Crew Cab Vs. Extended Cab: What's The Difference Between These Pickup Truck Sizes?

One of the main appeals of a powerful pickup truck is having so much storage space in the bed. However, even if you go hauling stuff around on a regular basis, there may still be times when you need to carry people as well. A pickup truck with a regular cab only has a driver's seat and a passenger seat, so unless you have friends and family who don't mind sitting in the bed (the legality of which varies from state to state), a regular pickup isn't exactly conducive to that kind of job.

It's in these particular circumstances that bigger pickup trucks with larger passenger cabins thrive. If you don't mind shelling out a little extra cash, you can get a pickup truck with an extended cab or a crew cab to increase your people-ferrying capabilities. Both of these cab types can serve the needs of increased passenger seating, though the amount and comfort of passengers you can carry does depend on the precise size. If you only need a little extra space, an extended cab should work, but if you want to fit multiple additional passengers comfortably, that may be a job for a crew cab.

A regular pickup truck only has a single pair of doors because, obviously, there's only one row of seats at the front. If you only need a little extra seating for one or two more people, you can definitely make an extended cab work.

Extended cabs, also known as double cabs, add just enough space behind the driver and passenger seats to fit a couple of passengers in. It's not always roomy or comfortable, but they're full seats with seatbelts. Older models of extended cab trucks would have the same two-door design, requiring the driver and passenger seats to be folded forward to reach the rear seats. Newer extended cab trucks have a pair of half-sized doors behind the main doors that permit easier access.

If that little extra bit of room isn't sufficient for your traveling needs, that's when you move up to a crew cab. These trucks have a full set of four doors, just like a regular sedan, as well as at least two full rows of seats and footwells. If you're traveling with a large group, or a crew, if you will, then a crew cab truck can carry everyone much more comfortably. If you want a hefty truck that can handle the daily grind and take the whole family on vacation, that's a job for a crew cab — the biggest kind of pickup truck you can get when it comes to seating.