When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Avalon 22 ft. Paradise 2012 and the Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008 are pontoon 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 — Avalon 22 ft. Paradise 2012 at 22,0 ft versus Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008 at 22,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008 tips the scales at 2 035 lbs — 1 830 lbs less than the Avalon 22 ft. Paradise 2012 at 205 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 — 125 hp for the Avalon 22 ft. Paradise 2012 and 125 hp for the Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008. 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.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Avalon 22 ft. Paradise 2012 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Avalon Somerset - 22 Foot 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 14 passengers and at 22,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Avalon 22 ft. Paradise 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.