Will Whispbar Rail Bar Roof Rack and Skybox Cargo Box Fit on My 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL350

Updated 06/12/2014 | Published 06/11/2014

Question:

Hi, I have a question about fit. My vehicle is a 2013 Mercedes GL350. I am looking for the biggest roof box I can use that will both not inhibit the tailgate from opening fully, and also will be able to clear the factory satellite radio antenna on the back of the roof. Looking at previous expert answers here, I see that the Sonic Large # TH634B will fit 73in long, but the Sonic XL # TH635B will not 90in long. I was hoping to find something in the middle of those that will fit but be bigger than the 13Cu ft of the Sonic Large. Looking at Yakima I was going to go with the Yakima Whispbar S55 as a crossbar as well, I see the Skybox NX 16 Y95AV is 75.5in long. Will that be short enough to not interfere with the trunklid, and clear the antenna with the Whispbar? Thanks,

asked by: Oliver N

Expert Reply:

I spoke with my contact at Yakima and he recommends going with the FlushBar system, parts # Y00442-0443 and Y00158, for your 2013 Mercedes Benz GL350. This roof rack sits higher which gives you added room to avoid the factory satellite radio antenna.

As for a cargo box, you will want to take a measurement of your vehicle's roof to ensure that you have sufficient room so there is no interference with the liftgate. I am including a photo that illustrates where to take the measurements and the minimum clearance needed for each box. If you have at least 57 inches of clearance, the Yakima SkyBox 21, # Y07337, or the SkyBox 18, # Y07336, would be great choices. The SkyBox NX 16 # Y95AV only requires 47 inches.

My Yakima contact did want to mention that you could experience some interference with radio reception when the cargo box is mounted on the roof of your GL350.

expert reply by: Leah S