Best Rooftop Cargo Boxes for 2019–2025 Toyota RAV4: 6 Boxes Sized for Its Roof and Hatch

On a RAV4, the smartest 16 cu ft box is a short one, and the GrandTour 16 is the shortest Yakima 16. Yakima lists it at 79 x 35 x 18 in, 2 in shorter than the SkyBox 16 and 5 in shorter than the SkyBox NX Skinny. Those inches sit at the back of the roof, right where the liftgate swings up, so a shorter box is easier to mount forward and keep clear of the open hatch. Only the pricier Thule Force 3 L is shorter among the 16s here. It opens from both sides, takes skis and boards up to 185 cm, and comes with SKS locks and a limited lifetime warranty. Yakima lists it at $709.

The trade-offs are weight and height. At 51.5 lb it is the heaviest box here, which matters against a roof limit of 165 lb in our vehicle data, a figure we could not confirm from Toyota. On that figure, add your crossbars and you have roughly 100 lb or a little less for gear, so pack soft and light. It is also 18 in tall, 3 in more than the SkyBox, which counts if you park in a low garage. Its 24–36 in spread range covers most raised-rail and bare-roof RAV4 crossbar kits, but confirm your bars' spacing.

The SkyBox 16 Carbonite is the box to buy if you want 16 cu ft and don't want to pay GrandTour money. Yakima lists it at 81 x 36 x 15 in and 47 lb, with dual-side opening, SuperLatch security, SKS locks and quick-release hardware that fits most crossbars. Yakima says it installs in about 10 minutes with no assembly. It was on sale for $599 (regular $749) on Yakima's store when we checked, and skis and boards up to 185 cm fit inside.

For a RAV4, the 15 in height and the 47 lb weight are the good news. The low profile clears more garages, and the lighter shell leaves a few more pounds of the roof limit for gear than the GrandTour does. The catch is length. At 81 in it needs to sit well forward on the bars to leave the liftgate room, so open the hatch slowly the first time. Yakima gives a crossbar spread of 24–34.5 in; most RAV4 bar kits can be set in that range, but check yours before you mount it.

If liftgate clearance worries you more than capacity, the DeepSpace 10 is the answer. Yakima lists it at 60 x 23 x 16 in, 21 in shorter than the SkyBox 16, so it can sit well forward and nowhere near the hatch. It weighs 30.2 lb, the least of any box here with a published weight, and it has a published cargo limit of 100 lb. Against the 165 lb in our vehicle data, which we could not confirm from Toyota, that combination leaves room for a full load. Inside are tie-down points, and the wide-angle lid opens far enough to reach the back. Yakima lists it at $649 with a limited lifetime warranty, made in the USA.

There are two catches. First, the crossbar spread range is 32–46 in, which is wider than the other boxes need. Check that your RAV4 bars can be set at least 32 in apart on the factory rails, or on the LE's door-jamb clamps, before you order. Second, 10 cu ft in a short shell means it won't take skis. It suits camping gear, strollers and duffels, and it can move to a truck later, since Yakima sells it for behind-the-cab use too.

Most 16 cu ft boxes fill a RAV4's crossbars from side to side. The SkyBox NX Skinny is Yakima's answer to that: 84 x 26.5 x 16 in and 12 cu ft, narrow enough that Yakima says it leaves crossbar space for other gear. On a RAV4, that means a roof bike mount or a kayak carrier can go beside the box. It takes skis and boards up to 195 cm, the longest of any box here, opens from both sides, and its full metal handle locks both the lid and the box to the bars. Yakima lists it at $799 with a limited lifetime warranty and SKS locks.

The length is the thing to plan around. At 84 in it is longer than every 16 cu ft box here, so mount it forward and test the liftgate. The roof limit also applies to the whole setup: the box is 43 lb, and a bike mount and bike add more, so a box plus a bike can reach the RAV4's limit quickly. Yakima's page doesn't list a crossbar spread for this model, so confirm it on the listing or with Yakima before mounting.

If you want a full 16 cu ft on a RAV4 and the most room for the liftgate, the Thule Force 3 L is the shortest way to get it. Thule lists it at 76.8 x 33.3 x 16.8 in, 2.2 in shorter than the GrandTour 16 and 4.2 in shorter than the SkyBox 16, with a 43 lb box weight and a 165 lb maximum load. Thule's page says the box is designed to sit forward for full trunk access with minimal risk of contact, and it gives a front clearance figure of more than 50 5/8 in, which you can compare with your RAV4 using Thule's hatch clearance guidance. It opens from both sides, locks with SlideLock, clamps on with PowerClick mounts, and Thule lists it at $879.95.

On a compact roof, the 43 lb weight counts almost as much as the length. Against the 165 lb in our vehicle data (not confirmed from Toyota), it leaves roughly 110 lb for gear once a typical set of bars is counted, more than either Yakima 16. The trade-offs are price and ski length: it costs about $170 more than the GrandTour 16, and it takes skis only up 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 on the listing or with Thule against your raised-rail, Adventure or LE bare-roof bars.

The SportRack Vista XL is the budget box that suits a RAV4's short roof, unlike long, narrow budget ski boxes. SportRack lists it at 63 x 38 x 19 in with 18 cu ft, UV-resistant ABS, tool-free mounting hardware and a lock, for $449.95. The shape is the point: 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. At 63 in it is only 3 in longer than the DeepSpace 10.

There are three things to check. First, etrailer's expert gives three fixed mounting positions, 25-7/8, 27-7/8 and 29-7/8 in center to center (in an answer about a 2015 RAV4), so your bars need to sit on one of them. Second, the lid opens at the rear, so you load it from behind the RAV4, reaching over the roof's back edge; SportRack pitches that as loading away from traffic, but shorter owners will want a step. Third, SportRack's page doesn't publish a box weight, a load rating or warranty terms. With a modest roof limit and a box this big, confirm the box weight on the listing and pack light, bulky gear. At 38 in wide it fills the bars, and 19 in tall matters in low garages.