Subaru Forester Trailer Hitch Buyer’s Guide (Canada)
A hitch turns your Forester into the one that takes a bike rack, a cargo carrier, a utility trailer or a small boat. CURT builds 11 hitches for the Subaru Forester from 1998 to 2026, Class 1 to Class 3, rated 2,000 lb to 4,000 lb, from $257.57 CAD with free shipping anywhere in Canada.
Your year decides the part. Find it in the table, open the year page for the exact hitch, price and wiring, and you're done in a few minutes.
2019 through 2026 Forester$273.99 CADSee the hitch →
Which hitch fits your Forester, by year
| Years | Hitch | Class, receiver, rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
2019 through 2026 Forester | CURT 13409 | Class 3, 2-inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 525 lb tongue | $273.99 CAD |
 |
2019 through 2026 Forester | CURT 12198 | Class 1, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $275.51 CAD |
 |
2019 through 2026 Forester | CURT 13459 | Class 3, 2-inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $393.12 CAD |
 |
2023 through 2024 Forester | CURT 12184 | Class 2, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $278.81 CAD |
 |
2024 Forester | CURT 11465 | Class 1, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 2,000 lb / 200 lb tongue | $257.57 CAD |
 |
2024 Forester | CURT 114653 | Class 1, 2,000 lb / 200 lb tongue | $308.08 CAD |
 |
2014 through 2018 Forester | CURT 13144 | Class 3, 2-inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 525 lb tongue | $266.26 CAD |
 |
2014 through 2018 Forester | CURT 12100 | Class 1, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $275.51 CAD |
 |
2009 through 2013 Forester | CURT 13147 | Class 3, 2-inch receiver, 4,000 lb / 400 lb tongue | $282.03 CAD |
 |
2009 through 2013 Forester | CURT 12047 | Class 1, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $273.75 CAD |
 |
1998 through 2008 Forester | CURT 12038 | Class 1, 1-1/4 inch receiver, 3,500 lb / 350 lb tongue | $308.23 CAD |
Pick your Forester year
Each year page has the hitch, the harness and the ball mount that go together, with the price of each.
Class 1 or Class 3 on a Forester?
Class 1 is the lighter one, with a 1-1/4 inch receiver and 3,500 lb of trailer. It's plenty for a bike rack or a small cargo carrier. Class 3 moves you to a 2-inch receiver and 3,500 lb, which is what you want for a bike rack, a cargo carrier, a utility trailer or a small boat, and it takes the common 2-inch racks and carriers without an adapter. Either way the Forester's own tow rating in the owner's manual is the ceiling, and the lower number wins.
CURT parts for the Subaru Forester
Watch a Forester hitch go on
CURT's own install crew, start to finish, so you know what you're in for before the box arrives.
Wiring, ball mount and the rest
A bike rack needs nothing but the hitch. A trailer needs lights, and CURT 55370 ($67.51 CAD) is the four-flat harness that plugs into the Forester's factory connector for 1998 through 2008. No cutting, no scotch-locks. Other years have their own harness; the year page shows the right one.
Then a ball mount sized to the receiver: CURT 45836 ($41.70 CAD) drops straight into a 2-inch receiver. Pick the drop or rise that keeps the trailer level, and match the ball to the coupler. The ball mount guide covers both in two minutes.
Canadian winters eat hitch hardware. Salt and brine get into the receiver and the trailer plug, so a smear of grease on the pin, a cap on the receiver and a rinse under the bumper in spring keep a CURT hitch looking new for years. The rust and salt care guide has the full routine.
Subaru Forester hitch questions
Which CURT hitch fits my Subaru Forester?
It depends on the year. CURT 13409 is the newest, for 2019 through 2026, and the table above matches every other year to its part. Open your year page and the exact hitch, price and wiring are on it.
Can I put a bike rack on a Forester with this hitch?
Yes. The 2-inch receiver takes any 2-inch rack, and a loaded rack counts against the hitch's tongue weight (525 lb on CURT 13409), so a four-bike platform rack with bikes on it is well inside the limit.
Can I install the hitch myself?
Most owners do. CURT rates CURT 13409 a novice install, about 30 minutes with hand tools and a jack. The install video above is the real job, uncut.
How much can a Forester tow with a CURT hitch?
The hitch is rated from 2,000 lb to 4,000 lb depending on the part, but the Forester's own tow rating in the owner's manual is the ceiling. The lower of the two numbers is your limit, every time.
