What roof racks are actually recommended for a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe because I am completely lost looking at all these websites. I just picked up a 2024 model last week and honestly I didnt even think about the roof until I tried to fit our camping gear in the back yesterday and realized it just wasnt gonna happen with the kids in the back seat. Im a total newbie at this and I really dont want to break anything or buy the wrong part that wont fit the hybrid version.
I was looking online and there are so many terms like crossbars and side rails and mounting points and I literally have no clue what the difference is or what my car already has. My Jeep has those flat silver strips on the roof but they dont look like they can actually hold anything by themselves. Does that mean I have to buy the bars that go across first? Im also really worried because my 4xe has that huge panoramic glass roof and I am terrified that if I put a rack on it the weight will crack the glass or something or maybe the bars will block the sunroof from opening.
We live near Seattle and we are planning to head out to the Olympic Peninsula in about three weeks so I am on a bit of a deadline here to get this figured out. My budget is probably around 700 or 800 dollars but I could go higher if it means I wont destroy my brand new car. We just need to carry a cargo box for some sleeping bags and maybe a couple of those folding camp chairs.
Is there a specific brand that Jeep owners usually go for? I saw some stuff about Thule and Yakima but then I saw some way cheaper ones on Amazon and I dont know if the cheap ones are a bad idea for a heavy hybrid. Also does the 4xe have different requirements because of the battery weight or is the roof just the same as the regular gas ones? Sorry if these are really basic questions I just feel totally overwhelmed and I dont want to make a huge mistake and ruin the paint or the glass...
In my experience Thule WingBar Edge Black Roof Rack System for Jeep Grand Cherokee WL is superior. It supports 165 lbs dynamic weight and maintains safe clearance for the panoramic glass sunroof.
TL;DR: Avoid cheap stuff. I hated my Yakima JetStream Crossbars 50 Inch Black because of the noise. The Rhino-Rack Vortex ROC25 Flush Roof Rack is better and clears the sunroof perfectly.
Interested in this too