When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 20 SL 2012 and the Bennington 24SLi 2010 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?

Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Bennington 24SLi 2010 measures 23,7 feet overall (2010), giving it roughly 3,3 additional feet of deck space compared to the Bennington 20 SL 2012 at 20,4 feet (2012). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 20 SL 2012 tips the scales at 1 711 lbs — 1 525 lbs more than the Bennington 24SLi 2010 at 186 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 70 hp, the Bennington 20 SL 2012 has a 45-hp advantage over the Bennington 24SLi 2010's 25-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 21 gal and 24 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Bennington 24SLi 2010 is rated for 25 passengers, while the Bennington 20 SL 2012 caps at 23. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 24SLi 2010 could be the deciding factor.

One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 2 aluminum tubes at 23" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.