When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Key Largo 174 2012 and the Key Largo 196 2012 are deep vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Key Largo 174 2012 at 17,0 ft versus Key Largo 196 2012 at 19,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Key Largo 174 2012 tips the scales at 1 375 lbs — 1 180 lbs more than the Key Largo 196 2012 at 195 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 150 hp, the Key Largo 196 2012 has a 60-hp advantage over the Key Largo 174 2012's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Key Largo 196 2012 carries 65 gallons versus 35 gallons in the Key Largo 174 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Key Largo 196 2012 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Key Largo 174 2012 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Key Largo 196 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Key Largo 196 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 19,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Key Largo 174 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.