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Head-to-head · Best Roof Cargo Boxes

Thule Motion 3 XL Low vs Yakima SkyBox NX (Medium)

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Thule Motion 3 XL Low comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.8 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about family road trippers wanting flagship-tier cargo box — read the strengths below before deciding.

Thule Motion 3 XL Low
Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Roof Cargo Boxes
Thule Motion 3 XL Low
$900

The Motion 3 XL Low is the best-overall pick — Thule's flagship combines quality, features, and ease.

Strengths
  • — Best all-around quality + features + ease of use
  • — Low-profile design reduces wind noise
  • — SwingRight dual-side opening
Watch-outs
  • — Premium pricing
  • — Heavier than aluminum boxes
  • — Requires roof rack base
$900 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Yakima SkyBox NX (Medium)
Ranked #4 in Best Roof Cargo Boxes
Yakima SkyBox NX (Medium)
$649

The SkyBox NX Medium is the sedan pick — Yakima's smaller cargo box for compact cars.

Strengths
  • — Compact mid-size for sedans
  • — Cheaper than XL versions
  • — Yakima quality at smaller size
Watch-outs
  • — Less capacity than XL
  • — Smaller nose
  • — Limited for ski-length items
$649 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Thule Motion 3 XL Low

Best overall. Low-profile. Lifetime warranty.

Yakima SkyBox NX (Medium)

Mid-size. Cheaper than XL. Sedan-friendly.

Specs side-by-side

SpecThule Motion 3 XL LowYakima SkyBox NX (Medium)
CapacityXLMedium
ProfileLow—
OpeningSwingRight dual—
BrandThuleYakima
Vehicle—Sedan-friendly
Price—$649
← See the full ranking of best roof cargo boxes