Recommended Trailer Hitch for 2016 Mazda CX-9

Question:

Looking for a 2inch receiver hitch for this vehicle. Vehicle doe not have the towing package. Dont do much actual towing. Most use is for a four bike carrier, cargo carrier, and dirt bike carrier. The prices of the Draw Tite and Curt are close enough to be a wash. I had a hitch on my Toyota Sienna that had a major rust problem. Had to remove it, completely strip the coating, convert the rust with POR-15, and paint. Are either of these less susceptible to rust? The Curt mentions powder coating and the Draw Tite does not. Which of these two hitches would you specifically recommend? They look quite similar to me. Thanks.

asked by: Doug H

Expert Reply:

The Draw-Tite Class III Max Frame Receiver Hitch # 76020 and the Curt Class III Receiver Hitch # C13284 are both confirmed to fit your 2016 Mazda CX-9 and are indeed extremely similar to each other. These will both mount to the same existing holes in your vehicle frame and provide the same bumper clearance and ground clearance dimensions once installed. Both the Draw-Tite and Curt models do feature a black powder coat finish that will provide superior rust protection, so this should not be an issue.

Between these two hitches, I recommend going with the Draw-Tite Class III # 76020 because it is a bit more sturdy than the Curt model and has a slightly higher tongue weight capacity of 675 pounds and towing capacity of 4,500 pounds. You will also want to check the capacity of your vehicle itself as listed in the owner's manual, as you will need to follow whichever capacity is lower (the vehicle or trailer hitch).

I have attached an installation video for the Draw-Tite Hitch on your CX-9 that you can use for reference. I have also included an image of the hitch receiver on your CX-9 so you can see exactly how it will look on your vehicle. All the necessary hardware will be included with the hitch.

If you do not yet have a bike rack, I highly recommend looking at the Yakima RidgeBack # Y02458. This is an excellent hanging bike rack that can secure up to 4 bikes with a total weight of 150 pounds. The rack body can tilt back for easy rear cargo access and the included hitch lock will let you secure the rack to your vehicle. I also recommend adding the Cable Lock # Y02466 to secure the bikes to the carrier.

I have attached a short video demonstration on this bike rack that you can also check out.