The primary concern when buying any new vehicle is how you plan on using it. Just like you wouldn’t buy a Toyota Prius and expect it to compete in drag races, you don’t want to buy a new truck only to discover that it can’t fit and haul all of your equipment. When purchasing a truck for personal or work use, selecting one with the wrong options can make the next few years that you spend with the vehicle miserable. This guide to understanding pickup truck cab and bed sizes will have you out of the showroom and back on the job site in no time. Here is what you should know about the different sizes of each.
Cab Sizes
The cab of the truck is where the driver and any passengers sit in the truck. The cab can also be used to store any tools or materials that you don’t want to slide around in the truck bed. Choosing a cab that is the right size can save lots of money and frustration. Here is how each of the four cab sizes stacks up when compared to the others.
Regular Cab
Also referred to as “standard” by some, a regular size cab is what comes to mind for most people when they think about pickup trucks. A pickup with this size cab has room for two to three people, determined by whether there is bench seating or if the designers used bucket seats. Regardless of the configuration, there is little to no space behind the seats for storing anything. Regular cab trucks are two-door and serve as the entry trim level for several popular models.
Extended Cab
An extended cab in a pickup truck is the next step up in trim level for some manufacturers and the entry model for others. An extended cab isn’t much bigger than a regular cab, but it does come with additional room behind the seating. Oftentimes, there will be small jump seats or a bench that folds down for additional passengers, but the area is usually very tiny. The other difference between regular and extended cabs is that the latter has an additional door or two that is hinged to open towards the bed of the truck to allow access to the back.
Double Cab
Double cabs are the next size up in space for pickup trucks. Jokingly referred to by some as the “sedans of the truck world,” the nickname is reasonably accurate when describing the available room in a pickup truck that comes with a double cab. Just like the extended cab, there are four doors on the truck and there is usually additional seating behind the front row that folds down. Unlike its smaller brethren, all doors swing the same way, but the rear doors and windows are still noticeably smaller than those in the front. And while there is more space than in extended cabs, the area can still be slightly cramped for taller or bigger people.
Crew Cab
The final destination on our journey of exploring the sizes of pickup truck cabin space is the crew cab. By far the biggest, crew cabs are for when people are going to be your main transport. With noticeably more leg space in the back and full doors to allow entry, crew cabs are perfect for hauling your family and new furniture at the same time. Crew cabs can comfortably seat between four and six adults, and some are starting to be offered with even more storage behind the back seats.
Bed Sizes
The size of the bed for your pickup truck is of vital importance, especially on moving day when everybody suddenly has your cell phone number and remembers a favor you supposedly owe them. Knowing what size your truck bed is can help you and your supposed best friend finish the move in as few trips as possible. While the available options will vary slightly by make and model, it may surprise you to learn that truck bed sizes typically follow a pattern based on a truck’s capabilities. Part of understanding pickup truck cab and bed sizes is knowing how these two seemingly independent features are actually connected.
Mid-Size Pickup
A mid-size pickup truck has capabilities that are in line with pulling a small trailer or camper. These generally make up the smallest of the pickup trucks and have the cab sizes to match. Though they are easier to maneuver than their larger counterparts, they don’t have the same hauling capacity. Most mid-size pickup trucks have beds that are between five and six and a half feet in length.
Half-Ton Pickup
A half-ton pickup truck is the next level up for size and performance. This segment of the market is the most competitive and features the top three selling vehicles in America. These trucks are great for towing things like travel trailers while offering enough room for the whole family to ride comfortably in the cab. Half-ton pickups have a large range of bed lengths with sizes, from five and a half feet up to almost eight and a half feet in length.
Heavy-Duty Pickup
Heavy-Duty Pickup trucks are the true workhorses of the vehicle world, with the size and capacity to handle the most challenging of hauling jobs. These trucks are the biggest and have the highest price point, but are built to haul everything, including the kitchen sink. These vehicles tend to have larger cabs to go along with truck beds that are between six and a half and more than eight feet in length.
No matter the size of the cab or the length of the truck, Next Gen Diesel is here to supply you with the parts needed to keep your pickup truck running long after others have given up. So whether you are looking for an entire Allison Transmission for sale, a rebuild kit for your Power Stroke Turbo Diesel, or any of our other American-made products, check out our huge selection of parts today!
