After our trip to drop the kids off at college we decided to look for a cartop carrier for a bit of extra room. We then found the option of hitch carriers. Does anyone have experience with one over the other or brands that streamline it all well enough to make a gas mileage difference? Thanks
Best cartop carrier or hitch carrier for gas mileage?
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2,423 Posts
For the rooftop carriers the size is probably the most important gas mileage factor. More surface area is going to be worse gas mileage. As long as you don’t pick one of those plain boxy looking ones the difference in gas mileage isn’t going to be all that much. Don’t forget about price too. If you pay twice as much for a Thule hyper xl you’ll probably never make up the difference by saving gas money, but it will look nice up there!
If you want something up top, then the most streamlined is best and light weight helps, too. For a hitch receiver mounted carrier, streamlining is less of a factor. These are available as open units (most prevalent) as well as closable/lockable containers. In either case with the hitch receiver mounted solution, if it blocks your license plate, you need to move the plate onto the carrier to be in compliance with the law in most jurisdictions. I have an aluminum hitch receiver mounted open carrier I obtained from Northern Tool a number of years ago...actually bought it while on vacation travel to help clear more space inside of my vehicle for humans.
Lots of discussion about solutions in the Accessories area of this forum.
Lots of discussion about solutions in the Accessories area of this forum.
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1,115 Posts
When considering options you may want to also think about convenience and security. I’m very tall and my wife is not, with the roof top I would have to do all the lifting. On the other hand, I would think that an open hitch carrier is easier for unsavory characters to get to.
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I use a Thule Motion XL. Fuel economy goes down quickly above 75mph, but it's hard to notice the difference if you drive 65mph. Why that box and not a different one? Good load ratings, looks good on the car, can be opened from both sides and it's easy to attach. Also it's light enough so I can lift it by myself and put it on the roof without any help (that's important to me). Another point is the attachment works well with the Subaru cross bars, so if your vehicle already has them you don't need to spend more money on proprietary bars.
Has a good locking mechanism but a determined thief can always use a crowbar and break the plastic top, it's not that strong.
My suggestion to you is: forget mpg and get a box that carries what you need. The penalty at the pump is minimal and you can always blame the headwind. But not being able to fit all the bags your mother in law wants to bring to the trip... will cost you dearly (all similarity with real events is a mere coincidence) and you can only blame yourself.
Has a good locking mechanism but a determined thief can always use a crowbar and break the plastic top, it's not that strong.
My suggestion to you is: forget mpg and get a box that carries what you need. The penalty at the pump is minimal and you can always blame the headwind. But not being able to fit all the bags your mother in law wants to bring to the trip... will cost you dearly (all similarity with real events is a mere coincidence
) and you can only blame yourself.
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419 Posts
I've got both. Our Thule rooftop carrier is an old one, lacks some streamlining of the newer models but it's got a round nose. In my previous experience as an aero engineer, drag is an much the nose shape as the tail, and the back end of the Thule box is an angled cutoff -- pretty swirly air and drag back there. At highway speed, I definitely see a couple mpg drop, but that's in combination with the skis next to it. Anyway, the box holds a lot, opens from both sides, and locks. We love it. (We call it the Chicklet, for you gum chewers. Or Spock's Tomb, for you Wrath of Khan fans).
![Land vehicle Vehicle Car Automotive exterior Mid-size car]()
The hitch box is from Stowaway, is gigantic, swings out to clear the hatch, locks, and robs zero mpg. I love it.
www.stowaway2.com
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You can see the swing mechanism in the second hitch box pic. It's beefy - my 100 lb kid can sit on the box and bounce around and not worry that the hinge will bend.
F.S.
The hitch box is from Stowaway, is gigantic, swings out to clear the hatch, locks, and robs zero mpg. I love it.
StowAway Cargo Carriers - Versatility in Action.
How many times have you wished you had more space for your road trip? Packing up for a road trip requires careful planning - how much to take and where to put it.
www.stowaway2.com
You can see the swing mechanism in the second hitch box pic. It's beefy - my 100 lb kid can sit on the box and bounce around and not worry that the hinge will bend.
F.S.
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12 Posts
We Used a hitch carrier for our long trip to the beach over the summer. Got one of the weatherproof bags to go in it.
Curt Hitch Carrier
Zero drain on our gas mileage and added a ton of extra utility. We had all 3 rows up with a car full of kids/teens and were able to pack everything we needed and still get 27-28 MPG on the drive.
Curt Hitch Carrier
Zero drain on our gas mileage and added a ton of extra utility. We had all 3 rows up with a car full of kids/teens and were able to pack everything we needed and still get 27-28 MPG on the drive.
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1,406 Posts
I like the lightweight aluminum hitch carrier I have from Harbor Freight, about $50 w/ coupon when they go on sale. It's rated for 500lbs but IMO I would not to exceed 300lbs. Overall, it's very effective to carry stuff and not have to worry about space or getting the cabin dirty.
I was never a big fan of using roof rack on my previous SUV (4Runner) because it's not very practical and can be difficult for multi-person use.
I was never a big fan of using roof rack on my previous SUV (4Runner) because it's not very practical and can be difficult for multi-person use.
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ditto. we've been well satisfied with the Thule box. It affects mpg, but it's also performing a key function by hauling our (extra) stuff securely. it's also easy to get on and off.
fwiw, we have a factory hitch and have used a, light,aluminium open cargo tray with good success. the next hitch item we'll get is a Thule bike mount.
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33 Posts
Roof cargo
Posts on this forum helped out a ton when I was trying to decide on roof cargo carrier options. Here is a pic of what is mounted on my blue whale. Hoping this will help someone else make a decision too. I have a pano roof so went for extra clearance between roof and cargo.. Equipment: Thule...
www.ascentforums.com
Please see my older post. I do have the cross bars on but I fix the cargo carrier when needed. No notable mileage loss from what I found.
I went with rooftop Thule. I think it looks better, doesn't involve moving a license plate, doesn't block the backup camera, and you can park in normal parking spots without worrying about sticking out. We use ours for skis and snowboards as well...so those wouldn't fit in the other one anyways.
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419 Posts
Those are good points! Tradeoffs.
When I use my hitch box, I do have to move the license plate (and I got tamper-resistant bolts on everything, so I have to pull out the Special Screwdriver set), and the resulting car length is such that I can't comfortably load in the garage (it all fits, but there's no room to swing it open, so I can't open the Ascent hatch unless I load in the driveway).
It does block the backup camera, but I have a Touring with the camera mirror, so I can see behind... but it looks out rather than down, so not an identical replacement for the backup cam view.
One more, mounting it on the hitch is a one person job (tilt up, rest 2" mount on the lip, lift up, and push in). But removing it is a 2-person job so I don't drop it on my foot. The rooftop Thule is light and can be a 1 person job.
But it sure is nice to have all that deep and wide space, just cavernous. And I don't need to step up on anything to load/unload. And the height of the car is unaffected so I can go into parking garages without worry (Thule rooftop box puts me at 8'2"). Each does a slightly different job.
With both boxes mounted, there is lots of room left in the car!
F.S.
When I use my hitch box, I do have to move the license plate (and I got tamper-resistant bolts on everything, so I have to pull out the Special Screwdriver set), and the resulting car length is such that I can't comfortably load in the garage (it all fits, but there's no room to swing it open, so I can't open the Ascent hatch unless I load in the driveway).
It does block the backup camera, but I have a Touring with the camera mirror, so I can see behind... but it looks out rather than down, so not an identical replacement for the backup cam view.
One more, mounting it on the hitch is a one person job (tilt up, rest 2" mount on the lip, lift up, and push in). But removing it is a 2-person job so I don't drop it on my foot. The rooftop Thule is light and can be a 1 person job.
But it sure is nice to have all that deep and wide space, just cavernous. And I don't need to step up on anything to load/unload. And the height of the car is unaffected so I can go into parking garages without worry (Thule rooftop box puts me at 8'2"). Each does a slightly different job.
With both boxes mounted, there is lots of room left in the car!
F.S.
Indeed there is! But remember, there's still a finite amount of weight you can carry, regardless of location.
That varies by trim level...there's a discussion somewhere in the technical area...probably towing...that details those numbers if I recall correctly. The weight limit includes people and stuff combined.
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419 Posts
True, and the roof rack has limits (I can't quote the number, but I remember concluding that my 150lb roof top tent plus crossbars barely slides under the limit).
Basically, don't put all the heavy gear up top in the Thule chicklet.
F.S.
Basically, don't put all the heavy gear up top in the Thule chicklet.
F.S.
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11 Posts
There is a Static and Dynamic load limit to worry about...
Static is when your parked and not moving while dynamic is while your in motion.
I have found that the Static load can me much higher and will handle the load of a tent and a few adults as well.
Page 384 of the Owners Manual states:
Pages 385 & 386 talk about Roof Top Tents:
DOWNLOAD THE MANUAL as there are MANY CAUTIONS stated within....
CAREFUL WHAT RAILS YOU BUY FOR THE ASCENT... Not all are equal and some carry surprisingly less weight. The dynamic load rating on some of the rails options may fall below the weight of the actual roof top tent or cargo you may plan to carry.
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10,947 Posts
More than everything anyone would want to know about roof rail limits and a few choices...
www.ascentforums.com
UNCONFUSION: Roof Cross Bar Loads
Hey all, I wanted to clear up some confusion on roof rail cross bar load ratings and how they apply to the Ascent. Key things: IN MOTION: ALL crossbars are limited to 176 pounds when the vehicle is in motion (or the crossbar rating if it's lower), no matter what the manufacturer rating of the...
www.ascentforums.com
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3 Posts
ROOF or HITCH
We were looking at both types roof or hitch. Finally went with a Curt 18153 Folding Hitch, when not using could fold up.. As we are Seniors late 60’s and 70’s. It was easier to load and unload from the rear height versus the roof. Plus the rack with bag weighted 65# and would carry 500# total weight vs. much more than any roof carrier, Just completed 4,900 mile road trip with 4 adults, luggage for 20 days and it worked great. With this rear hitch the rear lid will operate. Mileage was not effected, if any minimum and no wind noise even at 80 mph South Dakota’s interstate limit.
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We were looking at both types roof or hitch. Finally went with a Curt 18153 Folding Hitch, when not using could fold up.. As we are Seniors late 60’s and 70’s. It was easier to load and unload from the rear height versus the roof. Plus the rack with bag weighted 65# and would carry 500# total weight vs. much more than any roof carrier, Just completed 4,900 mile road trip with 4 adults, luggage for 20 days and it worked great. With this rear hitch the rear lid will operate. Mileage was not effected, if any minimum and no wind noise even at 80 mph South Dakota’s interstate limit.
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