Best Rooftop Cargo Boxes for 2019–2024 Subaru Forester: 7 Boxes for Raised Rails and Wilderness

The GrandTour 16 is the box that fits the most Forester owners' needs without asking for compromises. Yakima lists it at 79 x 35 x 18 in and 16 cu ft, with dual-side opening, room for skis and boards up to 185 cm, and a limited lifetime warranty, for $709. Its 24–36 in crossbar spread is wide enough that clamp-on raised-rail bars can almost always be set inside it, and because Forester bars slide along the rails, you can choose a spread near the front of the range to keep the box forward of the liftgate. At 79 in it is 4 in shorter than the CBX 16 and 1 in shorter than the INNO Wedge 660.

The trade-off is weight and height. At 51.5 lb it takes a real share of the standard Forester's 176 lb driving limit. Add bars of around 15 lb and you have a little over 100 lb for gear, which is plenty for bags, jackets and skis but not for a loaded cooler. Wilderness owners, with 220 lb to work with, have more margin. It is also 18 in tall, so measure a low garage before you buy. Mount it forward, then open the liftgate slowly the first time to confirm the tail clears.

On a standard Forester, weight is the limit you hit first, and the Thule Pulse 2 M is the answer to that. Thule lists it at 68.9 x 32.1 x 16.6 in with 14 cu ft (400 L) inside, a 31 lb box weight and a 165 lb (75 kg) maximum load. It opens from both sides, locks centrally and clamps on with PowerClick mounts that have a torque indicator, so you know when the clamps are tight. Thule lists it at $699.95, and REI sells it at the same price. Its short length also helps at the back of the roof: Thule gives a front-clearance figure of more than 44 13/16 in to check against its hatch clearance guidance.

Against a 176 lb driving limit, 31 lb of box and roughly 15 lb of bars leave about 130 lb for gear, more than any other box here. The trade-offs are capacity and ski length. At 14 cu ft it holds less than the 16s, and at 155 cm it won't take most adult skis. It's a box for camping gear, strollers and luggage. Thule's product page doesn't list a crossbar spread, so confirm it against your raised-rail or Wilderness bars before ordering.

If you want a full 16 cu ft on the Forester with the least length at the back, the Thule Force 3 L is the premium pick. Thule lists it at 76.8 x 33.3 x 16.8 in, 16 cu ft (450 L), 43 lb and a 165 lb maximum load, with DualSide opening and PowerClick quick-mount clamps that include a torque indicator. That makes it 2.2 in shorter than the GrandTour 16 and 6.2 in shorter than the CBX 16, while weighing 8.5 lb less than the GrandTour and 14 lb less than the CBX. Thule's page says that if your vehicle's hatch clearance exceeds the listed front-clearance figure, more than 50 5/8 in for this box, it will fit without contacting the hatch.

On a 176 lb standard Forester roof, the lighter shell leaves roughly 115 lb for gear after typical bars, which is the best of any 16 cu ft box here. The costs are price and ski length. At $879.95 it is $170 more than the GrandTour 16, and it takes skis only to 175 cm, so longer skis need a longer box. Thule's page doesn't list a crossbar spread or warranty terms, so confirm both before you buy.

The INNO Wedge 660 is the box for Forester owners who park in a garage or care about wind. etrailer lists it at 80 x 33 x 11 in with 11 cu ft, a 42 lb box weight, a 110 lb weight capacity and a 24–39 in crossbar spread, the widest range on this page. At 11 in tall it is 4 in lower than the next-lowest box here and 8 in lower than the SportRack Vista XL. The dual-side lid opens with push buttons, keyed locks on each side secure both the cargo and the mounting hardware, and INNO's Memory Mount hardware needs a one-time setup so repeat installs go quickly. It fits round, square, aero, elliptical and most factory crossbars, per etrailer, which lists it at $864.97 with a limited lifetime warranty.

The low shape costs capacity: 11 cu ft is a flat, long space suited to skis, soft bags and camping pads rather than tall items. Skis up to 182 cm fit diagonally. At 80 in it also sits long on a compact roof, so mount it forward and open the liftgate slowly the first time. Its 42 lb weight leaves roughly 120 lb for gear under the standard 176 lb limit.

The Rhino-Rack MasterFit 440 fills the gap between the light Thule Pulse 2 M and the 16 cu ft boxes. Rhino-Rack lists it at 76 x 32 x 17 in with 440 L (15.5 cu ft) inside, a 38.6 lb box weight and a 75 kg maximum load. It opens from both sides, has keyed locks on both sides and three locking points, comes with two load straps, and carries a 5-year warranty. Rhino-Rack's instructions give a crossbar spacing of 620 mm minimum and 930 mm maximum for this size, about 24.4 to 36.6 in, which clamp-on Forester bars can meet easily.

For the Forester, the numbers line up well. At 76 in it is 3 in shorter than the GrandTour 16, and at 38.6 lb it is almost 13 lb lighter, leaving roughly 120 lb for gear under a 176 lb driving limit. The instructions also set a maximum speed of 130 km/h with the box fitted, which is fine for US highways but worth knowing. Rhino-Rack's US page doesn't show a price, so check the listing, and confirm that the mounting hardware suits your bar profile.

The Yakima CBX 16 is the box to pick if you want something that looks and wears like adventure gear. Yakima lists it at 83 x 38 x 15 in and 16 cu ft, with a dual-sided hatch, SKS locks, an easy-grab lid handle, room for skis and boards up to 185 cm, a 24–35.5 in crossbar spread and a limited lifetime warranty, for $699. Yakima says it mounts to its own StreamLine crossbars and to factory or aero bars. Its 15 in height is low for a 16 cu ft box, which helps in garages.

On a Forester, the numbers ask for care. At 57 lb it is the heaviest box here, and on a standard car's 176 lb limit it leaves roughly 100 lb for gear once bars are counted. Wilderness owners, at 220 lb, get more room. It is also 83 in long and 38 in wide, the largest footprint here, so it needs to sit well forward and will fill the crossbars. The product page's customer reviews mention fitment trouble on some factory crossbars, and Yakima's support suggests checking bar compatibility, so confirm your bars' profile before you order.

The SportRack Vista XL is the budget box that suits a compact roof. SportRack lists it at 63 x 38 x 19 in with 18 cu ft of space, UV-resistant ABS, tool-free mounting hardware and a lock, for $449.95. The shape is what matters on a Forester: short and wide instead of long and narrow, so it holds more than any 16 cu ft box here while sitting well forward of the liftgate. It is 5.9 in shorter than the Thule Pulse 2 M and 20 in shorter than the CBX 16.

There are three checks. First, etrailer's expert lists three fixed mounting positions, 25-7/8, 27-7/8 and 29-7/8 in center to center, so set your clamp-on bars to one of them. On the Forester's raised rails, that is easy to do. Second, the lid opens at the rear, so you load it from behind the car, reaching over the back of the roof; SportRack pitches that as loading away from traffic, but a step helps. Third, SportRack doesn't publish a box weight or load rating, so confirm them on the listing and pack light, bulky gear to stay inside 176 lb. At 19 in it is the tallest box here, which matters in low garages.