Truck Cab and Bed Length Size Comparison

And Pickup Bed Size Comparison Buyers Guide covering

I'm not even going to try to cover every single thing that you should consider when buying a truck, cause that'd be a novel. So instead, let's focus on one element at a time: cab size. What kind of cab do you need, and how does this effect your options when purchasing a brand new pickup truck? Also see our collection of Truck Caps Let's take a look and find out.

(Our cover shot, background, is courtesy of Nestor Galina. Hell of a photo!)

Measuring What Size is my Truck Bed

While the descriptions below should help you figure out easily which length bed you have, it is never a bad idea to measure your truck bed if you are going to install a Tonneau cover or any other custom fit item. In this video, Big Tuna walks you through just how you go about measuring your truck bed. All you should need is a tape measure that is at least 8-10 feet long & maybe a buddy to help hold the far tape end while you take measurements.

If you'd prefer written instructions, here they come: Open your tailgate.

Extend your tape measure to the bulkhead (the front of your truck bed, up near the cab--where you sit when your driving).

Record the length from your bulkhead to the gap where your tailgate is. That is the only length you should need for a liner and/or Tonneau cover. Though  you may need to know your truck bed style for some of the drop-in liners & in that case, you should keep readin'.

Read more: Aftermarket Truck Parts.

Terms & Considerations

Before we get too far into this epic explanation, I thought we'd define some terms and consider a few aspects about Cab size. So here we go with the definitions: as of this writing, we are nearing the end of 2017, so I thought I'd just focus on 2017 numbers for now. Perhaps I can update this yearly down the road. I'm also only really looking at American Trucks. I know, that's unfair or nationalistic or something negative. Honestly, I'm doing this for three reasons: 1) Ford, Chevy/GMC Truck bed size chart, and Dodge make up the majority of truck sales (as of 2016, the top three sold vehicles in the US were the F-150, Silverado, and Ram); 2) the majority of our customers own one of those three vehicles or another American Truck or Jeep, so I'm trying to reach my audience; and 3) I simply don't have the time to go through everything in this introductory post. So just looking at those three manufacturers, there are four real cab types today that you should consider (5, if you count Dodge Ram's Mega Cab, which only they have):

As you scroll down, we move from the simplest cab, with just two doors, to larger and larger cabs, including four doors plus extra space behind the back seat!Standard or Regular Cab

• Extended Cab (or SuperCab for Ford)
• Double or Quad Cab
• and Crew Cab (or SuperCrew for Ford)
  

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Standard or Regular Cab (Pic from DiamondBack Truck Covers)

Back in the day, this is what a truck looked like. Plain and simple. Well, minus that totally bad ass tonneau cover from DiamondBack. While Standard or Regular cab pickup truck dimensions chart tend to be a little bit cheaper than say an Extended Cab or Crew Cab, but what you need to keep in mind is what you're getting the truck for and how many people you're going to have to transport. Before I had my little boy, my wife and I used to tool around in our old regular cab 1984 Chevy 2500 all the time. But now that we need to fit a car seat in... Needless to say, these trucks are built for work anyway. You wouldn't want to take one on a road trip or family excursion, unless if your family is just you and your dog. Memories...

Extended Cab (or SuperCab for Ford)

First off, damn, that's a sick looking Raptor! Alright, now that that's outta the way. An Extended Cab has an extra pair of small doors behind the passenger and driver's side doors. These doors are quite small, but useable, and they swing the opposite way from the main doors. Often times consumers go with an Extended Cab (or in Ford lingo, SuperCab) when they want either some extra interior storage space behind the front seats or need to occasionally transport more than just two or three people. Most of the time their is a bench seat or small jumper seats in the back as well in case you ever need them, but no full grown man is gonna want to be stuck back there too long. So this extra space is typically storage.

Read more: 'how to tune your truck'

Chevy Truck Bed Dimensions Chart Double Cab

So the Double Cab (Chevy) and the Quad Cab (Dodge) are both in this awkward in between area. They aren't quite Crew cabs because the back doors are a little too small for that, but their doors are quite a bit bigger than Extended Cab doors, plus these back doors swing out the same way as the front doors. Many consumers think these are actual Crew Cabs, but...

Dodge Quad Cab (Thanks for the sweet pic, Stratos L)

...they are really not Crew Cabs. First off, their back seat is smaller. Second off, they tend to run on average about $3,000 cheaper than Crew Cabs. Also, because of their smaller size, they prevent the truck from being super long, which a lot of customers like, especially if they are planning on towing anything. A long bed Quad Cab truck is shorter than the same pickup bed length comparison truck with a long bed but a Crew Cab instead, so if length's important, consider this.

Crew Cab (or SuperCrew for Ford)

For the vast majority of daily drivers, the Crew Cab (or SuperCrew for Ford) is the best truck option out their today. If you're planning on using your pickup on a daily basis to transport yourself and more than just one other person, for the price and leg room, a Crew Cab is a really great option. The Crew Cab has become one of the most popular cab sizes in the industry. The full size front and back doors make getting into and out of the pickup easy. The extra interior storage is great for everything from grocery shopping to road tripping. And if you've got a family, a Crew Cab is almost a must for hauling around the kiddos.

Mega Cab (Dodge Truck Bed Size Chart Ram Only)

For when a Crew Cab just isn't enough, see the Dodge Ram Mega Cab! Available on their 2500 and 3500 lines, the Mega Cab is a Crew Cab with additional space for storage behind the back seat. It's like Ram wedded an Extended Cab pickup with a Crew Cab truck and got the MEGA Cab!  If that extra interior storage is a must and you like the four doors of the Crew Cab, then Dodge is the only truck you should be looking at. If you don't think you need that little bit of extra storage, you'll have many more options going with the Crew Cab, but you've gotta give props to Dodge. They created an even bigger cab than the SuperCrew. The ideal pickup truck bed length comparison with our pickup truck bed size comparison chart, offering precise pickup truck bed dimensions.

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For Those on the Proverbial Fence Still

Some additional Considerations: Bed Length & Price

Now I realize, that for most of would-be truck buyers, you already know at this point. I mean, come on--just look at the Raptor and that SuperCrew and that Mega Cab or that Quad Cab... Alright, so you might still be on the fence. Here's the deal, if one of the above options didn't strike you as a must have, then let me break down the arguments for each in more depth. First, before you do anything more, consider and write your truck bed length chart (or box) you want or need. Cause if you need a long bed and it doesn't come with that particular cab, you've got a hard decision to make. So first, I'll break down the bed lengths for the above models for 2017. We have a more detailed article covering bed lengths, so check that out if you want to know more about length in depth. For now, let's keep it simple: short Beds are typically around 5 1/2 foot long. Standard Beds are around 6 1/2 feet. Long beds are around 8 feet long. Sweet Visual Aid:

What Cab Size per Model?

Might as well start here with this easy to read chart. If you've gotta have that extended cab, it does limit your options, after all. But everybody has a Crew Cab or SuperCrew option. See our truck bed size comparison chart below to determine your bed size.

Price and Pickup Truck Bed Size Chart

Maybe you just want an overall view of a single manufacturer's Makes with starting MSRPs and bed lengths that are available. Well, why didn't you ask me sooner? Here they come! Here is truck bed size chart below.

FORD Truck bed Dimensions Chart MSRP'S 

Ford Tough

If you're looking for a short bed, that Raptor is tempting... and a bit pricey. Beyond all that short stuff, Ford has lots of great options. As America's number one selling automobile in 2017, the F-150, obviously Ford is doing something right. Truck bed length comparison chart is very helpful for measure your truck bed. Comparing truck bed sizes is like choosing the right tool for the job – each size offers unique advantages tailored to specific hauling needs.

Chevy Truck Bed Size Chart MSRP's

Chevy for Life!

While there are less options here, there are two separate models so... break even? If you're a Chevy guy, they've got what you're lookin' for. Included here is the lowest cost Mid-size American made truck on the market today, the Chevy Colorado. The Chevy Silverado, on the other hand, is the second highest sold automobile of 2017.

Refer to the truck bed dimensions chart for accurate measurements before selecting your ideal truck for hauling purposes.

Dodge Truck Bed Dimensions Chart MSRP's and Bed Length

Ram-tastic!

If Dodge Ram is more your style, you've got plenty of well priced options, though this is the sparsest of the three. The third most sold automobile in 2017, the Dodge Ram is known for quality and strength. 

Bed Length Cost Comparison (2017)

What length of bed to consider for your truck is also important. While going with a short bed will knock on average $1,133 off the cost of your vehicle for 2017 at least, you are also losing a whole foot of storage. On the other hand, upgrading from a standard or regular bed to a long bed is less than $300 to add on another foot and a half. Some drivers feel like a long bed, especially on a Extended or crew cab short bed length makes the truck drive like an RV or boat though. This can be especially trying if you plan on towing an actual boat as well. For these and additional reasons, many opt to go for the long bed only on Regular cab trucks and for work trucks specifically. Likewise, short beds are more likely to be available on Crew cab trucks since parking can start to become a real issue otherwise. These are certainly aspects one should consider when purchasing a pickup. But if you're old school and can park a F-450 crew cab long bed truck length like a boss, then your only real considerations here are likely cost and what you're gonna use that truck bed for. If you plan on hauling 8 foot sheets of drywall around on the reg, you best be opting for the long bed. Otherwise, you probably will be well enough off with that standard bed. Some truck enthusiasts claim that short bed trucks are actually El Caminos in disguise, but we here at Midwest Aftermarket don't buy in to all that conspiracy theory nonsense. Cheers!

Cab Size Cost Comparison (2017)

Yeah, these cost moneyz too 

If cost is a thing for you considering Cab size as well, let's break that down with pics and infographics too. Turns out Ford has a different sizing model than Dodge and Chevy, except the Chevy Colorado, which follows the same cab progression as Ford: Regular/Standard to length of extended cab truck to (Super)Crew. While going with the Crew cab does cost more, it is the most common too.

Ford & Chevy Colorado

The economic option is obviously the standard, but for a mere $5k, you can upgrade to the Crew cab with all four doors. And right in the middle is the Extended cab variant.

Dodge & Chevy Silverado

While a little bit more expensive to upgrade from one Cab size to another, the Dodge Ram and Chevy Silverado are fairly comparable in Cab upgrade cost to the Ford F-150 model.

All the Options in the World

Wrapped up in 3 Great Makes

Now that you've considered all the important options: from cost to bed length to cab style--you should be ready to make your first purchase. Some of you probably came into this knowing that your family only drives Ford's or Chevy's or Ram's. For those of you open to different Manufacturers, you've gotten the full picture here. If you weren't sure if you wanted to throw in a little extra for that long bed, hopefully now you know what you're in for. Also, breaking down all the terminology and what each style really includes when it comes to Cab size can be daunting, but we hope this picture guide will make it a little easier for you. Regardless of what truck you decide to purchase, once you've got her in your garage or driveway, hit us up. We, here at Midwest Aftermarket, look forward to helping you soup up your brand new pickup to make it the best damn Murican truck it can possibly be! Welcome to the world of the Truck enthusiasts! We are glad to have you here and look forward to helping you trick out your new ride in the coming months and years that follow. Dream it. Build it. Drive it.