The Bennington 20 SL 2012 vs Bennington 207 Si 2004 comparison sits squarely in the category of decisions where specs alone won't tell the whole story: intended use, storage, and long-term ownership costs all factor in.
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department - Bennington 20 SL 2012 at 20,4 ft versus Bennington 207 Si 2004 at 19,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 20 SL 2012 tips the scales at 1 711 lbs - 161 lbs more than the Bennington 207 Si 2004 at 1 550 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 - 70 hp for the Bennington 20 SL 2012 and 75 hp for the Bennington 207 Si 2004. 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bennington 207 Si 2004 carries 26 gallons versus 21 gallons in the Bennington 20 SL 2012. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bennington 20 SL 2012 is rated for 23 passengers, while the Bennington 207 Si 2004 caps at 10. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 20 SL 2012 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Bennington 20 SL 2012 if your priority is putting more people on the water - it handles 23 passengers and at 20,4 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bennington 207 Si 2004 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 10 that costs less to run day-to-day.