Roof Rack and Cargo Box Recommendations for a 2010 Toyota Prius

Updated 06/12/2013 | Published 06/09/2013

Products Featured in This Question

Yakima EXO Swing Away Enclosed Cargo Carrier - 2" Hitches - 10 cu ft - 100 lbs

(80)

$1317.90

Thule Pulse Medium Rooftop Cargo Box - 14 cu ft - Matte Black

(181)

$680.63

Question:

can I use this cargo box on my toyota Prius 2010? Do you recommend a different one?

asked by: Monika

Expert Reply:

First, you will want to consult the owners manual for your Prius to determine if a trailer hitch mounted cargo carrier is something that you can use with the vehicle.

All of the trailer hitches for the 2010 Toyota Prius are Class I hitches. The Rola Swinging Enclosed Cargo Carrier for 2" Trailer Hitch # 59109 will only fit if it is a Class III or IV trailer hitch.

What I recommend is the Thule Arcos Enclosed Cargo Carrier # TH25YE. This enclosed rack will fit on the 1-1/4" class 1 hitches available for your Prius. All three of the hitches available for your Prius have a 200 lb tongue weight capacity. This 200-pound limit will be the sum of the cargo carrier and the contents of the carrier. The Thule Arcos carrier # TH25YE weighs 66 pounds and can hold up to 110 pounds of cargo. This sum of 176 pounds is comfortably below the 200-pound capacity of the hitch, so this is a great choice. You will need to check the tongue weight capacity of the car.

You could also consider a roof rack and roof mount cargo box. For a roof rack, the most economical option that will fit is the SportRack semi-custom rack # SR1002. Then you can mount a box like the Pulse box, # TH614. I have included a link to a video review of this box for you.

expert reply by: Michael H