roof cargo box is the Yakima Skybox Carbonite. This box is a must for any list of roof boxes recommended for Subaru Outback.
We recommend this roof box for its high durability and the features it includes, and for the great internal and external design and the security, it adds when transporting various types of cargo on trips.
The balanced design and the center of gravity management make this box a great choice for carrying heavyweights and not worrying about the car’s performance on the road at any speed.
It is available in three sizes, 16, 18, and 21 cubic ft. The choice of which one you get depends on the number of people that you’ll need to have with you and what type of cargo you might carry with you.
SportRack Horizon Cargo Box
A visually appealing roof box, the SportRack Horizon looks extremely good and also performs the same.
It is made from ABS material that is designed specifically for this cargo box to make it more resistant to impacts and shocks.
This durable and rugged roof cargo carrier can transport cargo without damaging it or scattering it. And can also do its work perfectly during harsh weather or while traveling on rough roads.
SportRack Horizon is capable of protecting its cargo during most situations.
The fascinating thing about this roof box is that it’s easy to unmount from the roof of the Subaru Outback, its capability is the result of the quick attachment system it uses.
This cargo carrier has an optimized aerodynamic structure and design, the reason for this design is the minimization of gas usage and the effect the box has on the car.
And finally, for safety reasons, SportRack decided to make the Horizon an opening side box.
This is less convenient in comparison to their dual-side opening contra parts, but it’s not that much of a deal.
Goplus Cargo Box
With a capacity of 14 cubic feet, the GoPlus Cargo carrier has enough space and room to carry all the luggage that you might need to have with you.
It also comes with a double-locking mechanism for increased security for your cargo.
Same as the previous Subaru Outback roof cargo box, this one is built using ABS high durability plastic.
This is the best budget Subaru Outback roof box for people who love to invest in one cargo box and having it for a long time, with little to no effect on their gas bill.
Conclusion
In this guide, we have listed and reviewed the list of the best roof cargo boxes for Subaru Outback. The roof boxes listed above are all highly compatible with most sedans and SUVs that exist on the market right now.
All you need to do is to make sure that you have a standard roof rack on the top of your vehicle and decide on the budget to allocate on getting a roof box.