Best roof boxes 2020

Looking for a roof box for the holiday season? We test eight of the best load carriers on the market

Roof box group test - header

As many of us start to plan holidays, thoughts turn to how we’ll squeeze our family and all our luggage in the car. Roof boxes are a neat solution, creating space in the cabin and making everyone more comfortable. They also mean you needn’t drive a car bigger than you need all year for a few days away with the family.

Yet not all roof boxes are created equal. We’ve tested eight of the market’s most popular designs to give you the lowdown. 

How we tested them

We rated space, load capacity, convenience and security. Roof boxes aren’t easy to negotiate at the best of times as they are bulky and have to be raised to around head height to get into place; hauling them on to the roof and making sure fittings are positioned and secured correctly is often a two-person job.

Designs that take the strain out of this process earned points; boxes with dual side opening let you get at fixings from either side. Those with good security (for your belongings) also scored well. Finally, we looked at price and whether the instructions were helpful.

Verdict

Our reigning roof box champion, the Kamei 510, holds on to its crown. While its stablemate, the Corvara S 390, runs it close, it can’t quite justify its higher price. If you have less to spend, Hapro’s Traxer 6.6 is a cheaper, simple-to-fit solution.

  1. 1. Kamei 510
  2. 2. Kamei Corvara S 390
  3. 3. Hapro Traxer 6.6 HP25908

Most Popular

Deal of the Day: Spacious Skoda Superb is a peerless estate for £223 a month
Skoda Superb Estate - front tracking
News

Deal of the Day: Spacious Skoda Superb is a peerless estate for £223 a month

The Superb is one of our favourite estates and our Deal of the Day for Monday 4 December
4 Dec 2023
‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’
Opinion - Fiat Scudo
Opinion

‘Forget leasing a car, a cut-price van should be your next everyday vehicle’

With some huge savings to be had, Mike Rutherford thinks a van could be the perfect vehicle
3 Dec 2023
New Hyundai i20 facelift 2023 review: subtle updates for an already stylish supermini
Hyundai i20 - front tracking
Road tests

New Hyundai i20 facelift 2023 review: subtle updates for an already stylish supermini

Hyundai has given the i20 a series of mid-life updates, but you might struggle to notice some of them
5 Dec 2023