I went through this last year. Honestly, I was super worried about scraping my hitch on forest service roads with my Crosstrek's low departure angle. I actually ended up going with the RockyMounts WestSlope 2-Bike Hitch Rack because it has a tiered design that angles upward for extra ground clearance. It's a bit more budget-friendly than the Kuat or Thule options, too. I still have to be careful on deep ruts, but it's held up well! 🌲

Hey! Congrats on the new ride. Honestly, I've been there with my own Crosstrek, and picking the right rack is tricky since they sit so low to the ground. In my experience, you definitely want to go with a tray-style rack. Hanging racks make mountain bikes sway way too much, and they can actually damage the frame on rough forest roads.

For your situation, here's what I recommend:

1. The Kuat Racks NV 2.0 2-inch Hitch Bike Rack is my absolute favorite. It has a built-in repair stand and tilts down so you can still open the rear hatch even when the bikes are loaded. It's super sturdy.
2. If you're worried about ground clearance, the 1UP USA Quik Rack Single with Add-On is legendary. It has a tiered design that angles upward, so you almost never scrape on steep driveways or trails.

One thing I learned the hard way—any rack is gonna partially block teh backup camera, but tray racks are usually lower profile. Good luck!

Seconding the recommendation above! Tray-style racks are seriously amazing for the Crosstrek because they keep everything so stable. Since the car sits a bit lower, I definitely think you should look at the Kuat Sherpa 2.0 2-Inch Hitch Bike Rack. It has a built-in tilt feature that lets you access the rear hatch without taking the bikes off, which is a total lifesaver! Honestly, it's super lightweight too, so it wont tank your gas mileage as much as the heavier steel racks. Another fantastic option is the Thule T2 Pro XTR 2-Inch Hitch Bike Rack because it has integrated wheels, making it so easy to move around your garage when it's not on the car! Both of these sit high enough that you shouldn't have to worry about scraping on those bumpy forest roads. Good luck with the new setup!

Story time: I’ve been driving a Crosstrek for about six years now, and honestly, the ground clearance struggle is real once you add a hitch rack into the mix. I learned the hard way after a trip to Moab where I nearly ripped my bumper off on a steep transition! Since then, I’ve become a bit of a safety nerd when it comes to rack stability and departure angles.

In my experience, you really need to prioritize a rack that sits high and tight to the vehicle. Here’s why I’m cautious about certain setups:

1. **The Scrape Factor:** On forest roads, the Crosstrek's rear overhang is the enemy. I eventually switched to the 1UP USA Quik Rack Mach2 Single with Add-On because it has a very slim profile and sits higher than most tray racks I've tried. It's built like a tank and doesn't bounce, which is a huge safety plus when you're hitting bumps.
2. **Camera Visibility:** Truthfully, any tray rack with two MTBs is gonna block that camera. But, I found that the RockyMounts MonoRail 2-Bike Hitch Rack has a thinner main spine that keeps the center of the camera view slightly more open when empty compared to the bulkier Thule or Yakima options.
3. **Safety First:** I always double-check my hitch pin. I actually started using a Kuat HL20B Hitch Lock just for extra peace of mind on long highway hauls.

I think? The best bet for our cars is definitely something with a "rise" in the shank. It saved my gear more than once! Good luck with the search.