The Nissan Rogue is a well-made SUV that is consistently a best selling model in the USA.
A common upgrade to SUVs is adding crossbars. They enable you to carry a variety of things from a kayak mount to a roof box.
Thankfully the Rogue has many custom fit options available for a good price. Or you could opt for a universal fit.
Let’s take a look at the 4 Best Roof Racks for Nissan Rogues:
1. Diking Cross Bars Roof Rack for Nissan Rogue 2014-2020 Heavy Duty Top Roof Rail Cargo Luggage Carrier
Diking Cross bars are a great bolt on aftermarket option for upgrading a later model of Nissan Rogue with side rails.
In terms of its price point and the fact that it’s a custom fit, it’s our best overall value.
This has a load capacity of up to 150lbs and it’s made of aluminum. Like nearly all the cross bars on this list aluminum is the metal of choice because of it’s resistance to weather. You won’t have to fret about rust.
At only 6 pounds, installation is possible with one person but we recommend two to avoid scratching any paint! They do include an installation manual and all mounting hardware with an allen key, there is no drilling required.
2. BRIGHTLINES Roof Rack Cross Bar Compatible with 2008-2013 Nissan Rogue
Brightlines offers a quality solution for those of you with an earlier model of the Nissan Rogue.
This bolt-on option mounts into your side rails like all the custom fits featured in this guide.
These aluminum cross racks are able to hold up to 100 lbs of whatever your heart desires!
All mounting instructions and hardware is included in your purchase. They say installation should take minutes, but a reasonable expectation should be a half hour. You may need some help to hold one side steady while attaching the bolts.
For earlier models of the Rogue, this is our top choice outside of getting OEM parts from the dealer. There are good aftermarket picks that would work, but they won’t have the stability of this model.
3. BRIGHTLINES Roof Rack Cross Bar Compatible with 2014-2019 Nissan Rogue
Brightlines is again on our list with these highly rated crossbars for the later models of Nissan Rogue.
They come in two styles, the base Rogue and the Sport edition.
They’re aluminum with curved edges and the actual bars are oval shaped. It can hold up to 100 lbs of gear from roof boxes to bikes. They are slightly more expensive than our number one option, which is why they’re down here.
But they’re a sturdy pair that looks great!
4. CargoLoc 2-Piece 52" Aluminum Roof Top Cross Bar Set – Fits Maximum 46” Span Across Existing Raised Side Rails with Gap – Features Keyed Locking Mechanism
For our last option we wanted to give you a look at a universal rack system.
It is the most affordable cross rack on this list. This is also made for vehicles with side rails, which most Rogue owners have.
They use a locking mechanism for you to set the appropriate length. So why don’t we have it higher? Well although the actual cross bars are made of aluminum it has a lot of plastic at the edges. And the top clamp is not as visually appealing as the bolt-ons.
But, it’s still a great price. If you want a less custom option, this is a best seller for a reason. And you could take it off and use it on another vehicle with side rails if you wish.
It even has a 150lb rating.
What are some upgrades that I should add to my Rogue after I get cross bars?
How outdoorsy are you? Once you get cross bars the possibilities are endless. We wrote a guide for the Nissan Rogue on Roof Boxes which is an all-around carrying option. But you could get kayak mounts as well if that’s your forte.
There are also ski mounts, bicycle mounts, and even snowboard mounts. Although you may want to opt for a roof box if you’re carrying more than 2 snowboards.
If I want a roof box which roof rack should I get?
The bolt on options are going to have the most stability and will be able to support the most weight. Universal options are nice, but they don’t have the fortune of being able to actually screw into the hardware like bolt ons. So by that fact, they’re going to be weaker.
Getting a roof rack can really open up possibilities for storage on a road trip or adventure. So we hope that this guide has helped you see some of the most popular aftermarket choices for a Nissan Rogue.
There are custom and universal fits. For the Rogue, the custom fits are of good quality and price. For newer models our top choice is the Diking Cross bars and for later models we think the Brightlines Cross Bars are great.
Whatever you end up choosing be sure to come back and let us know how it worked out. We love hearing from our readers and thank you for stopping by!