Roof Rack For 2005 Toyota Prius With Bare Roof

Question:

I have a 2005 prius with no existing rails or bars. I have a old set of aeroblade ARB53 and thule rapid traverse foot 480R, but I cant find the old fit kit to fit that discontinued style. Is the new TH145181 fit kit for the 2nd Gen prius compatible with older style feet like the 480r?

asked by: James

Expert Reply:

The old Thule AeroBlade bars and feet have been discontinued and are not compatible with the newer Evo style from Thule, meaning there's no way to mix and match these parts. So while I realize it's not what you want to hear, to add a roof rack to your 2005 Toyota Prius, you'll need new parts.

You don't have to go with the more expensive Thule option though, and instead I recommend a less expensive alternative, from Rhino-Rack, which is made up of the following parts:

- Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero Crossbars # RRVA126B-2

- Rhino-Rack 2500 Series Legs # RRRLKVA

- Custom DK Fit Kit # DK079

expert reply by: Kyle S