Long bed vs Short bed?

I have a DCSB. This is a tough question. I like the look and extra maneuverability of the short bed, but there are times I wish I had the extra length for hauling or stretching out in the capper. You have to weigh your needs and what you will do the most with it.

 

Looks like a weiner dog with short legs.

 

Nobody has asked why you want a Tacoma in the first place, so I will... What are you expecting to get out of a Tacoma that your F150 doesn't provide?

As far as DCLB vs DCSB, for me it came down to...

1. No manual in DCLB
2. DCLB doesn't fit in my garage

And you know what shares those characteristics? Every full size truck on the market. DCLB is nonsense from a value/practicality standpoint. Unless you're using it as a trail limo or something get a damn full size. JMO.

 

DCLB is nonsense from a value/practicality standpoint? Wow, sorry all DCLB owners..you're idiots!

 

Yup. That's what I said.

Look. It's a fine truck. I just think you get more value from a full size of similar length. It's page 5, I thought we were doing hot takes now.

 

DCLB is a fullsize-ish bed with the practicality of not being a full size boat truck. I had a Sonata, and then bought a 2nd gen Tacoma DCSB that I traded in for my 3rd gen DCLB. Anytime I used that things bed, I was always coming up shy. I bought it to use the bed, every inch counts. If you need a truck for truck stuff in the bed, LB, if you need an SUV with the practicality of a bed, SB. If you use a truck for anything more than stuff in the bed, stay in your truck.

 

one of the keys for me is I refuse to have a truck that wont fit in my garage, so I had to buy a short bed. The long bed is too long for mine. I could have had an access cab, like my 2nd gen, but we sold our 4 dr car and I like to sometimes drive full size real people around. Cant really do that with an access cab. So had to fit in my garage, and occasionally haul friends. Thats why I chose the double cab short bed. I do use the bed a lot, but have been able to haul just fine with the shorter bed.

 

I get a kick out of the folks who say the long bed is so much harder to maneuver in parking lots and to park, etc. IT'S ONLY 1 FOOT LONGER than the double cab short bed! I came from a 2018 F150 SupCrew with the 5.5' bed. Even though the bed was a half foot shorter, it was still 6" longer overall than my longbed double cab Tacoma. I had never had any trouble parking that and I sure don't have any trouble parking or maneuvering my Tacoma. Years ago I had a '99 F250 crew cab with the 8' bed. Now THAT was a pain in the butt in parking lots!

 

my son has a 2017 DC short bed and i had a 2017 DC long bed. the long bed is a ton more useful. a full size cooler takes most of the short bed up. its crazy how small that short be actually is when you put anything in it. you coming from a full size truck i think you'll be happier with a long bed..

 

I was on the fence between DCSB MT and DCLB. If the LB was available in MT it would have been an easy choice for me. Lots of tradeoffs to consider. I was coming from an '02 DC with 5' bed so I know I could live with it if it came down to it. But the LB was much desired since I'm out camping 2-3 times a month and almost always haul a moto plus my mountain bike on trips. With a short bed I max out at 3 people for a road trip, or 2 people with camping gear if I bring the moto. Long bed makes a huge difference here when moto and camping gear are involved. My dual sport moto just barely fit diagonally in the 5' bed with tailgate up - not much room for anything else. Newer mountain bikes are forever getting longer. My current bike just can just barely lay down in the 5' bed. The newer 29" wheel bikes will only fit diagonally in a short bed which limits your options for transport. An XL 29er is slightly longer than the 6' bed. So a short bed would be an annoyance 2-3 times a week when I get a new, longer bike, and would be a serious inconvenience on road trips a couple times a month.

Long bed is a bit harder, but still doable in parking lots especially with the backup camera. Where the long bed is a lot harder is when you need to parallel park. We have lots of urban neighborhoods here that are very hard to find parking spots, and the long bed will be a huge pain here. The backup cam will help, but this is my biggest hangup with the LB. Had to measure that it would fit in my garage also - and it will, with about 14-16" to spare. A full size truck, at even 6-8" longer, would be almost un-workable in my garage. And considering the Taco gets better gas mileage than most full size trucks - and price is decent to better by comparison with better reliability and durability, the Taco was a no brainer. Went with the LB for reasons up top. I decided I need the LB more than I wanted the MT.

 

That's not true. I know plenty of full size chevy and Dodge owners running the 5.3 V8 and 5.7 hemi that are getting up to 24mpg. My Tacoma never got that. Hell my GMC with a 6.2 and max tow package just got high 21 to low 22 mpg on a recent 400 mile trip to VA. Only way my Tacoma would have gotten that was to hold 60-65 mpg the entire way. Screw that. .

Lots of good things about the Tacoma but mpg isn't one of them. I couldn't believe how poor of mpg my Tacoma got for a small V6 truck.

 

SB suits my needs perfectly.

 

Never, regret if you go L.B. but, may be sorry... if you choose the S.B. ?

 

This is so true...

 

I've had both.

With the short bed there were many time I'd always wished I had more space. Since owning the long bed I've never thought I had too much.

 

Say's the owner of a 1980's Two door Mustang...

 

Wanted a newer medium sized 4x4 vehicle with a manual trans. Tacoma is literally the only option. I would probably own a 4runner otherwise.

 

I wanted a long bed, either access cab or 4-door. Future expansion/needs of the family played the deciding role in choosing which one. My DCLB SR5 is soooo worth it.

 

Long bed tank should be bigger for longer range.

 

Crew cab, short bed, auto is the most popular configuration which is why I bought mine. Figured that if I don't like it I can always sell it no problem.