Volkswagen Roof Rack Weight Limit: Tiguan Golf Alltrack Atlas Passat Jetta Arteon

The Volkswagen Roof Rack Weight Limit is important to know before packing your cargo on the roof.

The most common weight limits on Volkswagen roof racks are 165 pounds, but this varies depending on the model of the vehicle in question.

You should remove something that is considered dangerous if you load on the roof rack from the roof. Please read on to find out the details.

The Weight a Volkswagen Roof Rack Can Hold

According to the Volkswagen owners manual, the roof rack of most of the models can hold 165 lbs. However, this weight limit may vary depending on the model.

Arteon Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 220 lbs (100 kg)

VW Arteon is a full-size car by Volkswagen introduced in 2017.

The roof rack weight limit is 220 lbs (100 kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories without luggage or luggage carrier.

Atlas Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Atlas is a mid-size  SUV by Volkswagen introduced in 2018. It is built on the PQ35 platform, shared with Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne, which underpins all Volkswagen Group SUV models.

VW Atlas roof rack weight limit is 165 lbs(75 kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories.

Atlas Cross Sport Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Atlas Cross Sport is a compact crossover SUV based on the VW Atlas and introduced in 2018. It is built on the MQB platform, shared with Audi Q3 and Porsche Macan.

Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport roof rack weight limit is 165 lbs(75 kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories.

Golf Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Golf is a compact car, introduced in 1974 by German automaker Volkswagen. It is marketed worldwide in many body styles. The best-selling model of the car is the Golf GTI hot hatchback that has won numerous awards.

The roof rack weight limit is 165 lbs (75 kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories.

Golf Alltrack Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75kg)

VW Golf Alltrack is a compact wagon introduced in 2015 by German automaker Volkswagen.

The roof rack weight limit is 165 lbs (75kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories.

ID.4 Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

ID.4 is a full-size luxury electric crossover SUV by Volkswagen, announced in July 2019.

Volkswagen ID.4 roof rack weight limit is 165 lbs (75 kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories.

Jetta Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Jetta is a compact car by Volkswagen, introduced in 1979. In North America, the car is marketed only as of the Volkswagen Jetta.

In 2019, it was re-designated to “Jetta GLI”.

It can have a maximum load of 165 lbs (75 kg). The weight limit includes the weight of the rack and accessories on its roof.

Passat Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 0 lb (0 kg)

VW Passat is a full-size sedan introduced in 1973 by German automaker Volkswagen.

For technical reasons, the vehicle body is not designed for the attachment of a roof rack. No roof rack may be used or retrofitted. Therefore, the roof rack weight limit is 0 lbs (0 kg).

Never install a roof rack on the vehicle. If a roof rack is not approved but is installed anyway, the rack could come loose while driving and fall off the roof. Installing a roof rack of any kind can cause significant damage to the vehicle.

Taos Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Taos is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV built by IDG in Mexico and sold in the United States and Canada. It is a Volkswagen Group vehicle under the VW brand.

Taos roof rack weight limit 165 lbs (75kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories.

Tiguan Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Tiguan is a compact crossover SUV introduced in 2008 by the German automaker Volkswagen. The VW Tiguan was designed and marketed by Volkswagen and Audi.

It can have a maximum load of 165 lbs(75 kg) on the roof, including the weight of the rack and accessories.

Touareg Roof Rack Weight Limit

• 165 lbs (75 kg)

VW Touareg is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV introduced in 2002 by the German automaker Volkswagen. The vehicle was named after an ethnic group of Berber people mainly inhabiting the Sahara Desert, known as Reguibat.

It can have a maximum load of 165 lbs (75 kg), including the weight of the rack and accessories on its roof.

Things to consider before putting a load on a VW

The weight of the load should never exceed the roof rack’s maximum weight limit to ensure that it will not damage the car.   

Never put a load on top of a car if there are no crossbars or attachments to support it. It can fall off while driving, causing severe damage to the vehicle and anyone near it.   

And, always fasten any cargo securely to make sure it does not move around while you drive.

1. You need to consider the balance.

It’s best to distribute the weight of cargo evenly on the roof, to keep the balance.

If too much weight is packed on one side, it may cause a problem with vehicle stability while driving.

2. Consider the height and center of gravity.

The height of the cargo will affect the car’s center of gravity.

The center of gravity is the point where the car’s weight is evenly distributed.

If too many heavy and bulky objects are placed too high, it will shift the center of gravity higher, which can cause the vehicle to lose balance and tip over.

It’s best to check the maximum height allowed on the road before loading the cargo on the roof, so you will not hit low overhead structures such as tunnels, bridges, and overpasses.

Also, ensure the cargo will not affect your view of the road while driving.

3. Consider the weight

Do not exceed the Volkswagen roof rack’s maximum weight limit.   

Keep in mind that you are responsible for safety while driving your vehicle. Always drive responsibly to avoid dangerous situations for yourself and others on the road.

The heavier things should be placed as low as possible on the VW roof rack to lower the center of gravity and avoid tipping over while driving.

4. Consider the ease of accessibility.

It would be best to pack the things you will not often need on the VW roof rack.

Putting the often need items in the car will be more convenient if you need to use them. However, if you pack the needed items too high, you may need to climb on top of the car to access them. This can be dangerous when it is slippery or in a hurry or may damage the VW car roof.

5. Consider the Weather

If you plan to drive in a place where it will be raining or snowing, check road advisories and weather forecasts.

The road condition will affect your driving performance and safety on the road, so be prepared for any harsh conditions ahead.   

Also, it would be best not to drive under bad weather conditions if there is any chance that too much water or snow will accumulate on top of the car during your trip.

If it’s raining, please ensure that you only load things on top of your VW car roof that is water-resistant. And you should tie them securely to avoid them from falling off during your drive.

Snow can accumulate on the roof of your VW. If you already load too much weight on top of your car, the additional weight of the snow can exceed the weight limit.

The hot summer sun may also damage some items on the roof rack over time. Please ensure the items on the roof rack will be safe under the weather.

6. Consider the legal requirements

There are legal requirements to avoid putting too many things on your VW roof rack. This will keep you and other drivers safe from accidents caused by such prohibited items during driving.

Please check your local laws before loading the cargo on your VW roof rack.

For example, there may be restrictions on how wide, high, or long objects you can put on top of the car.

Putting unallowed items on top of the car is against the law and dangerous to yourself and others around you while driving.

7. Fasten your items securely

There are many ways to secure your cargo on top of your VW roof rack.

The easiest way is to use ropes or bungee cords to tie the load together.

Please do not load items that cannot stay still while driving on your VW roof rack.

Also, you should NOT leave any objects on top of a vehicle that can easily fall off while driving.

Please pack and secure everything safely before starting your trip.

Things to Avoid on the VW Roof Rack

For safety purposes, there are some things you should not put on the roof rack of your VW.

1. Avoid all the liquids from the roof rack.

Please remove any liquids from the roof rack before driving.

When driving the car, the liquids and the weight will shift, causing the car to lose balance or even fall over.

If the liquid container is damaged, leaking, or spilling liquid while driving, braking or accelerating, it may cause a dangerous situation.

2. Avoid overloading the VW Roof Rack with weight

Exceeding your roof’s maximum weight limit can spoil your car roof or paint, losing car balance and cause accidents for yourself and others on the road.

Please check the weight limit for your VW roof rack above when loading heavy objects on top of your vehicle.

3. Do not overload anything too wide, high, or long

Please do not overload anything that is too wide, high, or long for the Volkswagen roof rack.

These items may drop due to strong winds and affect your control over the car while driving.

Also, objects of a certain height will be blocked by low overhead highway structures such as bridges and tunnels. If you have something on top of your car that obstructs traffic signals or road signs, you can get a ticket from law enforcement officers patrolling around these areas.

Please follow local laws about what’s not allowed on the roof of a VW vehicle.

4. Avoid too heavy items on one side.

If there is a heavy object on one side, it may cause an imbalance and fall off during driving or damage your car due to falling off.

To properly distribute the weight of your items on the roof rack, you can even use some household items like old magazines or newspapers under the heaviest equipment if needed.

Using this method will keep your Volkswagen roof rack’s weight evenly distributed so that it won’t cause your car to lose balance when you drive with it.

5. Avoid loose items.

It may be dangerous to have loose items on the VW roof rack. If you do not tie your cargo properly, it may fall off during high-speed movements.

Never drive without tying your items down to the roof rack securely.

It is illegal to drive without securing your items on top of a Volkswagen using ropes or heavy-duty cords that can hold them in place.

6. Avoid driving fast and making sharp turns.

Please avoid going fast and making sharp turns when driving a vehicle with a roof rack or cargo on top.

Your vehicle might lose balance due to the weight of your load and fall over when you do these things. Also, objects on top may fall off when they’re not properly tied down using ropes or heavy-duty cords that can hold them in place.

If you’re making a sharp turn, the load may shift and unbalance the car.

Please safely secure all items before starting your trip.

7. Avoid packing without a roof rack.

The VW car roof is not designed to carry cargo without a roof rack.

Please do not drive with cargo on top of the car.

It is dangerous to drive with anything on top of your car that obstructs your field of vision or can affect balance and cause accidents for yourself and others on the road.

What not to pack on a Volkswagen roof

You should never put those things on top of your car:

• Liquids.
• Loose items. Items that can’t be tied securely with ropes or heavy-duty cords.
• Objects that are over wide, high, or long for the roof rack.
• Items that are not allowed on the roof of a VW vehicle by your local laws.
• Sharp, jagged edges or items with sharp points.
• And, of course, items exceed load capacity.

How do you pack your items on the roof rack?

1) The heavier things should be placed as low as possible.

2) Please evenly distribute the weight.

3) Please tie all items down secure enough where they won’t fall off while driving.

4) Please keep items within the boundaries of your roof rack.

5) Please avoid driving too fast and making sharp turns with cargo on top of the car.

6) Please check that your items do not exceed the Volkswagen roof rack’s load limit.

7) Please follow your local legal restrictions specific about what is allowed on the roof of a VW vehicle.

8) Have fun! Drive safely! 🙂