Have you ever found yourself wondering if cars and trucks are the same things? If so, you’re not alone.
While these vehicle body styles have some very different outward appearances, they clearly still have a lot in common! Let’s take a deeper look at comparing the two to find out more.
Is a Truck Technically a Car?
While cars and trucks have a number of similarities, their differences are glaring when you know what to look for. Primarily, their design and weight.
Trucks must be at least 8500 pounds and designed for use off-road or off-highway; the takeaway here is that trucks are bigger and designed for more rugged use than cars.
As they are designed to be used in more commercial uses than most cars, they need to be larger and utilized in more areas than most cars. They are designed for more uses, such as towing, pulling, and especially carrying than regular cars.
We should also be considering pickup trucks. For most of us, when we think “truck” we imagine those with a bed; those are more properly referred to as “pickup trucks”.
While most trucks can be used to haul cargo, pickup trucks are the ones designed specifically for hauling loads.
While cars can also be used to haul, and some even have beds, they simply do not haul as much as pickup trucks. The key to keep in mind is that while pickup trucks are a class of trucks, not all trucks are pickup trucks, and that is something worth remembering in our discussion.
We should also consider off-road cars as well, given that some have been designed for off-road use.
Those vehicles have been designed for specific uses; while they can be used for some hauling and towing, in general, their loads are far lighter; they are usually used for scouting, when speed is more important than weight, and for a variety of recreational uses.
However, as noted the designation is not covered by what abuse they were designed for, but also the size; these vehicles are still too small to be considered trucks, and as noted we do not use them for the same tasks.
Differences Between Trucks and Cars
When we use cars and trucks, it’s generally for different purposes. While cars see a lot of general utility, they are generally used when speed is of more importance than the size of the load; they are thus used for deliveries of goods and people.
This also makes them ideal for pursuit vehicles, such as for law enforcement. Interestingly, it is also why they make better getaway vehicles than trucks as well.
In general, a car is better for light loads, transporting people, and when speed is of the essence, roles for which they are ideally suited.
Trucks, however, are used when we need to deal with bigger tasks. While we think of carrying large cargoes from one point to another, this applies to other tasks.
A pickup truck, for example, can be used to carry a heavy load not only in its bed but can also tow a large trailer, and it can carry that load to virtually any destination, while a car would be more likely to require multiple loads at best and would likely be stopped by the lack of paved roads.
Another way of looking at the difference is how we use them for scientific research. A car is used to scout out locations as its size and maneuverability allow it to check out locations thoroughly and return with few problems.
Their speed also makes them ideal vehicles to carry rush deliveries; if it needs to be there quick, it needs to go in a car.
Conversely, when we need to set up a lab or field station, a pickup truck can be used to carry all of the equipment to the location. We then have the option of sending the sample back to the lab or testing it in the field, allowing for a greater speed.
This also means that we can carry more emergency gear to the site, as well as more tools.
Is It Better to Have a Truck or a Car?
Obviously, we are going to question which vehicle is better, and it can be a complicated question. In general, we should consider the use of the vehicle and what we plan to use it for, as well as any applicable limitations.
Once all of those factors have been determined, it is easy to determine which is better for a given situation, and then we can act on that.
In general, a truck is a better vehicle because:
- It can carry more
- It can handle more terrain issues
- It carries significantly more weight
- They have more room to carry emergency gear and spare gas
For those looking for a vehicle that enables them to range further from a gas station and allow them more options in the field, a pickup truck is an ideal vehicle. The truck’s ability to carry large loads is arguably its best asset and one that can be well exploited.
On the other hand, a car is better because:
- It is usually faster than a truck
- It can get into and out of hard-to-maneuver areas
- It is more fuel-efficient than a truck
- It is better at dealing with traffic
For those looking for speed and maneuverability instead of size and capacity, a car is likely the optimal vehicle. However, it should be noted that its focus on speed and maneuverability makes it less able to handle other situations.
This should make the difference between car and truck reasonably easy to determine and apply. Obviously, each has its advantages and disadvantages that can be exploited by those interested, especially for those with an interest in specific tasks.
However, this should help those curious about the difference as well as those interested in which is better for their purposes.
