When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bennington 2250 RCL 2012 and the Bennington 23SL3 I/O 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?

The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 320 hp, the Bennington 23SL3 I/O 2010 has a 295-hp advantage over the Bennington 2250 RCL 2012's 25-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Bennington 23SL3 I/O 2010 carries 62 gallons versus 56 gallons in the Bennington 2250 RCL 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 2250 RCL 2012 is rated for 25 passengers, while the Bennington 23SL3 I/O 2010 caps at 12. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bennington 2250 RCL 2012 could be the deciding factor.