Roof Rack Recommendation for Kia Optima 2006.5

Published 03/05/2015

Products Featured in This Question

Rhino-Rack Vortex Aero Crossbars - Aluminum - Black - 49" Long - Qty 2

(2756)

$237.87

Curt Roof Mounted Cargo Basket - 41-1/2" Long x 37" Wide x 4" Deep - 150 lbs

(382)

$221.71

HitchMate TireStep Adjustable Step for SUVs, RVs and Light Trucks - 22" x 10" - 400 lbs

(104)

$91.60

Thule Canyon XT Roof Cargo Basket - Steel - 49" x 40" x 6" - 150 lbs

(112)

$499.95

Question:

Thank you for the info. Will be placing an order in the next two weeks. Do you also stock the Curt roof mounted basket 18115 or something similar to it. If you do could you add it to this page as well.

asked by: Brian O

Helpful Expert Reply:

My personal favorites are racks that use the aero style crossbars. Not only do these bars look great but since they are also aerodynamic, the amount of wind noise that you experience is greatly reduced. In order to install this style of rack on your 2006.5 Kia Optima, you will need Rhino-Rack ROC25 Roof Rack for Naked Roofs - Vortex Aero Crossbars - Aluminum - Black # RR33SR as a custom fit.

expert reply by: Leah S

Brian O.

3/5/2015

Leah S.

3/5/2015

Yes, we do offer the Curt Roof Mounted Cargo Basket, # C18115, that you mentioned but if you will be ordering one of the roof racks that I mentioned for your Optima, this will not work for you. This basket requires the crossbars to be spaced 15", 22", or 29" apart on center and with the Rhino Rack systems your crossbars would be at 27-1/2". For a similar roof mounted cargo basket that will work for you, I recommend taking a look at the Rhino-Rack Roof Mounted Steel Cargo Basket, # RMCB. The universal mounting hardware on this basket slides back and forth within the channels to accommodate crossbar spreads from 21" - 30" and works great with the Rhino-Rack roof racks. This basket will work with round, square, aero/elliptical and most factory crossbars. I went out to our demo studio and did some checking to see if one of the other manufacturers offer a basket that would work for you and found that the Thule Canyon XT , # TH859XT, will also work with a crossbar spread of 27-1/2". To make the process of loading and unloading the basket a little bit easier, I recommend the use of the Wheel Mount Tire Step, # HE4040. This simple folding step slips over a rear tire to provide easier access to the basket and folds up for storage.