Rocketing fuel prices and the desire to shrink our carbon footprint has led more of us to downsize our cars. It is little hardship – until holiday time, when it's not so easy to shrink your luggage.

One solution is to fit a roofbox, as these can turn virtually any car into a large saloon or estate – but only when you need the extra space.

Designs have improved in recent times, with boxes being better made and, importantly, easier to fit. The days of stretching across the roof trying to line up U-bolts and wing nuts are limited, as increasing numbers of boxes now open from both sides, allowing easy access all round.