When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the ThunderJet V162-Eco 2012 and the ThunderJet V182-Eco 2012 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 — ThunderJet V162-Eco 2012 at 16,2 ft versus ThunderJet V182-Eco 2012 at 18,2 ft. At 107 lbs and 117 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 115 hp, the ThunderJet V182-Eco 2012 has a 25-hp advantage over the ThunderJet V162-Eco 2012's 90-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 32 gal and 32 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The ThunderJet V182-Eco 2012 is rated for 5 passengers, while the ThunderJet V162-Eco 2012 caps at 4. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the ThunderJet V182-Eco 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the ThunderJet V182-Eco 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 5 passengers and at 18,2 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The ThunderJet V162-Eco 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 4 that costs less to run day-to-day.