What Is the Difference Between an Extended Cab and Crew Cab?

If you’re shopping for a pickup truck these days, you’ll find plenty of room in the cab for people and your things. This is because modern pickup trucks are available with up to three cab choices, with the most popular cab types being extended cab and crew cab, followed by the least-popular and least-available regular (single) cab.  

What are the differences between these two most popular cab types? 

Let’s look back at how these two cabs were developed. Crew cabs were usually made for commercial customers. They were made for carrying a crew of up to six people to a job site. The first crew cab pickup truck appeared in 1957, with all full-sized pickup truck manufacturer offering crew cabs by the early 1970s.  

Around the same time, Ford and Dodge began to extend their regular cabs, giving more space behind the front seats. Sometimes, they would feature a rear bench seat or two jump seats, depending on manufacturer. Today, they have become the smallest cab available on some pickup trucks. 

The most common cab available today is the four-door crew cab. It has been transformed into a space for families to ride together in a pickup truck. There are now more crew cabs on the road than any other cab configuration.  

These two cabs can be called by various names, depending on the manufacturer. Ford calls them SuperCab and SuperCrew. Toyota also calls them Double Cab and CrewMax. Ram calls them Quad Cab and Crew Cab. Ram also offers an even larger Mega Cab for select Heavy Duty trucks.  

One of the differences between an extended cab and a crew cab comes down to how much space is available behind the front seats. Extended cabs usually have enough room for children, tools, luggage, or groceries. However, crew cabs on full-sized pickup trucks can seat three adults in the back comfortably.  

Another difference between the two cabs is rear access. Crew cabs offer large, full-size rear doors that open fully to accommodate passengers going in or out of the pickup truck. Extended cabs have various ways to access the rear. They can either be available with “clamshell” rear doors hinging from the rear of the cab, doors from the center pillar of the cab, or with no access to the rear at all.  

Choosing between the cab types really comes down to your needs. It also comes down to other factors: bed size and price. Extended cab models usually have longer beds – about six-and-a-half feet long. The most common bed size for a crew cab these days is about five feet long or more. Crew cabs also command higher prices than their extended cab counterparts.  

The choice of cab type is completely up to you. Alderman Automotive has a great choice of pickup trucks in a variety of cab configurations. Contact us so we can help you pick the right pickup truck for you.