With 2013 truck models getting ready to hit the show room floor, it can be very confusing to keep up with the manufacturer’s lingo on the variety of cab styles and bed lengths. We can only assume that truck makers are looking for their own identity in the market to separate themselves from the competition. The ‘big three’ automakers in the US utilize different descriptions for cab lengths and provide additional options for bed lengths. Lets see if we can clear up the confusion.

Truck Cab Style Options

• Regular Cab – Two standard size front doors only.
• Extended/SuperCab/Quad Cab – Includes standard size front doors and smaller rear door.

-GM (Extended) and Ford (SuperCab), the rear door(s) swing suicide style and open in the opposite direction of the main door.

-Dodge/RAM (Quad Cab) trucks have   rear doors that look the same as the front doors, only slightly smaller. They have a standard swing opening like the main doors.

• Crew Cab – Features four full size standard swinging doors.
• Mega Cab – This option applies to Dodge/RAM trucks only. This model replicates the Crew Cab, but features additional space behind the rear doors.

Truck Bed Length Options

Bed lengths are not quite as challenging to decode. For the most part, all truck manufacturers have the options of Long Bed, Short Bed, and Short/Short.

Long Beds generally measure roughly 8’ in length. Long beds can be found roughly on 98% of regular cab pickups to maximize transport capacity. With the limited cab area, the pickup truck bed occupies the extra space.

Short Beds typically refer to a truck bed measuring 5.5’ or 6.5’. When measuring with a tape measure, most truck bed will measure a few inches longer than these standard descriptions. The failsafe way would be reviewing the dealer sticker or consult your local dealership to have them check by the VIN number.

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