SportRack Vista XL Rear Opening Cargo Box

The Vista XL is the budget pick on our rooftop cargo box list, and it earns the badge by being a different kind of box rather than a cut-price copy of the others. SportRack is Thule Group's entry-level brand, bought in 2006 and positioned as the simpler, lower-priced line, as Bicycle Retailer reported at the time. The Vista XL is what that means in practice: a plain ABS clamshell with 18 cu ft of room, a rear lid, four U-bolts and a key lock.

It is for the family that takes two or three road trips a year with a stroller, a tent, sleeping bags and plastic bins, on a sedan, wagon or compact SUV, and stores the box the rest of the time. OutdoorGearLab's reviewer put it the same way: an occasional-use box for a smaller vehicle such as a Subaru Forester, not a weekend-after-weekend box for a big SUV. It is not for skiers, and not for anyone who wants the box to live on the car.

The shape is unusual, and it is the reason the box works for some people. At 63 x 38 x 19 in it is 21 in shorter than the Yakima SkyBox NX 18 yet claims the same 18 cu ft, because it is wider and taller. That short length suits a small car's roof, and SportRack's instruction sheet says to mount it toward the rear of the vehicle to reduce wind resistance, which also keeps the nose away from the windshield. BetterTrail measured an 18.5 in lid opening, the widest of any box we list, and praised the flat floor and rectangular shape for swallowing bulky camping gear.

Rear opening has real advantages on a small vehicle. You load from behind the car, out of the traffic lane, and can stand on the bumper. OutdoorGearLab noted that the box arrives fully assembled and offers ample room for the money, and Switchback Travel found it stiffer than the cheapest unbranded alternatives. Weight is 28 lb on OutdoorGearLab's scale (BetterTrail lists 40 lb), the easiest box here to lift on and off, although SportRack's sheet still says to place it on the rack with a second person.

Start with what it cannot carry. At 63 in outside it is too short for adult skis and most snowboards; OutdoorGearLab and BetterTrail both list it as not ski-compatible. The load limit is the lowest of our four: SportRack's instruction sheet allows 100 lb evenly distributed, and it tells you to keep at least 50 lb inside and stay under 40 mph when the box is empty, because a light, tall shell wants to lift. The sheet also points you to the vehicle manual for the roof rating.

The rear opening turns from a feature into a problem as the vehicle gets bigger. BetterTrail and OutdoorGearLab both found that on a long or tall vehicle you cannot reach the front of the box, so gear that slides forward stays there until you climb up.

Build quality is what the price class implies. OutdoorGearLab scored the Vista XL 49 out of 100, last of eight in its September 2025 ranking, with an ease-of-use score of 4 out of 10, and described the lid as floppy and the plastic as thin. The U-bolts pass through pre-drilled holes in the floor; the unused holes are covered with vinyl stickers, which OutdoorGearLab flags as a way for water to get in, and SportRack's own sheet says the box is water resistant, not waterproof. BetterTrail adds that the key can be removed when the lid is not fully latched, that the shell lacks reinforcement, that the box is noisier than sleeker designs, and that its 38 in width ruled it out on some of the vehicles and bar setups it tried; the hole pattern fixes the spread at about 23 5/8 to 27 1/2 in. The warranty is limited lifetime for the original buyer only.

Against the Yakima SkyBox NX 18: same nominal capacity, but the Yakima is 84 in long and takes 195 cm skis, opens from both sides, is rated for 165 lb and is made in the USA with a lifetime warranty. It sits in a higher price class and weighs nearly twice as much. If you ski, or if the box will stay on the car, the Yakima is the one.

Against the INNO Wedge 660: the INNO holds 11 cu ft to the SportRack's 18, but it is 11 in tall instead of 19, fits most garages, opens from both sides and carries skis. The SportRack wins only on raw volume for bulky, light gear.

Against the Thule Motion 3 XL: different products. The Thule is a season-long box with a one-hand lid and torque-indicating mounts; the SportRack is a weekend box you take off afterward.

Buy the Vista XL if the packing list is strollers, tents and bins, the vehicle is a car or a small SUV, and the box will come off after each trip. Keep the load under 100 lb, keep something heavy in it on the highway, and check the hole covers after rain. If skis are ever going in, or the vehicle is tall, step up to the Yakima.