It’s not inside...it’s on top

Going somewhere? Need some extra space? Or just been somewhere, and returned with the feeling that your car is one size too small?

What you needed in the second instance was another ‘boot’, so that you could fit all that baby paraphernalia, those lifestyle accessories, and those gifts for friends and family at your final destination. What you needed was a Thule roof box, which is not only the best way to expand your car’s load volume, but is also the most economical – by some margin.

In independent fuel consumption tests carried out at the Gerotek vehicle test facility West of Pretoria, a Subaru Forester fitted with a roof box used over half a litre less petrol at a steady cruising speed than the same vehicle towing a trailer. In the baseline test (with the vehicle fitted only with the cross bars used as an attachment point for the roof box) the turbocharged Forester XT Automatic consumed 10.2 litres per 100 km when driven for 75 km at a true speed of 120 km/h on Gerotek’s three-kilometre banked oval.

The vehicle was then fitted with Thule’s award-winning Atlantis 200 box – a popular medium-sized model – and the same test was repeated, consumption climbing to 10.8 litres per 100 km. For the final test the trailer was attached, and ballasted with the same 65 kilogram load previously in the roof box. The fuel consumption in this state rose to 11.4 litres per 100 km, an increase of 5.5 percent compared to the box and almost 10 percent higher than the baseline state.

At current prices fuel prices that would equate to an additional R50 on a trip to Durban and back, not to mention tyre wear and other maintenance issues. It is expected that the penalty when towing a trailer would be even more marked in stop/start driving, and with a less powerful car.

Popular 6-ft trailers have an unladen (tare) mass between 160 and 190 kg and cost between R9 000 and R10 000 while Thule roof boxes start from R4 499. A towbar fitted can cost between R3 000 and R7 000 while the Thule roof racks (to which the roof box attaches) cost as little as R1 729 and also act as the basis for carrying just about anything on the roof of a vehicle.

“The results of this test have confirmed our assertion that a roof box is the most effective way of carrying extra luggage,” says Thule’s marketing manager, William Tyson. “While a trailer may have more total load volume and payload, the aerodynamic shape of a roof box – not to mention the absence of mechanical drag – make it a highly intelligent solution for family travel.”

Thule roof boxes also pass the stringent European ‘City Crash’ test and meet all other legislation, and depending on the model can carry up to 75 kilograms and boast a volume between 320 litres and mammoth 650 litres. Certain models open from both the left and right thanks to a clever hinging system and feature either Thule’s patented Power-Grip or Fast-Grip mounting systems for quick, easy and safe fitment.

The workmanship and materials of Thule boxes are guaranteed for five years, and they are designed to harmonise with modern cars both from an engineering and aesthetic point of view. Colours range from glossy black to metallic silver, and a total of 13 derivatives means there’s a Thule roof box to meet all needs. It’s the perfect accessory to help you discover our world.