Double Cab vs Crew Cab

While trucks used to be a purely utilitarian affair, they’ve become daily drivers for many. Since the only part of a truck that used to be impractical was the lack of a backseat, that’s changed. Truck manufacturers have struggled to keep options open by designing a wide range of different cab configurations.

Because the terms used to describe cabs vary based on brand, it’s hard to know exactly what a manufacturer means by any particular term. Two of the most frequently confused terms are Crew Cabs and Double Cabs.

Double Cabs

Double Cab isn’t a particularly popular term. Toyota offers it on both the Tacoma and Tundra pickups, and GMC/Chevy offer a Double Cab on the Sierra or Silverado. The equivalent for a Ram Tradesman would be a Quad Cab, but most companies don’t have this kind of “middle” step. For many, this is a perfect cab compromise.

The Double Cab exists right in-between the trucks that are clearly meant for one person and the trucks that are clearly meant for families.

Though the dimensions on Double Cabs and Quad Cabs vary, what they have in common is that they all refer to the smaller of the four-door truck options. Though these are perfect for someone who just needs a backseat for their bags or pets, most people who have tried to turn them into family vehicles have dissatisfied backseat passengers. That varies some based on passenger height and posture, but the back seat is certainly a tighter squeeze than many are used to.

Crew Cab is a much more universally used phrase, and it always refers to a standard four-door sized pickup. If you’re choosing between a Double Cab and a Crew Cab, the Crew Cab will be slightly larger. Some brands then have a second-tier that’s even larger than that, but considering a fair number of Crew Cabs already have backseats that offer more legroom than the driver gets, those aren’t as popular.

Some companies have renamed their Crew Cab. For Ford, a regular Crew Cab is referred to as a Super Crew, and for Toyota, it’s a CrewMax, but the dimensions are pretty much in line with a standard Crew Cab.

Who Offers Double Cabs and Crew Cabs?

The term Double Cab is used by Toyota, Chevy, and GMC, all referring to their smaller four-door truck cab. The reason this term gets confused with other terms is that it makes a lot of sense. Double the doors? Call it a double cab. This whole crew cab vs double cab kerfuffle is based around the simplicity and the accuracy of the term double cab. Crew cab does make some sense, but in a more roundabout way (it can fit a whole crew).

The differences between these two terms become a lot easier to visualize when you’re looking at the respective dimensions.

Regardless, both of these styles of truck cabs offer similar experiences. There is a slight tradeoff with cab size and the bed, but the difference isn’t drastic. The best way to figure out which truck is the best fit for you is to try them out and get a feel for their respective comfort features.