7 of the best vehicles for rooftop tent camping

Rooftop tent camping has exploded in popularity thanks to social media-friendly photo ops and a renewed interest in outdoor adventures. But unlike some trends, this style of camping is showing no signs of slowing down.

After all, turning your car into a mobile campsite has several advantages. While many SUVs have roomy cabins, they’re not all equipped with fold-flat, second row seats that are comfortable for sleeping. Tents are economical, compact, and can fit a lot of people, but they aren’t always great during inclement weather—especially during shoulder seasons where the turf may be frozen, soggy, or even flooded.

Though not foolproof, a rooftop tent perched several feet off the terrain and on your vehicle’s roof solves a lot of these problems. Plus, it may deter some of nature’s more curious critters, and in the right location, a rooftop tent can deliver better views.

The list of vehicle types best suited for rooftop tent camping is a lot longer than the list of those least suited—namely convertibles and models with roofs that won’t support roof rails at least 30 inches long. However, owners should do some research first to ensure they’re pairing the right tent with their vehicle.

Dynamic and static weight

Even if a roof has been reinforced, bare roof panels aren’t designed to support cargo directly on top of them. At the very minimum, a vehicle intended for rooftop tent camping needs to have roof rails and crossbars to mount and secure a tent platform. Each vehicle has a maximum amount of weight it can support strapped to its roof while it’s in motion at highway speed, which is known as its dynamic weight limit. Manufacturers typically list this specification inside the owner’s manual, but the amount could differ by model year, trim, and brand.

A vehicle can typically support between 100 and 165 pounds of evenly-distributed dynamic weight securely strapped to its roof. There’s also a maximum amount of static weight it can support while the vehicle is stationary, and that number includes the tent, its occupants, and all the bedding and gear inside.

According to a Honda spokesperson, not every manufacturer will publish the amount of static weight the vehicle can support because the roof rails are designed to hold cargo and luggage while the vehicle is in motion. However, many rooftop tent installers use a rule of thumb to estimate a vehicle’s static weight limit, and advise that roof rails can typically support three times the amount of dynamic weight.

Exceeding either the dynamic or static limits of the factory-installed roof rails should be avoided for safety reasons, and yet, upgrading the factory-installed roof rails to reinforced after-market products isn’t usually recommended by the manufacturer. That’s because taller or heavier roof rails and crossbars may alter the vehicle’s center of gravity and can affect its stability, especially when loaded with gear and traveling at high speeds or along uneven roads.

Important features to look for in vehicles for rooftop tents

While nearly any car with roof rails can be used for rooftop car camping, there are some that are better than others. Nick Jaynes, an overlanding and off-road adventuring expert whose clients include rooftop tent manufacturer Roofnest, recommends looking at the following features when shopping for a vehicle for rooftop tent camping.

Long, strong, and flat roof

While sloping rooflines improve aerodynamics and look sporty, they’re less ideal for a good night’s sleep when rooftop tent camping. Most tents have a platform of at least 30 inches, and longer rooflines will increase your tent options and minimize the effect of a sloped roofline. The flatter the roof, the fewer adjustments you’ll have to make for a comfortable sleeping surface.

Sturdy roof rails and cross bars

While many vehicles come equipped with roof rails (and some are available on certain trims), many manufacturers charge an additional fee for crossbars. Ideally, the crossbars should be retractable to improve aerodynamics and reduce wind noise and fuel efficiency when not in use. In addition to well-supported rail footings, they should have multiple—if not infinite—points to anchor a tent.

Large cargo area

While most soft-cover tents weigh less than 165 pounds, a low maximum dynamic weight means that you won’t be able to store extra gear on top of the collapsed tent while traveling. Instead, campers need to store bedding or other extra supplies inside the cargo or potentially need to tow a trailer if the cabin is full of passengers and supplies.

Off-road capabilities

While not everyone is going to be crawling over rocks to get to their camp, having a vehicle with all-wheel-drive is an advantage for traveling over dirt roads or getting unstuck.

Best vehicles for rooftop tents

Outside of the convertible segment, there are few vehicles that aren’t capable of supporting roof rails. However, if you’re in the market for a new car, truck, or SUV that’s well-suited for a rooftop tent, here are a few to keep on your radar:

2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness
2023 Mazda CX-50 Turbo Meridian Edition
2023 Honda Passport TrailSport
2023 Kia Telluride
2023 Toyota Sequoia i-FORCE MAX
2023 Ford Ranger
2023 Porsche 911 Dakar

2023 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition

SPECS
Passengers	5
Chassis	Unibody
Dynamic weight rating	220 pounds
Static weight rating	700 pounds
Fuel range	21 to 26 miles per gallon
MSRP	$38,445 (plus destination fee)

FEATURES AND OPTIONS WE LOVE:
Subaru has become so synonymous with outdoor activities that it introduced a Wilderness trim designed with camping in mind. In addition to standard all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, this compact SUV is equipped with a 260-horsepower turbocharged BOXER engine, higher capacity fixed roof rails that can support up to 220 pounds of dynamic weight and 700 pounds of static weight, and 9.5 inches of ground clearance to help traverse unpaved backroads. It also adds a host of rugged interior and exterior upgrades to ward off some of the dirt, dings, and scratches encountered snaking through tight trails and setting up camp.