Kia Sportage SL facelift with Menabo Tiger Silver roof bars and Menabo Diamond 450 roof box

On a third-generation Kia Sportage (SL), facelift version, we fitted Menabo Tiger Silver roof bars and a Menabo Diamond 450 Black roof box. We did the fitting in the SuportBicicleta.ro showroom at Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania.

About the car: Kia Sportage SL (third generation, facelift)

The third generation of the Kia Sportage has the internal code SL and was built from March 2010 to August 2015, including at Zilina, Slovakia. For model year 2014 it received a facelift, with a new grille, a redesigned Kia logo and LED tail lights. The car in the post is an SL facelift, recognisable by the grille with a chrome trim.

This Sportage SL has silver roof rails on the roof, so the feet of the roof bars clamp onto them, with no fixing on the doors. The roof box then fixes directly to the roof bars. For the SL we do not have a verified official manual, so you can find the maximum roof load in the car's handbook.

What we fitted on this Kia Sportage

The base of the setup is the set of Menabo Tiger Silver roof bars: two aluminium bars of 1,200 mm, 28 mm high and 48 mm wide, plus four feet pre-assembled for the roof rails and an Allen key. The oval profile reduces noise and drag, and the 20 mm T-track runs along the whole length of the bar. The set has a lock and is tested to TÜV and ISO/PAS 11154, in line with DIN 75302.

On the roof bars we put the the Menabo Diamond 450 Black roof box, made of glossy black ABS plastic, with 450 L and a maximum load of 75 kg. It opens on one side, has an integrated lock and is TÜV certified and City Crash tested. The 20 mm T Quick Fix fitting is included, and the product sheet confirms compatibility with Menabo Tiger roof bars.

Video: Presentation of the Menabo Diamond roof box

Video: Menabo Tiger Silver and Tiger Black roof bars

Specifications and useful tips

• Menabo Tiger Silver roof bars have a capacity of 75 kg. The Diamond 450 roof box weighs 18 kg, so at most 57 kg of luggage is left in the box, even though the box alone would accept 75 kg.
• If the roof load in the Kia Sportage SL handbook is lower, it takes priority.
• The 20 mm T Quick Fix goes straight into the T-track of the Tiger roof bars; the version with the Quick Fix clamp is optional (item 000082500000).
• With the roof bars and roof box on the roof, the car becomes taller: check the total height before underground car parks or car washes.
• Fitting instructions for the Diamond 450 are in a PDF on the product page; for the Tiger roof bars the manual comes in the package.

Instructions and documents

• MENABO DIAMOND 450 500 Fitting instructions Compressed (PDF)
• Specifications – Menabo Diamond (PDF)
• Specifications 2 – Menabo Diamond (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

How much weight can I put in the Menabo Diamond 450 roof box fitted on Menabo Tiger roof bars?

Menabo Tiger Silver roof bars carry a maximum of 75 kg, and the Menabo Diamond 450 roof box weighs 18 kg, so you can load at most 57 kg of luggage in the box. On a Kia Sportage SL also check the roof load in the car's handbook, because the lowest limit is the one that counts.

How is the Menabo Diamond 450 roof box fixed to roof bars?

The Menabo Diamond 450 roof box fixes in the T-track of the roof bars with the 20 mm T Quick Fix system, included in the package. Menabo Tiger roof bars have exactly this 20 mm T-track along their whole length, so fitting needs no adapter.

Do Menabo Tiger roof bars make noise when driving?

Menabo Tiger roof bars have an oval profile, which reduces noise and air resistance, but any accessory on the roof changes the car's aerodynamics. Menabo recommends not exceeding 130 km/h with the roof bars fitted; we go into this in the guide why roof bars make noise while driving.

How do I recognise a Kia Sportage SL facelift?

The Kia Sportage SL (third generation, 2010-2015) received a facelift for model year 2014, with a new grille, a redesigned Kia logo and LED tail lights. After August 2015 came the fourth generation, with the code QL.

We are waiting for you in the showroom

If you want roof bars and a roof box for your Kia Sportage, our showroom is in Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania, where we check together the right fittings for your car. You can also browse our range of roof bars and roof boxes, and for any question you can reach us through our contact page or at [email protected]. contact us through our contact page or at [email protected].

You can also message us on WhatsApp.

Sources: Wikipedia, Kia Sportage (3rd generation, SL) · Photo of the car in the post (SL facelift) · SuportBicicleta.ro guide: why roof bars make noise while driving · product pages on suportbicicleta.ro