Will the SportRack Vista XL Cargo Box Fit a 2010 Toyota Prius with SportRack Crossbars  

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Expert Reply:

To determine the fit of the SportRack Vista XL Cargo Box, # SR7018, to the crossbars you ordered and to the vehicle itself, it will help to consider a few measurements. First, the cargo box mounting hardware is designed to fit on crossbars no wider than 4 inches wide. The center to center distance between the bars will also need to be 25-7/8", 27-7/8", or 29-7/8".

According to SportRack, the crossbar spread for the Frontier crossbars on your 2010 Toyota Prius will be 28 inches, so the box should fit that spread. And, the bars are less than 4 inches wide, so the mounting hardware will fit them.

The overall length of the box is 63 inches, so it is possible that the rear hatch may contact the box. However, you can position the box more forward to help with the clearance. The box will not overhang the back of the vehicle so much as to make opening the rear hatch impossible, you just may not be able to open it all of the way.

Anytime you add a cargo box to the roof, you will run into some wind resistance. The box was designed to be as aerodynamic as possible, but you will notice a difference with the box on. If you have ever driven a vehicle that road differently when there was a thick layer of snow on it, it will be a little like that though not as severe. It will have a different feel but nothing that should hinder driving the vehicle.

Also since you are adding wind resistance, you will notice a drop in fuel economy. Though with a Toyota Prius, you should still get pretty good mileage.

The weight capacity of the crossbars is 105 pounds. You will need to check the carrying capacity of the roof also. If the roof has a lower rating, you must go by that lower rating.

expert reply by: Michael H

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