Crew? Quad? Regular? Which Cab Is Right for You?

Shopping for a pre-owned truck means making a lot of decisions. Unlike your average SUV or sedan, pickup trucks come in so many different options that a single model can have variants with entirely different capabilities. Some of the important options to look for include the engine, the bed size, and whether you want two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. And of course, you also have all the normal car choices from paint color and exterior looks to infotainment and seat upholstery. But there is one choice when shopping for pre-owned trucks that will really determine how much you can get out of your purchase - the cab type.

Trucks of old only came with a single type of cab, offering two doors and usually a vinyl-covered bench seat. But modern pickups can be far more than a bare-bones work truck with space for two passengers (three if you don’t mind a tight fit). The introduction of four-door crew cab trucks allowed space for a whole family or a crew of workers (hence the name), transforming trucks into the multi-purpose vehicles we know and love today. Most pre-owned trucks are also available with an in-between cab size that offers a smaller back seat and lacks the four full-size doors of a crew cab.

All of these cab options make it easy to find a pre-owned truck that will work perfectly for your needs, whether you are hunting for a versatile family vehicle or need something with maximum muscle for towing and hauling. However, truck manufacturers don’t make things easy, and they use a variety of different names for their own takes on the different truck cab styles. Working through these differences in style and terminology can make shopping for a pre-owned truck more confusing, but once you understand them, they give you even more options to choose from.

The Reliable Regular Cab

The regular cab pre-owned to be the most common pickup truck cab on the market, offering two doors and a single row of seats. However, the modern truck market has moved on, and unless you are shopping for an older or base model pre-owned truck, it may be difficult to find a regular cab pickup. Regular cab trucks are usually cheaper than the other cab options, but that lower price comes at the cost of reduced usability.

Obviously, having only a single row of seats means you can only fit two or three passengers. So if you are looking for a truck that can double as a family vehicle, the regular cab probably won’t pass muster. Even if you only ever intend to transport two or three people, the limited space of the regular cab can prove to be a hassle. While regular cab trucks do usually have a bit of space in the cab behind the seats, you will never be able to fit more than a few small items back there. That means everything has to go in the bed, which can be a problem if you are transporting valuable, delicate, or perishable items.

The main advantage of a regular cab (aside from the lower cost) is that it allows you to have a long bed on your truck without increasing the overall length. Shorter trucks are easier to maneuver in tight spots, so this can be something worth considering. Regular cabs also weigh less than the larger cab options, which usually results in regular cab pickups having higher max payload and max towing ratings. These advantages are the reason why regular cabs haven’t died out completely, but overall this cab style really only comes into its own as a dedicated work truck for people that also have access to a more comfortable vehicle with two rows of seats.

The Comfortable Crew Cab

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the four-door crew cab. With four full-size doors and two spacious rows of seats, the crew cab transforms a pre-owned pickup from a spartan work truck into a comfortable alternative to an SUV. Overall, the crew cab is the exact opposite of the regular cab, providing roominess and versatility at the expense of its work attributes. The heavier weight of the crew cab means lower payload and towing ratings, and most crew cab trucks come with a shorter bed that can’t fit as much stuff. While there are long-bed crew cab pre-owned trucks out there, that comes at the cost of driving a much larger vehicle that can be unwieldy in tight spaces.

But the benefits of a crew cab greatly outweigh the drawbacks, and this is by far the most popular cab style for modern pickups. A pre-owned crew cab truck will provide you with plenty of back-seat space and can comfortably seat up to six passengers depending on the seating configuration. This not only makes them a reliable choice for family vehicles, but it also makes daily life easier since you can throw anything you need to bring with you in the back seat and not have to worry about it getting lost or being damaged. Many models further enhance the comfort of the second row by adding features that pre-owned to be the domain of luxury SUVs, such as heated rear seats or an entertainment system with screens and a DVD player.

While crew cab is the generic term, some manufacturers have their own name for this style of cab. If you are shopping for a Ford, then you should be looking for a SuperCrew Cab, and Toyota trucks offer a Crew Max Cab on the full-size Tundra and a Double Cab on the midsize Tacoma. However, Chevy, GMC, and Nissan all call their four-door models Crew Cabs. Ram is a special case as it actually has two different four-door cab options - the regular Crew Cab and the even larger Mega Cab. The Mega Cab is only available on the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500, but it adds additional legroom and unique reclining second-row seats.

Splitting the Difference

Of course, many drivers want to have their cake and eat it too, which is why manufacturers have developed a range of cab options that include a second row of seats without adding the size and weight of a full crew cab. While passengers may not be particularly comfortable sitting in the back row of these pre-owned trucks for extended road trips, being able to fit more than three people can make your life a little easier. Plus, these middle-of-the-road options give you more cab space for stowing cargo and other items you might not want to leave exposed in the bed.

However, this category of pickup cab can be the most confusing as every manufacturer uses a different name and style. The Ram Quad Cab, Chevy Double Cab, and Toyota Tundra Double Cab (which is not the same as the Toyota Tacoma Double Cab) all offer four normal doors, with the rear doors being a bit smaller than the front doors. These pre-owned trucks are close to being full-blown crew cabs and offer plenty of versatility but do so in a more compact package. This cab style is a great choice if you have younger children or find yourself regularly transporting coworkers short distances.

The other common style has two full-size doors for the front seats but uses rear-hinged doors (commonly known as “suicide doors”) to access the back seats. This type of door saves space and creates an even more compact cab, but can be a hassle to deal with since you have to open the front door before you can unlatch the rear door. Trucks with this style of cab include the Ford SuperCab, the Ram Quad Cab, the Toyota Access Cab, and the Nissan King Cab. Overall, pre-owned trucks with this style of cab are the best choice if you need more room for cargo or pets but don’t plan on regularly transporting people in the second row.

Find Your Perfect Pre-Owned Truck at Allentown Kia

No matter what type of pre-owned truck you are looking for, you can find it right here at Allentown Kia. We not only stock an expansive inventory of pre-owned trucks from every major manufacturer, but our expert team can walk you through all the different cab styles, configurations, and other options so that you can drive home with the perfect truck for your personal needs. And with our certified service center and skilled technicians, we are here to keep your truck maintained for many miles to come. If you need a reliable pre-owned vehicle, there is no better place to visit in the Allentown area than Allentown Kia.