Boat Test: 2026 Tiara 56 LS

Overview

There’s no sense in beating around the bush. The Tiara 56 LS, the flagship of Tiara’s sport line, is one of the biggest, baddest and most luxurious outboard-powered boats you’ll find on the water. Powered by four 600 Mercury Verados, the 56 LS moves in a way that belies its wide beam and near-20 ton weight. Its smoothness and handling evoke that of a much smaller sport boat.

Interior and Accessories

But if you’re looking to buy the 56 LS, you’re probably looking at it for other reasons, significantly its well-thought out layout and accommodations. The boat is designed for socialization, starting in the aft cockpit. A forward and aft-facing settee surround a robust teak table to create a space that’s great for conversation or on-water dining. A hatch behind the aft settee lifts to reveal a grill, sink and built-in cooler. Tiara calls this the “Buffet Lounge” package. If you like to fish, Tiara offers the option of swiping out the Buffet Lounge for an adventure module, offering instead an aft prep station that includes a 59-gallon livewell, six rod holders (along with two combination rod/cupholders), a freezer tank, freshwater wash down and storage drawers. One of the coolest things about the new 56 LS has to be twin drop-down terraces—with the push of a button, both the port and starboard cockpit gunwales can be independently lowered to create an open-air feel or for swim access to either side while at anchor.

The bow cockpit, accessible via a walkway on the starboard side, offers a second socialization spot, with wraparound seating and twin cockpit tables that can be folded out to create one big table. With its deep freeboard and plush seating, a full crew can sit in safety and comfort. One cool thing to note, the windlass anchor locker has two dedicated holders for plastic buckets, which can come in handy for cleaning the boat, dealing with fish or any other reason.

The salon under the hardtop offers yet another socialization point, with an aft-facing wraparound lounge and a teak table. While the salon and helm are fully enclosed in glass, sliding glass doors open to the aft cockpit to create seamless access to everything going on in the back of the boat. The glass protects everyone inside from the elements while bathing the area in natural light and providing excellent visibility for the captain at the helm. Open the hardtop sunroof for more natural light or an ocean breeze. If it’s too hot, turn on the standard air conditioning and enjoy.

Two well-appointed state rooms hide belowdecks, with the forward master stateroom having its own private head with a separate standup shower. A smart TV pops out of the cabinet should you want to watch the game or maybe some reruns while resting in the queen island berth. Unless you play center for an NBA team, there’s plenty of headroom.

The midship stateroom has direct access to the day head, which also has a separate, fully-enclosed standup shower. The guest stateroom has twin beds that can be combined to form an island queen, so its adaptable for kids or a guest couple.

Engines

While the 56 LS is a continuation of Tiara’s sport line that offers six models ranging from the 34 to this one, its hull is a completely new design made specifically to match with the four Mercury 600 Verados. All that horsepower combined with the Zipwake Dynamic Trim Control System help the boat climb onto plane in about five seconds with very little bowrise. It took only 10 seconds to hit 30 mph, remarkable for such a stout boat. The boat cruised very comfortably in the 3500 to 4500 rpm range and hit a top speed of 54.4 mph at wide-open throttles. Hardover turns at 30 mph proved effortless, and it sliced through boat wakes and small chop without pounding or rattling.

If you’re window shopping, there aren’t too many outboard-powered boats of this size around for comparison. The Formula 500 Super Sport Crossover offers a quad Mercs in a slightly smaller (53’4” x 14’6”) package, with a 650-gallon fuel capacity by comparison. Intrepid’s 51 Panacea also offers quad outboards, but it’s also smaller and more of a true center console.

With the 56LS, you’re getting plenty of performance, a layout designed for maximizing socializing, and a standards list it takes up two whole pages of the brochure. Whether you want to overnight, anchor out and relax or run up the coast with a little oomph, the 56 LS has got you covered.

How We Tested

• Engines: Four 600-hp Mercury Verado Outboards 
• Props: Verado 27.5 diameter contra-rotating 3-blade and 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.97:1/2.50:1  Fuel Load: 100 gal. Crew Weight: 750 pounds

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation