When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the MirroCraft 1686 2013 and the MirroCraft 1945 2013 are deep vee designs with aluminum 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 — MirroCraft 1686 2013 at 16,8 ft versus MirroCraft 1945 2013 at 18,7 ft. At 9 lbs and 19 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 200 hp, the MirroCraft 1945 2013 has a 140-hp advantage over the MirroCraft 1686 2013's 60-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the MirroCraft 1945 2013 carries 41 gallons versus 29 gallons in the MirroCraft 1686 2013. 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 MirroCraft 1945 2013 is rated for 8 passengers, while the MirroCraft 1686 2013 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the MirroCraft 1945 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the MirroCraft 1945 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 18,7 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The MirroCraft 1686 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.