When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Polar Kraft 168 SC 2008 and the Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012 are modified 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 — Polar Kraft 168 SC 2008 at 16,0 ft versus Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012 at 18,9 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012 tips the scales at 1 375 lbs — 303 lbs less than the Polar Kraft 168 SC 2008 at 1 072 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.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 130 hp for the Polar Kraft 168 SC 2008 and 150 hp for the Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 27 gal and 27 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012 is rated for 7 passengers, while the Polar Kraft 168 SC 2008 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Polar Kraft Frontier V 189 SC 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 7 passengers and at 18,9 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Polar Kraft 168 SC 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.