Best Roof Cargo Box 2026: 5 Thule and Yakima Boxes Compared
WriterPickly Editorial
Updated 2026-10-05
A roof cargo box moves bulky, light gear out of the cabin. Before comparing volume, check three things on your own car: the roof load limit, the crossbar spread, and whether the rear hatch will open under the box.
Quick answer
The Yakima SkyBox 16 Carbonite at $599 is the roof box to buy for most cars: 16 cubic feet, 47 lb, opens from both sides and fits skis up to 185 cm. The SkyBox NX XL at $849 has 18 cubic feet and fits skis up to 195 cm. The Thule Force 3 XL at $929.95 offers 18 cubic feet with a 165 lb load rating. The Thule Motion 3 XL at $1,149.95 and the Yakima CBX LG at $999 are the premium choices.
We did not run our own testing on these boxes. Judging wind noise, fuel use and ease of mounting means fitting each one to the same car and driving it loaded. What we did instead: took volume, dimensions, weight, load rating and crossbar spread from each manufacturer's product pages, checked prices on October 4, 2026, and read owner reviews in volume. Yakima prices were read on its own store. Thule prices come from search results for thule.com, because we could not load those pages directly.
🏆 Best overall: The SkyBox 16 Carbonite costs $599 on Yakima's store, the lowest price here. Yakima lists 16 cubic feet, 47 lb, dimensions of 81 by 36 by 15 inches, dual-sided opening, SKS locks, internal lid stiffeners and room for skis up to 185 cm.
Top picks ↓Related articles
1★ Best Pick🏆 Best overallYakima SkyBox 16 Carbonite
16 cu ft size. Other sizes from 12 to 21 cu ft are sold.
The SkyBox 16 Carbonite costs $599 on Yakima's store, the lowest price here. Yakima lists 16 cubic feet, 47 lb, dimensions of 81 by 36 by 15 inches, dual-sided opening, SKS locks, internal lid stiffeners and room for skis up to 185 cm. It is the lightest pick. The crossbar spread range is 24 to 34.5 inches.
Pros
- ✓$599
- ✓47 lb, lightest here
- ✓Opens from both sides
Cons
- ✗Skis up to 185 cm only
- ✗Narrower crossbar range
2👨👩👧👦 Best for familiesYakima SkyBox NX XL
XL size, 18 cu ft.
The SkyBox NX XL has 18 cubic feet at $849. Yakima lists 53 lb, dimensions of 84 by 36 by 16.5 inches, a flat floor, a full metal locking handle, interior tie-down points, dual-sided opening and room for skis up to 195 cm. Its crossbar spread range of 24 to 40 inches is the widest of the Yakima picks.
Pros
- ✓18 cu ft
- ✓Skis up to 195 cm
- ✓24 to 40 in crossbar spread
Cons
- ✗53 lb
- ✗$250 more than the SkyBox 16
3💪 Best Thule valueThule Force 3 XL
XL size. Thule lists more than one product number; check the listing.
The Thule Force 3 XL has 500 liters, or 18 cubic feet, a 165 lb load rating and external dimensions of 84.8 by 34.1 by 16.9 inches. It weighs 49 lb and stands 15.8 inches off the crossbar. The price we saw was $929.95. It gives the same volume and load rating as the Motion 3 XL for $220 less.
Pros
- ✓18 cu ft, 165 lb load
- ✓49 lb
- ✓$220 less than the Motion 3 XL
Cons
- ✗Price read from search results
- ✗Narrower than the Yakima boxes
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4✨ Best designYakima CBX LG
LG size, 16 cu ft.
The CBX LG costs $999 and has 16 cubic feet. Yakima lists an angular lid with a reflective finish, an integrated lid handle that locks, a removable torque tool, interior tie-down points, dual-sided opening and SKS locks. It weighs 57 lb, the heaviest here, and measures 83 by 38 by 15 inches. You pay for the look.
Pros
- ✓Distinctive finish
- ✓Dual-sided opening
- ✓Interior tie-down points
Cons
- ✗57 lb
- ✗$400 more than the SkyBox 16 for the same volume
5👑 Best premiumThule Motion 3 XL
XL size. An XL Low version is also sold.
The Thule Motion 3 XL is Thule's premium 500-liter box, with a 165 lb load rating and external dimensions of 84.7 by 35 by 17 inches. It weighs 51 lb and stands 15 inches off the crossbar. The price we saw was $1,149.95, the highest here.
Pros
- ✓18 cu ft, 165 lb load
- ✓15 in off the crossbar
- ✓Premium finish
Cons
- ✗$1,149.95
- ✗Price read from search results
Check your car before you choose a size
Every car has a dynamic roof load limit in its owner's manual, often between 100 and 165 lb. The box, the crossbars and the cargo all count against it. A 50 lb box on a roof rated for 150 lb leaves under 100 lb for bars and gear.
The box clamps to two crossbars, and each box works within a range of crossbar spacing. Yakima lists 24 to 34.5 inches for the SkyBox 16 Carbonite, 24 to 35.5 inches for the CBX LG and 24 to 40 inches for the SkyBox NX XL. Measure your bars before ordering.
A long box on a short roof can hit an open hatch. Measure from the front crossbar to the top of the open hatch and compare with the box length. The table shows each maker's figures.
| Box | Volume | Length | Weight | Price seen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima SkyBox 16 Carbonite | 16 cu ft | 81 in | 47 lb | $599 |
| Yakima SkyBox NX XL | 18 cu ft | 84 in | 53 lb | $849 |
| Thule Force 3 XL | 18 cu ft (500 L) | 84.8 in | 49 lb | $929.95 |
| Yakima CBX LG | 16 cu ft | 83 in | 57 lb | $999 |
| Thule Motion 3 XL | 18 cu ft (500 L) | 84.7 in | 51 lb | $1,149.95 |
Volume, length and what fits
Sixteen cubic feet carries gear for about three people. Yakima describes the SkyBox 16 Carbonite and the CBX LG as hauling gear for up to three campers. Eighteen cubic feet suits a family of four; Yakima describes the SkyBox NX XL that way.
Length decides whether skis fit. Yakima lists skis and snowboards up to 185 cm for the SkyBox 16 Carbonite and CBX LG, and up to 195 cm for the SkyBox NX XL. Thule lists internal lengths of 81.5 inches for the Force 3 XL and 80 inches for the Motion 3 XL.
Load rating is separate from volume. Thule lists 165 lb for both the Force 3 XL and the Motion 3 XL. Pack light, bulky items such as sleeping bags and clothing in the box, and keep heavy items low in the car.
Opening, locks and mounting
A box that opens from both sides can be loaded from the curb on either side of the road. Yakima lists dual-sided opening on all three of its boxes here.
Locks secure both the lid and the box to the bars. Yakima includes SKS locks on all three. The SkyBox NX XL has a full metal handle and a flat floor, and Yakima lists interior tie-down points on the NX XL and CBX LG.
Mounting hardware clamps around the crossbars from inside the box, without tools on most current models. Check that your crossbar shape is supported. A box adds height: Thule lists 15.8 inches off the crossbar for the Force 3 XL and 15 inches for the Motion 3 XL. Note the new total height before entering a garage.
How these picks were chosen
We chose boxes with published specifications from the two makers whose official pages gave full figures. SportRack, Inno and Goplus sell lower-priced boxes. They are not covered here, and that is a limit of this page. Thule lists more than one product number for the Force 3 XL; confirm the model and color on the listing.
Recommendations are editorial. No brand paid for placement, and the links on this page are affiliate links that may earn Pickly a commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need crossbars for a roof box?▼
How much weight can I put in a roof box?▼
Does a roof box reduce fuel economy?▼
Will my hatch open with a roof box?▼
What size box fits skis?▼
Can I go through a car wash with a roof box?▼
Is a roof box waterproof?▼
Check the details of the products in this article
- Yakima SkyBox 16 Carbonite$599Reference price
- Yakima SkyBox NX XL$849Reference price
- Thule Force 3 XL$929.95Reference price
- Yakima CBX LG$999Reference price
- Thule Motion 3 XL$1,149.95Reference price
Prices change. Check the retailer for the current price.
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