Availability of Class III 2 Inch Receiver to Carry Bike Rack on 2012 Subaru Impreza Sport Hatchback

Question:

I wish to purchase a hitch system for a 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Premium Hatchback. I spoke with a person with a curt rack purchased from you that had the larger class 3 receiver. However I dont see that one available anywhere on your or Curts sight. Is this no longer made? The reason I ask is that I need to transport bicycles using a rack which I have that uses a class 3 mount. I know the vehicle is not capable of towing up to the capacity of a class 3 but if I purchase an adapter, it will cause secondary problems of the bicycle carrier being too far back and exerting too much leverage on the system. What do you recommend other than having to buy another bicycle rack? Thanks! Marc Ripley

asked by: Marc R

Expert Reply:

None of our hitch manufacturers offer a Class III hitch with a 2 inch receiver for the Impreza. They do offer Class III's for the Forester, Legacy, Outback and Tribeca models, but not for the Impreza.

Furthermore, you're absolutely correct abut the pitfalls of using an adapter with a Class I hitch, which lowers the weight bearing capacity of the hitch by half. The Class I hitches available for your Impreza like the Draw-Tite # 24886 have a tongue weight capacity of 200 lbs. Using an adapter like part # HTAD would lower the capacity to 100 lbs, which means that the weight of the bikes plus the weight of the rack couldn't exceed 100 lbs. So, that IS an option if your bikes and rack are light enough. Selling your current rack and going with a Class I compatible rack like the Kuat # B202-114 would be a better option, as it's preferable to avoid using an adapter whenever possible.

Another alternative would be a trunk mounted rack. I really like the Thule OutWay # TH45JV for the 2 bike version, or # TH56BV for the 3 bike version. What makes the OutWay unique is the 2 rubber coated straps it uses to attach to the vehicle, which allows the rack to install or be removed in seconds. Usually, trunk racks use 6 straps to fasten to the vehicle, which means you'll be fumbling with straps and buckles each time you need to remove or install the rack. The cables are lockable, which secures the rack to the vehicle, and the rack features an integrated cable lock to secure the bikes to the rack.

The Thule Passage # TH911XT for the three bike would be a less expensive option. The rack uses the 6 straps to attach to the vehicle, but you're getting Thule quality and Thule's limited lifetime warranty.

If you'll be transporting women's bikes or bikes with sharply-angled top tubes, you might also consider a frame adapter bar like part # 64005. The bar spans the distance between the handlebar gooseneck and the seat post, which provides a secondary attachment point for the bike rack. This allows the bike to be carried level, which maximizes ground clearance.