Best Trailer Hitches for 2019–2024 Subaru Forester: 6 Picks, 1.25 vs 2 in Receivers

The Draw-Tite 76271 is the best all-round hitch for the Forester because it gives you a 2 in receiver without any drilling. Draw-Tite rates it as a Class III for 3,500 lb gross trailer weight and 525 lb tongue weight, with the same numbers for weight distribution. On a Forester that rating is all margin, since Subaru limits the standard car to 1,500 lb and 150 lb and the Wilderness to 3,000 lb and 300 lb. The reason to buy it is the receiver: a 2 in opening takes almost any platform bike rack or cargo carrier.

Draw-Tite lists it for the 2019–2025 and 2026 Forester and the 2022–2026 WRX, bolt-on to existing points with no drilling and a 30-minute install time. The Amazon title stops at 2025 for the Forester and 2024 for the WRX; Draw-Tite's own fitment list is the wider one. It is finished in black powder coat over e-coat, which is the right treatment for a car that sees salted roads, and it has a limited lifetime warranty. At 37 lb it is heavier than the 1.25 in options, which matters only if you plan to take it off. Budget for a plug-in 4-flat harness on top. For most Forester owners who want bikes on the back and the option of a small trailer, this is the hitch to start with.

The CURT 13409 is the other strong 2 in option, and its coating is the main reason to choose it over the Draw-Tite. CURT co-cures the hitch in a rust-resistant liquid A-coat inside and out, then adds gloss black powder coat. It is a Class 3 with a round main body, rated for 3,500 lb gross trailer weight and 525 lb tongue weight, which is the same rating as the Draw-Tite and again far above the Forester's own limits. It weighs 34 lb against the Draw-Tite's 37 lb and has an open-back receiver that doesn't trap dirt.

There are two things to know before ordering. CURT says installation requires hole enlargement, so this is not a pure bolt-on job even though CURT rates it as a novice install. And CURT's page states that the 13409 is not compatible with vertical-hanging bike racks, so pair it with a platform rack. CURT lists it for the 2019–2026 Forester, all styles, and tests it to SAE J684. The warranty is CURT's limited lifetime, with one year on the finish and parts. Installation hardware is included; the 4-flat wiring harness is a separate purchase.

If you only need to tow a small trailer or run a light 1.25 in bike rack, the Draw-Tite 36671 is the lighter, simpler choice. It is a Class II hitch with a 1-1/4 in square receiver, rated by Draw-Tite for 3,500 lb gross trailer weight and 350 lb tongue weight. That's still more than the Forester's own 1,500 lb and 150 lb limit on standard trims, so for towing, the smaller receiver costs you nothing. It weighs 27.5 lb, about 10 lb less than the 2 in Draw-Tite 76271.

Draw-Tite lists it for the 2019–2026 Forester, bolt-on with no drilling and a 30-minute install time. The finish is black powder coat over e-coat, and the warranty is limited lifetime. Draw-Tite notes it is not compatible with weight-distribution systems, which is irrelevant at the Forester's weights. The real limit is accessories: many larger platform bike racks are sold only in 2 in, so check the rack you want before you settle on 1.25 in. Like the other aftermarket hitches, it needs a separate plug-in harness for trailer lights.

Subaru's L101SSJ005 is Subaru's own 2 in accessory hitch for the 2022–2024 Forester. Subaru Parts Pros describes it as engineered and crash tested to match the vehicle, and lists it for all 2022–2024 trims including the Wilderness, plus the 2025 Forester Wilderness only. The listing ties the ratings to the car: 1,500 lb and 150 lb on standard trims, 3,000 lb and 300 lb on the Wilderness. The kit includes a wiring harness and hitch plug, which the aftermarket hitches here don't.

The cost is the catch. Subaru Parts Pros shows a $475 MSRP, discounted to $413.25, before you add a ball mount. Subaru lists its L101SSJ205 or L101SSJ207 ball mounts as matching options. For 2019–2021 cars, Subaru's equivalent is the L101SSJ001, which has a 1-1/4 in receiver instead of 2 in, and Subaru says that earlier hitch isn't compatible with the rear bumper underguard. If you want a factory look, a dealer install and the harness in the box, this is the one to buy. If you want the lowest cost, the Draw-Tite 76271 gives you the same receiver size for less.

The Reese Towpower 06191 is the 1.25 in alternative when the Draw-Tite is out of stock or priced higher. Reese Towpower and Draw-Tite are sister brands, and the published specs for these two parts match line for line: Class II, 1-1/4 in square receiver, 3,500 lb gross trailer weight, 350 lb tongue weight, 27.5 lb, bolt-on to the frame with no drilling, and a 30-minute install time. Reese lists it for the 2019–2026 Forester and says it is tested to exceed V-5 and SAE J684.

The finish is black powder coat over e-coat, and the hardware is included. The ball mount is not, and the hitch isn't weight-distribution compatible, which you wouldn't use on a Forester anyway. Reese describes it as a visible hitch, so expect the cross tube to show below the rear bumper when you look from behind. Choose between this and the Draw-Tite on price at the time you buy; on paper there's nothing to separate them. Add a plug-in 4-flat harness to the order if you plan to tow, and a 1-1/4 in ball mount sized for your trailer coupler.

For owners who only want a 2 in receiver for a bike rack, a budget Class 3 like this Wsays hitch can save $80 or more against the Draw-Tite 76271. The listing names the 2019–2026 Forester and calls it a Class 3 with a 2 in receiver. On a Forester, the car's own 1,500 lb and 150 lb limits are the ceiling, so a budget hitch doesn't have to be stronger than the name brands to be adequate. What it lacks is published documentation: CURT, Draw-Tite and Reese post GTW, tongue weight, product weight, finish and install time on their own sites.

Before you buy, confirm on the listing the tongue weight rating, the coating (powder coat over e-coat is what you want for winter), whether the bolts are included, and whether the Wilderness is covered. For a car that tows a trailer regularly, or lives on salted roads, the extra money for the Draw-Tite or CURT buys better-documented corrosion protection and a limited lifetime warranty. As with every aftermarket hitch on this page, the plug-in wiring harness is extra.