If you’re on the hunt for a brand-new pickup truck, you probably have your sights set on a king cab. Just how much do you know about pickup truck cabs? If you’re looking for more info about these truck types, coupled with some good alternatives, you’re in the right place. We’ve done a massive amount of research on king cabs and how they compete against crew cabs, so you have the information you need to select the right pickup.
There are several pickup trucks today that feature the compact, king cab style. Here’s are some of the best king cab and crew cab trucks that you should consider in your search:
- Nissan Navara King Cab
- 2020 Ford F-150
- 2019 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2020 GMC Canyon Sierra 1500
- 2020 Nissan Frontier (crew cab)
- 2020 Honda Ridgeline (two-full-rows seating)
There’s a lot you need to know about these trucks before you even decide to park any of them in your garage. We’ve taken the liberty to highlight each truck's crucial aspects, along with a bunch of frequently asked questions. We hope this post helps you in your search for the ideal king cab pickup truck. Let’s get to it, shall we?
![A 2020 Nissan Frontier Pickup Truck at a dealership, King Cab Pickup Trucks [6 Great Options!]](https://vehq.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/King-Cab-Pickup-Trucks-6-Great-Options-683x1024.jpg)
King Cab Pickup Trucks
1. Nissan Navara King Cab
Unlike notable competitors such as the Ssangyong Musso and Volkswagen Amarok, the Navara comes in various body styles. There’s the shorter cab, the double cab, and of course, the king cab. The Nissan Navara King Cab fares significantly well against the Isuzu D-Max, the Mitsubishi L200, and other trucks with work-oriented trims.
On the technical aspect, the Navara King Cab’s 2.3-liter diesel engine pulls in a little over 1,000 rpm from its six-speed manual gearbox in Acenta and Visia trims. The Navara is fitted with an advanced rear suspension that’s fashioned to stay put in arduous, off-road driving and while transporting heavy loads.
2. 2020 Ford F-150
The 2020 Ford F-150 is a textbook example of a typical modern, yet tough full-size pickup truck. It hauls and tows ahead of any other truck in its class and provides a substantial amount of technology and luxury features. The unique mix makes it among the most versatile trucks on the market today.
Thanks to twin turbochargers, the Ford F-150’s 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine delivers pretty impressive torque output to the standard V8 engine. The torque transmission in this vehicle is smart, inconspicuous and quiet. When coupled with the F-150’s luxury features, each ride you take makes it even better than the last!
3. 2019 Chevrolet Colorado
This midsize pickup is available in both crew-cab and extended-cab models. The Chevrolet Colorado features a lively V6 engine, a solid powertrain, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The 3.5-liter engine produces 305lb-ft worth of horsepower that goes the extra mile in making the truck feel eager and lighter.
Its eight-speed transmission is styled to meet the powerful engine's needs to provide the highest form of acceleration. For off-road driving, the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado provides an articulation that’s somewhat commendable. It features a conventional, single-mode traction control to take care of wheel lift on rough and rocky terrain.
4. 2020 GMC Canyon Sierra 1500
The GMC Canyon is a no-nonsense, reasonably priced midsize pickup that seats a total of four passengers. Compared to its close rival, the Chevrolet Colorado, the GMC Canyon Sierra is a better option for gas mileage and practicality. It’s also more maneuverable than any of today’s full-size king cab trucks.
GMS Canyon's base engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that generates 191lb-ft torque and 200 horsepower. It also has a 3.6-liter V6 conventional engine that produces 308 horsepower and a 275lb-ft worth of torque. The two engines offer a total towing capacity of 7,000 pounds.
5. 2020 Nissan Frontier
The full-size 2020 Frontier is also the smallest truck by Nissan. It’s size, coupled with other reasons, makes it one of the most affordable crew cabs on the market today. Its standard engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that generates 152 horsepower and 171lb-ft worth of torque.
The 2020 Nissan Frontier is also available in a king cab configuration and offers both standard and long beds. When properly equipped, this vehicle has an impressive 6,690 pound towing capacity. It does pretty well both off-road and on-road with the PRO-4X suspension package. Frontier’s six-speed gearbox makes the driving experience enduring, fun, and enjoyable.
6. 2020 Honda Ridgeline
The 2020 Honda Ridgeline is an innovative mix of modern pickup trucks and crossover SUVs. It has a spacious cabin and a classier build compared to similar trucks in its class. The two-full-row 2020 Honda Ridgeline has received a couple of updates for the year 2020.
Some of the latest model features include a fresh, nine-speed automatic transmission, fewer trim levels, and extra standard features. The RT and RTL-T variants have also been excluded from this year’s lineup. The previous model’s 5.0-inch infotainment system has been upgraded to a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen.
What Does King Cab Mean On A Truck?
When manufacturers noticed their trucks being used by drivers other than construction crews and farmers, they pursued designing extended cab trucks. These designs are now known as ‘king cab trucks’ owing to their superior look and extra seating.
The two extra seats in trucks with this cab configuration are accessed by folding the two front seats forward. Some cabs have what are known as ‘suicide doors;’ basically, small doors you have to open to access the back seats. Suicide door type cabs typically have four, hinged-doors with the two at the back shortened.
King cabs are great if you wish to travel with your family, but you fancy neither an SUV nor a minivan. King cabs can accommodate approximately three to six people. The extra space can also be used to carry extra cargo you wouldn’t want rolling around in the truck bed such as books, electronics, litter boxes, etc.
To learn more about the other two types of truck cabs read, "Types of Truck Cabs Guide: Which is the Perfect Choice For You?"
Which Is Bigger; Crew Cab Or King Cab?
Crew cabs are generally bigger than crew cabs as far as cab dimensions go. The front headroom and legroom for king and crew cabs are often similar to one another. When it comes to second row headroom and legroom size, crew cabs have the upper hand, but only by a few inches.
For example, let's look at dimensions for second row seating. A king cab’s second row headroom measures 36.7 inches, whereas a crew cab’s measures 38.30 inches. A king cab’s second row legroom measures 28.6 inches, whereas a crew cab’s measures 35.8 inches.
Generally, if you want to haul a large group of people it makes perfect sense to use a crew cab. The ‘crew’ in the crew cab has a lot more meaning than you think! On the other hand, if you’re traveling solo or need to extend your cab a little, get a king cab because it has just the right configurations for anyone who values seating space.
What Does Ford Call Their Extended Cab?
The 2020 Ford F-150 is available in three basic configurations: Regular, SuperCab, and SuperCrew. The F-150 SuperCab configuration is Ford’s official extended regular cab. It essentially offers two rear windows with seating for five.
The F-150 SuperCab’s rear doors and windows are not full size. The rear-hinged doors swing open backward from the inside for more convenient access. The SuperCab stands out from competitors, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and the Ram 1500, in that it lacks a B-Pillar. This means that there’s nothing that prevents you from loading your cargo fast and easy.
The 33.5 inches worth of rear legroom offered by the F-150 SuperCab is spacious enough comfortable seating. If you need to maximize your cargo space, simply fold up the back seat bottoms. The SuperCab’s towing capacity stands at a solid, impressive 13,200 pounds.
Read, "How Long Is a Ford F150 Truck" to find out the lengths of these three configurations and which one will work best for you.
What Does Chevrolet Call Their Extended Cab?
There are three primary Chevy crew cab trucks: the Silverado 1500 Double Cab, the Silverado HD Double Cab, and the Colorado Extended Cab. The Chevy Colorado is closely associated with the ‘extended cab’ tag since it stands out from the rest of the cabs in so many ways due to its massive passenger room, among other impressive features.
The 2020 Chevy Colorado is a powerful and dependable midsize pickup that can haul large cargo and take on the most challenging jobs. The ride experience offered by this truck is simply unique. Users are treated to reduced vibration and zero noise, built-in Wi-Fi, and plenty of head and leg space.
The Colorado also features a satisfactory fuel economy for a truck its size. The actual mileage varies based on your frequency of travel and how regularly you maintain your vehicle.
Does Toyota Have A King Cab Truck?
Yes, it does! Toyota’s King Cab truck is known as the Toyota Tacoma Double Cab. Most drivers today prefer this truck as their added features favorite due to its well-rounded nature. It has a couple of off-road and luxury-oriented variants that put it ahead of the similar models in many ways.
The 2020 year has seen a ton of improvements for Toyota Tacoma. The interior, for example, is furnished with an advanced infotainment system that includes both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration.
Additional improvements include an upgraded driver’s seat, that now offers improved comfort and better adjustability. Toyota Tacoma's driver seat features power-adjustments and is upholstered using the finest leather and premium fabric. The seat is foldable to provide access to extra storage space. Some exterior highlights include a bed-liner, backup camera, and a proximity smart key system.
Now you know which pickup trucks feature king cabs, and what types of cabs are comparable as far as size goes. Hopefully, you have learned enough about each truck to investigate a bit further to choose the best pickup for your needs.