Hitch Recommendation For A 2015 Subaru Forester

Published 11/02/2016

Products Featured in This Question

Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

(566)

$178.05

2" Hitch Ball - 1" Diameter x 2-1/8" Long Shank - Chrome - 7,500 lbs

(1358)

$12.80

Curt T-Connector Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector

(3400)

$39.73

Adjustable Ball Mount for 2" Hitches - 9" Rise to 10-1/4" Drop - 5,000 lbs

(60)

$99.46

Question:

Looking for a hitch for 2015 Subaru Forester. Why would one choose a Class III hitch, when the vehicle tow capacity is only 1500 lbs w/brakes, 1,000 lbs w/o trailer brakes? Which hitch would you recommend, and why? Does one brand fit higher under the car than any other, or are they all about the same?

asked by: Gordon M

Expert Reply:

A reason for choosing a Class III hitch over a Class II is the 2 inch receiver opening on the Class III hitch. The 2 inch hitch is the most common hitch size today. Class II hitchs use a 1-1/4 inch receiver opening. Having a 2 inch receiver opening will give you more options for trailer and hauling accessories. Many of the bike racks, cargo racks and other hauling accessories have the 2 inch hitch shank.

The gross trailer weight rating for the Class III hitches for a 2015 Subaru Forester is at 3500 lbs. At this gross trailer weight, you can guarantee that even if your Subaru can only tow the max of 1500 lbs, this hitch will handle at least your vehicle's gross trailer weight.

I recommend the Curt Class III Hitch # C13144 for your vehicle. The Curt hitch is an economical hitch that has a 2 inch receiver opening and fits specific to your Forester. The Curt hitch is designed to fit under your vehicles bumper and allow for the clearance between the hitch and bumper. When we installed this htich on a similar year and model Forester we found the center of the hitch pin hole to sit 3 inches behind the back of hte bumper. The top of the hitch sat 14-1/4 inches from the ground.

If you are going to tow a trailer then you will need a ball mount like # TK5007, a ball # 63845 and a wiring kit Curt T-Connector # C56040 to connect the electric of your vehicle to the trailer. As for under the bumper clearance, both the Curt and Draw-Tite hitches mount comparably to each other, so one hitch really mounts higher than another when installed on the vehicle.

I have linked some help articles on choosing the right hitch and tips on towing a trailer.