Is it worth buying a pickup with a regular cab, which only 3% of buyers choose?
Recently, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, introducing the 1500 Rumble Bee pickup, stated that “keyboard warriors” will “complain” that the model is only available in a quad cab version. He added that only 3% of pickup sales are for models with a regular cab, and if people really wanted such vehicles, they would buy them.
Tim Kuniskis emphasized that low demand is the reason the Rumble Bee is only produced in a quad cab version. Most models with a regular cab are limited to basic trims.
This brings us to the question of the day: would you actually buy a pickup with a regular cab? This question has been spinning in my head for the past few weeks, as one of my first cars was a Chevrolet S-10 with an extended cab. It had a three-person front seat and one rear passenger seat mounted sideways.
This small pickup was useful for carrying two people and a minimal amount of cargo inside the cabin. Of course, sometimes I stuffed four people in there, but no one was particularly happy, unless the person in the middle was an attractive blonde.
Unfortunately, such cases were rare, and I don’t think I would ever own a pickup with an extended cab again, let alone a regular cab model. It’s frankly too limiting for daily use.
Michael Gauthier / Carscoops
Practicality and applications of regular cab pickups
However, that’s the point. For daily use, such a configuration doesn’t make much sense, but a regular cab pickup would be an excellent work vehicle used exclusively for towing or hauling cargo in the bed. There are also arguments for a specialized sports pickup, but that significantly narrows the target audience.
With all this in mind, would you purchase a pickup with a regular cab, or would you settle for a model with a four-door cab (quad or crew cab)?
It’s worth noting that while regular cab pickups are losing popularity in the mass market, they still have their niche. For example, in agriculture, construction, or utilities, such vehicles are valued for their lower weight, better maneuverability, and lower price compared to multi-passenger versions. Additionally, for enthusiasts building projects like “muscle trucks” or drag racing machines, the regular cab is the preferred choice due to its lower curb weight. Thus, while 3% of the market looks like a small share, for certain categories of buyers, this configuration remains the optimal solution; these buyers are just rarely the “keyboard warriors” Kuniskis mentioned.