When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Bentley 220 Cruise 2008 and the Bentley 243 Cruise Rear Entry 2008 are pontoon designs with fiberglass 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 — Bentley 220 Cruise 2008 at 22,0 ft versus Bentley 243 Cruise Rear Entry 2008 at 24,0 ft. At 173 lbs and 194 lbs respectively, both sit in a similar weight class — either should pair comfortably with most mid-size SUVs and half-ton trucks, though always confirm your specific tow rating with the motor added.
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 200 hp, the Bentley 243 Cruise Rear Entry 2008 has a 85-hp advantage over the Bentley 220 Cruise 2008's 115-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 24 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 Bentley 243 Cruise Rear Entry 2008 is rated for 16 passengers, while the Bentley 220 Cruise 2008 caps at 15. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Bentley 243 Cruise Rear Entry 2008 could be the deciding factor.
Both are 2-tube and 3-tube pontoon designs respectively. Tube diameter and gauge affect stability and load capacity — more so than most buyers realize when comparing on paper.
Bottom line: Choose the Bentley 243 Cruise Rear Entry 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 16 passengers and at 24,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Bentley 220 Cruise 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 15 that costs less to run day-to-day.