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If you're looking to tow without compromising your vehicle's appearance, the EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver is perfect for you. Its concealed cross tube hides behind the rear bumper, leaving only the 2" receiver visible. This design allows your vehicle to keep its sleek, factory-fresh look while giving you the towing capability you need.
Concerned about the environment? The EcoHitch is crafted from a durable, lightweight alloy made of aerospace-grade aluminum, steel, and stainless steel—all recycled materials. By opting for this hitch, you're reducing your carbon footprint and choosing a product that helps limit harmful gas emissions during its production process.
Wish installation was easier? Say goodbye to complicated setups; EcoHitch offers a simple, bolt-on installation that requires no drilling or welding. You'll have it ready in no time, following straightforward instructions, so you can hit the road with your trailer or bike rack quickly and stress-free.
Worried about safety and reliability? The EcoHitch meets stringent SAE J684 towing safety regulations, ensuring that every hitch is tested for strength and durability. This means you can tow confidently, knowing that your hitch is up to the highest standards.
Need a robust hitch for your active lifestyle? With a Class III rating, the EcoHitch supports up to 3,500 pounds of gross trailer weight and 525 pounds of tongue weight. Whether you're pulling a trailer or carrying a bike or cargo rack, this hitch has you covered.
Tech Tip
Heat shields will need to be removed, trimmed, and reinstalled. No drilling through vehicle frame required for installation , Requires temporary removal of bumper/fascia during installation , Exhaust must be temporarily lowered for installation , Fascia trimming required
California residents: click here
Complete Towing Package for 2021 Subaru Forester
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The short and sweet of it is the product feels very well made, the installation went smoothly, and everything you need—parts-wise—is included in the kit (even the little fishing wire for the bolt.) One thing I'd highly recommend is watching the videos. They are very well made and helped a ton!
From start to finish it took me about 3 hours with normal hand tools. As long as you have a metric deep socket set and a torque wrench you should be able to get everything off and re-installed.
The only other tool that might be helpful is a Dremel or some tin snips for cutting the heat shield and bumper. When cutting the bumper I found it helpful to create a positive template out of cardboard first, place that on the bumper, and trace around it with a sharpie.
I'd say the only "negative" in this whole experience was the way it was packaged. It doesn't affect the product itself, which is why I'm still giving it 5 Stars, but it felt a little chintzy. They did their best to wrap it up, but some areas of the plastic/bubble wrap did wear away to the metal. Again, no fault of the product or how it performs, but it definitely could have been packaged with a little more care.
All in all I highly recommend this hitch receiver if you like a clean, hidden look.
Solid hitch. Once I prepared the 2025 Forester with hands free gate opener the rest of the work went nicely. That motion detector device needs to be modified by cutting it in a particular way in order forit to fit and still work. The 2025 forester has different rear wheel cladding best removed starting from the back door towards the rear. Your staff and the ecohitch folks were helpful. If you're using Subaru trailer harness make sure to pass the exterior wire assembly through the small access point along the back inner wall. Subaru needs photos in their instructions!
Brooke M.
4/27/2025
Thank you for detailing what all happened when you did this install. With such a new car like the '25 Forrester, it's super nice to know! We appreciate you, Carl!
Only reasons for the four star rating is the hitch arrived slightly scuffed/scratched on a couple corner from shipping, this is not a big deal to me as the majority of the hitch is well hidden, used some good paint to touch up the scratches to prevent rust and corrosion, also two of the lock washers deformed and broke while tightening the fasteners to spec, again not a big deal to me as I had some on hand to replace them.
Richard
11/23/2024
Works great for our cargo carrier, appearance and finish has held up well.
Installed on 2023 Forester in about 3 hours (2 people). Followed the included paper instructions as well as the 2022 Forester install video - the most difficult step was removing the muffler from the rubber mounts - silicone spray a must.
Super solid - Looks Great!
Dear ETrailer Folks,
Purchased this hitch December last year as a Christmas present. Finally got the opportunity to install it on my daughters 2021 Forester yesterday. Had watched the video a several times . The install went very well and the outcome was perfect. Your install guide and your support video is top notch. Keep up the good quality work. Thank You, Charlie Harrisburg Pa.
Heather A.
4/23/2025
And they say dads can’t pick good Christmas gifts… but a hitch with free installation? Great choice! There are so many ways to use it—bike racks, cargo carriers, towing—you name it. What’s she planning to use it for? Also, thanks so much for the kind words! I’ll make sure to pass them along to the video team.
It has been a solid receiver it does shows some rust around the welds I don’t know why but will see in the long run,the manufacturer doesn’t include important info as the receiver has degrees to compensate for off roading so when you mount your bike don’t expect to be completely straight flat.
It tends to lean towards the back glass and if you add a swing arm it’ll be more noticeable(Yakima hold up evo and the Yakima swing arm) due to the fact that Yakima also tend to compensate and prevent dragging whatever you attached to it. I don’t know what it was but the Yakima hold up whenever I’ve installed on my Tacoma it hold quiet and solid but on the eco hitch tends to be a tad loose and tend to rock up and down even do the knob is tighten as it was on my Tacoma.
I’ve ended up changing my rack with different brand and that seems to fix the tilting issue but otherwise I’m good with the hitch.
Should I be concerned with that rusty spot?
Heather A.
10/15/2020
Thank you for your review. In order to prevent the rust from spreading I do recommend to lightly sand it with a fine grit sand paper and spray the spot with a rustoleum type of paint. This will cover the spot and prevent any further rusting.
It fits really well and looks good on the van we use it to haul our bikes and small trailer
I’ve purchase multiple trailer hitch receivers from etrailer over the years and each time they exceed my expectations !
This was a relatively easy install. The installation video is outstanding and makes it easy to follow along. My neighbor has a special tool to help remove the rubber exhaust hangers that makes the job easier. One small problem was trying to torque the downward facing 1/2” nuts to 75 ft-lbs; the bolts kept turning. I used an electric impact wrench to get it tight. I also used a high temperature clear spray paint to coat the bolts to reduce corrosion.
Mark
6/5/2022
I love how it works and looks on the car. Installation was pretty simple.
Video was a GREAT HELP! II was a bit anxious, but then had no problems at all other than a frustrating time disconnecting one of the two tailight wiring harnesses. Glad I spent the extra $$ for the hidden hitch. Looks just like factory installed. Been carrying two bikes (one is a 60 lb e-beast!) all summer, including a 4,000 mile trip out to Denver and back from Vermont. Highly, highly recommended!
I love the look of this hitch. The crossbar isn’t visible when mounted to car. I was able to install it myself without any major hiccups. It took me roughly 4-5 hours total to complete. I started at night and finished up in morning. Most of this time was spent going slow making sure I didn’t cause any damage to the car. There are a couple of good YouTube videos showing how to install this hitch on the 2019 Forester. I would definitely recommend watching the videos before attempting this on your own unless you have good experience these kind of projects. The instructions were decent but the videos made some of the steps more clear. I plan to use this with a Thule bike rack. So far so good!
Super heavy duty hitch! Part of it was sticking out of the box upon arrival, but you could probably drop it off of a building, and it wouldn't bend! It was a fairly easy install too.....I was pleased about that. This hitch may be better than the factory one....just guessing though. Great Purchase!!
This is my 3rd hitch for a Subaru. My 2nd for a Subaru Forester in particular. My previous hitches were your standard round tube hitches that sit underneath the car. Once your install is completed, you're going to have a factory looking hitch that sits noticeably higher than a round tube hitch. This extra ground clearance will come in handy when your Forester is loaded down. All I can say is, this EcoHitch ROCKS!! It's beautiful and was easy to install, well I guess that's relative.
Yesterday with bikes on the back, it didn't bottom out on a driveway spot my Curt hitch on my 2018 Forester used to bottom out on. That little extra ground clearance does come in handy.
A few quick notes about my particular install that may help someone. If you follow these simple recommendations, I think your install will be a lot easier.
- Watch the "Torklift Ecohitch Install 2019 Subaru Forester Sport" install video on YouTube by a user named Lucrativesoldier
- Spend $8 and get a plastic fastener remover
- Use ramps if you have them. It makes it so easy to get underneath the car. Of course, use car stands for additional safety.
- Remove the muffler. It's not on the instructions but it's only 2 - 14mm nuts and bolts and gives you a LOT more room to work with. Oh and trim the heat shield before putting it back on. It's the last thing noted on the instructions which make easy to miss.
- My install took a little over 3 hours at a very moderate pace and even taking a brief break.
P.S. I'm using my hitch for a Thule XT 2 Pro bike rack. I was a bit concerned that the receiver tube wasn't long enough but it's 4" and no issues with the Thule rack.
Best hitch on the market
This hitch is perfect fit for my 2019 Forester Sport. The only part that made me nervous was cutting my existing bumper fascia. Just make sure you measure twice before making your cuts and you’ll be fine. The included instructions with this hitch are EXCELLENT and include PHOTOS. My only modification to the included instructions would be to disconnected the muffler from the exhaust line in order to remove it from the hangers. Saved me a lot of hassle. Loving the look of the final install. The end result, if done correctly, is a hitch that looks like it came installed from the factory.
Rating would have been excellent but 4 bolts to mount hitch in bumper area were missing from hardware pack. Luckily [hardware store] had what I needed. But still unnecessary time and expense required. Used 2020 Forester video to install hitch on 2019 Forester Premium. Packaging leaves a lot to be desired but no issues other than the bolts. Definitely recommend it.
Looks good and does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Fairly easy install. Only suggestion for improvement would be a built in spot for the 4 pin connector to attach. That’s minor though.
Tolerances are off, receiver is oversized and there is alot of motion/noise. Only uses one bolt per side for installation when there is more that could have been used like the OEM.
Pros mounted it for me as it was a little beyond what I was comfortable with, Came out looking great! Folks at etrailer helped me order all the right stuff. This is mounted on a 2019 Forester.
This hitch and it’s ease of installation is everything you said it would be. Thank you for your speedy service and a super product.
Product is as described. Takes about 2 hours to install. Muffler hangers gave me a bit of a problem, but nothing that can’t be solved. Looks good after installation.
Great hitch to upgrade to 2” hitches and open the door to better cargo/towing of our 2021 Subaru Forester.
The install took me a moderate 3 hours and I did have to uninstall 1 1/4” factory installed from Subaru. The only really tricky part was having to fully disassemble the 1 1/4 hitch crossbar to be able to pull out the hitch.
After that small snag, it was quite easy to “plug n play” the new hitch. We got the 2” to carry better bike racks and the occasional cargo tray for adventures as our 2 Labs hog the back of the car!
Fully recommend this hitch and straight forward install to the mechanically inclined.
Johnny
12/22/2022
Love the hitch! Still performs as awesome as it is intended to do so! No complaints
This was installed on a 2019 Subaru Forester. It was pretty simple, just normal "work" to take the bumper off and such. The install went smooth, with a very minor issue. As I recall the vehicle wiring was not where the instructions called out, but it was actually easier in the location it was. We have used this several times for our 4 position bike rack with no issues. I have even had another Subaru owner stop and ask where I got it because he thought it was factory installed but he knew Subaru did not offer a 2" hitch. I would certainly recommend this to anyone that wants a nice attractive hitch on their Subaru!
Jeff C.
9/10/2021
Still a great product!
Really easy to install. The online tutorial was spot on! Reminder body panel clips suck so buy a box of them before starting this project.
Hitch and wiring harness arrived as scheduled, some damage to the box but all the contents were there and undamaged.
Watched the install videos from the links provided plus some from [online videos], they were helpful. Highly recommend buying extra bodywork fasteners and the removal tool. Many had to be replaced. Total install took about 3.5 hrs.
Unless car is brand new, power wash bumper and underside to remove sand and dirt before starting install!
Excellent fit and finish on the hitch and install.
Jeff F.
3/27/2023
Hitch has done all that was expected. Hauled a double snowmobile trailer loaded with 1 sled and a ATV with no problems. No rust or obvious signs of use or aging, continues to look like a factory hitch.
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Brooke M.
4/27/2025
Thank you for detailing what all happened when you did this install. With such a new car like the '25 Forrester, it's super nice to know! We appreciate you, Carl!