To illustrate how much space the CBX frees up by swallowing those four bags, I placed the same "left-over" items in a variety of different cars.
The stroller also fit width-wise and could've supplanted one of those bigger bags. I can't know for sure, but I have my doubts that the same four bags would fit together in some of the other carriers with pointier noses and shorter lengths.
There was some space remaining in the nose. They were too tall for the carrier's tapered ends, but one of the larger carry-ons and the smaller carry-on could fit on either side of them. The CBX was able to fit the two biggest bags in its middle section. To these I added our Thule Spring fold-up stroller and a Graco Pack 'N Play to better approximate a family road trip. I started with the same standard set of bags used when testing the cargo volumes of cars: two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport, two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead, one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily, and my wife's blue overnight bag. Though I didn't test any of those other carriers to compare, I can at least show how much can fit inside the CBX as well as how much space it frees inside a variety of test cars. Being narrower could make it easier to mount something else to a full-width rack (like the Yakima Timberline used on the Crosstrek), which applies to all of the above in comparison to the CBX.
YAKIMA ROCKETBOX 12 INTERIOR DIMENSIONS SERIES
In this way, it's more like Thule's high-end Vector M series –but the Thule's narrower width results in only 13 cubic feet of space. It's a few inches shorter in maximum height, hence the common cubic-foot measurement, but it has more of a uniform height versus the others' ramp-like shape. That's longer and wider than the Yakima Grand Tour 16 and the Thule Motion XT L. It is 83 inches long, 38 inches wide and 14 inches tall. It's the individual dimensions that can make a difference, and in the case of the CBX 16 I tested, those dimensions differ considerably from others in the industry, including those made by Yakima. Both are common sizes for the industry, but as I've discovered in numerous luggage tests of cars, a cargo volume number doesn't always equate perfectly to how much stuff you can fit inside.
The CBX is available in two sizes: 16 and 18 cubic feet. This allows for a flatter load floor and a larger knob that's easier to turn (once you've torqued it three clicks, you know it's secure). It plugs into either side of the carrier when not in use. Rather than having tightening knobs or mechanisms at all four attachment points (as the Yakima SkyBox and all Thule boxes do), the CBX has one large knob that you move between each attachment point. Some of its features transfer from the Grand Tour, most notably Yakima's unique system for tightening the carrier's grab hooks to the roof rack. This surface, in addition to the more angular design, makes it a better aesthetic match for more rugged vehicles like a Toyota 4Runner, Land Rover Defender or the Subaru Outback and Crosstrek I tested the CBX on. It instead has a sort of "micro-golfball" surface that creates a more matte finish and could potentially benefit fuel economy ( as "Mythbusters" proved when it covered an entire car in golf ball dimples). From an aesthetic standpoint, it moves away from the glossy black finish found on Yakima's existing premium choice, the Grand Tour, as well as Thule's popular Motion XT. The newest such "premium" roof carrier is the Yakima CBX, but it's doing things a little different. Besides possessing more advanced features and pricier materials, their sleeker appearance was a better match for the Volvos, Audis and other luxury models that owners were increasingly mounting them too (especially skiers). Roof carriers are obviously not new, but long before COVID, the outdoor adventure trend was increasing their popularity to the point that brands were diversifying their offerings to include "premium" choices.
When mounted to a factory or aftermarket roof rack, a carrier effectively adds the volume equivalent of a midsize sedan's trunk to the roof of your car or SUV. With longer trips comes more luggage, and if kids are in the equation, then chances are that SUV you bought for its space and versatility suddenly isn't as spacious and versatile as you assumed. It probably won't come as surprising news that more people have been using their cars to go on vacation instead of risking several hours breathing inside airplanes and airports.
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