When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 22 SLi 2011 and the Bennington 22 SSX 2013 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 — Bennington 22 SLi 2011 at 21,8 ft versus Bennington 22 SSX 2013 at 21,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Bennington 22 SSX 2013 tips the scales at 2 553 lbs — 2 377 lbs less than the Bennington 22 SLi 2011 at 176 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 — 115 hp for the Bennington 22 SLi 2011 and 115 hp for the Bennington 22 SSX 2013. 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 22 SSX 2013 carries 27 gallons versus 24 gallons in the Bennington 22 SLi 2011. 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 22 SSX 2013 is rated for 25 passengers, while the Bennington 22 SLi 2011 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 22 SSX 2013 could be the deciding factor.