Both the Tahoe Pontoons 23 ft. LT 2012 and the Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, so 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 - Tahoe Pontoons 23 ft. LT 2012 at 23,0 ft versus Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 at 26,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 tips the scales at 2 475 lbs - 425 lbs less than the Tahoe Pontoons 23 ft. LT 2012 at 2 050 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 175 hp, the Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 has a 50-hp advantage over the Tahoe Pontoons 23 ft. LT 2012's 125-hp ceiling - enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Tahoe Pontoons 23 ft. LT 2012 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Tahoe Pontoons 26 ft. Vista Elite 2013 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 14 passengers and at 26,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Tahoe Pontoons 23 ft. LT 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 11 that costs less to run day-to-day.