Do you need a roof cargo box for your Kia Soul? We are here to help. You leave the hard to us, and you can follow the advice below to find compatible roof cargo carriers that you can successfully mount on your Kia Soul without a problem.
Why do you need a roof cargo box for your Kia Soul?
You probably want to take your family on a road trip with enough luggage, but you have concerns about the available space in your Kia Soul. You can find 62 cubic feet of cargo space in your Kia Soul, but without folding down the rear seats, you only get about 24 cubic feet of trunk space; consequently, it is far from enough for a large family.
Most outdoor enthusiasts use a cargo carrier to expand their cars’ loading capacity and load more gear or equipment for most outdoor adventures. You can find different types of cargo carriers on the market, but we will focus on roof-mounted options in this article.
If you want to add a rooftop cargo box to a Kia Soul, you must start from roof racks: a pair of crossbars that run from the right to the left on the car roof. Before choosing a pair of crossbars for your Kia Soul, you should check if your Kia Soul has installed factory roof rails. If it has one, you can choose a pair of high-quality crossbars to create a platform for mounting other roof-mounted cargo carriers, such as a roof cargo box.
On the other side, if your Kia Soul has a naked car roof, you can follow the content below to find a set of items that build a roof rack system for a Kia Soul with an empty car roof.
For Kia Soul with factory-installed roof rails, you only require to get a pair of sturdy crossbars for using rooftop cargo carriers: rooftop cargo boxes, baskets, and bags (roof bags can work without roof racks); however, it is always better to load things on top of crossbars, not directly put luggage on the car roof, especially on the panoramic glass.
Roof Racks For Kia Soul:
For Kia Soul with factory-installed roof rails:
After checking on your Kia Soul, you see two horizontal bars running from the front to the back on the car roof. If you see them, you can consider choosing the crossbars below to hold rooftop cargo carriers, including hardshell cargo boxes.
Malone AirFlow2 Universal Crossbars 50 inches
It is a pair of aluminum-made roof racks that you can use on your Kia Soul without a compatibility check, but you must choose the 50-inch model for your Kia Soul. Malone AirFlow roof racks can hold up to 165 pounds of items, and they weigh only 10 pounds, which makes them ultra-light.
The Malone utilizes an aluminum double-wall construction to build the AirFlow2 crossbars, and these bars are aerodynamic to reduce wind noise and minimize the effect on gas mileage.
You can find four lockable mounting towers to connect the crossbars to the roof rails. When installing the AirFlow2 crossbars, you can slide each bar to adjust the bar spreads (the distance between two bars).
For Kia Soul with an empty car roof
If you cannot see roof rails on top of your Kia Soul, you should use the below options to build a roof rack system before adding a rooftop cargo box. You can consider using the items below:
Thule Wingbar Evo 53-inch
You don’t need to check the compatibility when choosing these options for your Kia Soul because we have done that before giving you these selections. The Thule Wingbar is a pair of aluminum-made crossbars you can mount on your Kia Soul for holding roof-mounted cargo carriers.
The unique airflow distribution technology makes the bars ultra-aerodynamic to cut the airflow and reduce the impact on gas mileage. As a result, you won’t hear much wind noise when driving with the Thule Wingbar EVO roof racks.
You can load up to 220 pounds above the Wingbar EVO crossbars, and we believe it is enough for most outdoor needs; however, you must always follow your Kia Soul’s roof loading limit to pack things on the car roof. Most manufacturers and experts don’t allow overloading car roofs under any circumstances, so you must strictly follow the roof loading rate to pack rooftop cargo carriers. You can follow an article to learn the regulation about how much weight you can put on the car roof and where to find the exact roof loading limit for a specific vehicle model.
If you decide to use the Thule WingBar Evo 53-inch bars, you should follow these notes and accurately install and use it for future outdoor adventures:
You must ensure that you find all the necessary parts in the box and check with the instructions.
Before mounting these bars on your Kia Soul, you should clean the car roof and provide a dry and clean surface for the installation.
You better read the instructions several times to understand the steps you will go through during the installation.
You should adjust the bar spreads to fit the requirement of specific cargo carriers, and the recommended distance between the two bars is 700mm.
If you use the roof racks to carry long gear like kayaks or other long items, you must set the bar spreads larger than 600mm.
When you finish the installation of crossbars on your Kia Soul, you must execute a security check and pull or push the bars out of their locked position to ensure they firmly connect to the roof rails. You should conduct this test not only after installation but regularly during the use of the roof racks for security reasons.
If your Kia Soul has a panoramic sunroof, you better consult the dealer and the insurance company to confirm an added cargo carrier won’t void the factory warranty.
You can contact the manufacturer to consult any questions you have during the installation or the use of the roof racks.
When packing things in a rooftop cargo carrier, you should follow the formula: Max roof load = weight of roof racks + weight of any mounted rooftop carriers + the weight of the luggage.
You should check your items’ dimensions before getting a rooftop cargo box and ensure you can load your specific gear into the box.
If you need to carry skis or snowboards on roof racks or in a cargo box, you must mount them side by side, not one on top of another.
Thule Evo Clamp Foot Pack
If you wish to use the Thule WingBar Evo roof racks on your Kia Soul with a naked roof, you must get the Thule EVO clamp foot pack and the Thule roof rack fit kit 5037 to make things work. These three items work together on Kia Soul cars with empty car roofs, so you must get all of them to build a roof rack system for your Kia Soul. These items don’t work separately.
You also can contact the local Kia dealer to find compatible roof racks for your Kia Soul or get one on Amazon or Ebay.
5 Roof Cargo Boxes For Kia Soul
Thule Pulse Alpine Cargo Box
If you need a low-profile roof cargo box for your Kia Soul, we recommend the Thule Pulse Alpine as the perfect option for your demands. Why low-profile roof cargo boxes are popular? In recent years, most outdoor enthusiasts utilizing roof boxes to expand their car’s loading capacity; however, most cargo boxes add too much height to cars and cause driving difficulty when entering places with height limitations like underground parking.
Thus, we pick the Thule Pulse Alpine for your Kia Soul. The Alpine model gives you extra 11 cubic feet of loading space with rugged and durable construction for protecting your belongings during any outdoor journey. Although most cargo boxes are sturdy enough to hold heavy-duty jobs, you better not use them for off-road activities; additionally, if you want to do so, you should decrease the loading weight to about 50 percent of the box loading capacity. For example, the Pulse Alpine’s loading capacity is about 110 pounds, so you must load 55 lbs of items in the cargo box when off-roading with it.
The Thule Pulse Alpine is perfect for carrying skis, snowboards, and other long gear, but you must load these gear one beside another, not one on top of another. You can find a central lock system on the Thule Pulse Alpine roof box, but you should maintain the lock core regularly with lubrication powder or oil for smooth use in the future.
We believe you can lift the Thule Pulse Alpine alone because it weighs 30 lbs, and you better invite someone else to join the installation process for better accuracy and security. The Thule Pulse Alpine’s dimensions are 88.5 x 25.5 x 12.5 inches or 224.8 x 64.7 x 31.75 cm, so you can use these numbers to estimate the height of your Kia Soult after adding the Pulse Alpine to its top and check if you can load specific gear in the Pulse Alpine.
If you require more info about the Thule Pulse Alpine, you can jump to another article on our site to find more details about the Thule Pulse models, not only the Alpine.
Goplus Rooftop Cargo Box (smaller version)
It is the second option that we pick for your Kia Soul. The Goplus roof cargo box gives you 8.83 cubic of interior space, but it is 1.27 cubic feet less than the Thule Pulse Alpine; thus, it is smaller than most options in this article. Why do we pick this small cargo box for your Kia Soul? According to the manufacturer, Kia Soul’s roof loading limit is about 165 pounds; consequently, it is a waste to install a big roof cargo box with more than about 130 pounds of loading capacity (you need to give the left 35 lbs to the roof racks and other accessories). Thus, small cargo boxes are the best consideration for Kia Soul drivers.
The Goplus Rooftop Cargo Box’s measurement is 52 x 30.5 x 12 inches or 132 x 77.47 x 30.48 cm, and it is shorter but higher than the Thule Pulse Alpine. The Goplus smaller model is not for carrying long gear but for transporting road trip luggage. The China manufacturers utilize heavy-duty PP materials to build the cargo box waterproof, durable, and sturdy to protect your belongings in extreme weather conditions. If you wish to use a cargo box for a long time, you better know how correctly store and maintain it with proper strategies. We find some accessories that you can use to maximize your enjoyment when using a roof cargo box.
You can open the Goplus cargo box from the passenger side, so you won’t face any risks when operating the cargo box on highways. You can load up to 121 lbs of items in the Goplus cargo box. When packing the cargo box, the lid supporters hold the cover and keep the box open for easy loading. You should apply lubrication oil to the joint on the lid supporters to keep them working smoothly and living longer.
You can follow another article to learn more about the Goplus cargo boxes.
Thule Vector Rooftop Cargo Box
It is another low-profile roof cargo box you can use on top of your Kia Soul and load whatever you need in the woods or along the beach. If you are interested in the Thule brand, you can follow the link here to learn more about the Thule company and its roof cargo boxes.
The Thule Vector is the most expensive option on the market, so you should double-think before getting it because you may want to take good care of it after using it for a while because of its high price tag. We usually don’t recommend the Thule Vector to people because most of our visitors don’t want to spend that much investment on a plastic rooftop carrier for their cars. However, on the other hand, the Thule Vector has a unique design and some advanced features that other options don’t have; consequently, we will show you the differences below.
Dimensions: 91 x 35 x 12.5 inches or 231.14 x 88.9 x 31.75 cm
As you see above, the Thule Vector is longer than the other choices in this article, so if you have some long skis or snowboards, you can consider using it to transport longer equipment or gear.
The Thule Vector is the only roof cargo box with a motion-activated LED internal light for night packing times, and the feature is unique. Otherwise, you can open the Thule Vector from dual-side, and there are lid supporters to hold the lid when the box is open. These features bring many conveniences to users.
You can find a SlideLock system on the Thule Vector, and the locking indicator shows you when the box is accurately locked. Although the advanced Slidelock system is sturdy and smooth enough to handle regular jobs, you probably need to maintain it regularly with lubrication oil or powder.
When choosing the Thule Vector roof cargo boxes, you have two size options: Medium and Alpine. The medium model is shorter but higher than the Alpine, and the Medium is lighter than the Alpine in weight. It is the only difference between these two models.
The Thule Vector boxes allow loading up to 165 pounds of luggage, but you should never fully load a Thule Vector box because your Kia Soul’s roof loading limit is only 165 lbs, and you require to reserve some weight for the roof racks and some accessories below the roof cargo box.
The Thule Vector is too big for your Kia Soul, but it is a perfect option for people who only want a roof box to carry cargo under 130 pounds.
Perflex Exclusive Rooftop Cargo Box
It is the fourth option that we choose for your Kia Soul. First, you need to know its specifications before understanding why it is here for your vehicle.
Loading Capacity: 17.7 cubic feet – load up to 130 pounds
Dimensions: 73 x 34 x 18 inches or 185.42 x 86.36 x 45.72 cm
Weight: 36 lbs – it is easy to lift the box for installation
Backup Keys: 4 – you should keep a key in the car as a backup key for emergency times when you don’t have a key to open the box on the roads
Packing Straps: yes – you can find some straps to tighten your luggage down and keep them in position to prevent sliding during trips
Opening: Dual-side opening – you can open the Perflex Exclusive cargo box from both sides
Materials: ABS plastic
Yakima SkyBox Carbonite Aerodynamic Roof Top Cargo Box
We pick the Yakima Skybox Carbonite rooftop cargo carrier as the fifth suitable option for your Kia Soul because of its size and premium features. According to the Yakima, you can use the Yakima Skybox roof boxes on most SUVs and wagons, including your Kia Soul.
The Yakima company utilizes recyclable carbonite materials to build its cargo boxes, and the boxes are super light, ultra-durable, and strong enough to handle heavy-duty jobs. If unexpected incidents happen, you must know how to fix ABS plastic materials with the correct steps.
More detail about the Yakima Skybox roof boxes
Conclusion
In this article, you can build a roof rack system for your Kia Soul from start to finish. First, you must add roof racks or crossbars to your Kia Soul. At this step, you need to check what kind of roof your Kia Soul has and follow the guide above to get specific items to fit your vehicle. Second, after adding roof racks to your Kia Soul, you can choose a hardshell cargo box based on your special outdoor needs. Third, When finding a suitable rooftop cargo box, you should focus on the dimensions and features of each option and compare these selections to find the most suitable one that can maximize the enjoyment of your outdoor life. Fourth, after buying a roof cargo box for your Kia Soul, you should take care of it regularly with proper strategies and tools for better durability.
Furthermore, after having roof racks or crossbars on your Kia Soul, you also can use other types of rooftop cargo carriers to carry belongings with you on a road trip. You can find more cargo carriers to transport belongings between locations: cargo baskets, bags, and hitch-mounted cargo boxes; as a result, you can compare these carriers and find if you can use one as an alternative to a hardshell roof box. You also can use a bike rack to deliver bikes on your Kia Soul for bike hiking.
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