Fitting a Cargo Box to a 2016 Acura MDX

Question:

Have a thule evolution cargo box 90x30 but it wont fit on my MDX 2016 with factory rack/crossbars due to the antenna/fin or clear the rear gate. Is there a way to put a lifter on the bars? remove the fin? modify the box? if no to all these ideas what box would fit the car with the factory crossbars and clear the fin and rear gate and allow for a 207cm ski to fit. thanks!

asked by: Paul G

Expert Reply:

You have a couple of options for this situation.

Prior to any changes, I'd take a minute and get the full clearance that you have on your vehicle. To get this, you'll measure from the center of the front bar to the line where your roof meets the hatch. This is your available clearance, and your roof boxes will need to have a clearance requirement of less than this measurement to fit.

You can check the measurement of your Evolution box by measuring from the center of the rear mounting hole set on the front of the box to the rear of the box, and compare this to your vehicle's measurement.

You will also want to get the total height of your fin. Any roof rack and box system will need to have its height to the bottom of the bar greater than this height to let the box install well.

If you're not wanting to replace the box, and would rather have a more stable roof rack, you can outright replace the roof rack. This will be overall taller than your factory rack, and have the added benefit of letting you be far more flexible with your roof attachments for other uses like bikes or watersports.

According to my research, the roof is rated for 165 pounds, as is the factory rack, so there's no inherent gain of capacity from the roof.

For the replacement, I recommend the Yakima JetStream kit, consisting of:

Yakima JetStream Crossbars, 50 Inches part # Y00425
Yakima SkyLine Towers, part # Y53TR
Yakima Landing Pad 19, part # Y00245
(Optional) Yakima SKS Key 4 lock pack, part # Y07204

This will fully replace your factory roof rack, and add about 3-1/2 inches to the height of the vehicle's roof rails. You can measure this prior to purchase against the height of your fin to ensure a good fit. Remember, the box will ride a little taller than this measurement.

If you would rather just replace the box, and not change your roof rack, you'll want to use your clearance measurement to make sure that you find the right box. This measurement is listed in the detailed product specs of most boxes.

If you're looking just to carry the skis and a little extra equipment, I recommend the Thule Pulse Alpine, part # TH613. This can fit up to 210cm skis and requires a front clearance of 55-1/4 inches in order to operate the rear hatch. Thule does list this as a recommended fit for your vehicle with the factory bars. I've included a video of this box being installed on a similar 2013 Acura RDX so you can get an idea of how it installs. In the video, you can see it clear the fin, but not able to clear the spoiler in the default installation process.

I've included videos of our reviews and test fits of all of these possible solutions for you so you can best see the features and specifics of each one's installation for yourself and make the best choice for your situation.