Best Roof Rack for 2020 RAV4 and Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform

Question:

Would you recommend the OEM Toyota roof crossbars or another roof rack to attach the RR42115BF to the roof of a 2020 RAV4 with flush roof rails fixed mounting locations? I see that Thule has an adapter kit specifically designed for the 2019/20 RAV4. Is this worth the extra money? Or should I keep the factory roof rack that came with the car? Thanks!

asked by: S. G

Expert Reply:

Yes, Thule does offer a couple roof rack options that would attach to the factory flush side rails on your 2020 Toyota RAV4, and if you didn't already have the factory crossbars, the best option would be the Thule WingBar Edge Roof Rack which uses the following parts: Crossbars # TH89FE, Edge Fixpoint Feet # TH29SC, Fit Kit # TH78RE.

However, you honestly are better off using the factory crossbars on your 2020 RAV4 for a couple of reasons. According to your owner's manual, your OEM roof rack is rated for 80 kg or 176.41 lbs, which is slightly higher than an aftermarket roof rack, rated at only 165 lbs, like Thule. There's also no real justification for spending the extra money when your existing factory crossbars are going to offer pretty much the same benefits in terms of aerodynamics and aesthetics and will interact in much the same way with the Rhino-Rack Pioneer Platform # RR42115BF.

expert reply by: Carla M