If you don’t already have a trailer hitch on your car, we recommend going with a 2″ size if possible. Some smaller cars will only find 1-1/4″ hitches available because manufacturers assume you won’t be towing bigger, heavier loads, so they don’t offer 2″ hitches for many compact cars.
If you plan on adding any extensions to your rack and carrying more than two bikes, you’ll need a 2″ hitch to handle that weight. You’ll also need a 2″ hitch if you plan on adding a swing-away adapter or anything else that extends or expands your carrying capacity.