When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Malibu 20 LSV 2010 and the Malibu FXi 2010 are modified vee 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?
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 505 hp for the Malibu 20 LSV 2010 and 505 hp for the Malibu FXi 2010. 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. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 46 gal and 46 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Malibu 20 LSV 2010 is rated for 11 passengers, while the Malibu FXi 2010 caps at 1. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Malibu 20 LSV 2010 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Malibu 20 LSV 2010 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 11 passengers and at 2,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Malibu FXi 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 1 that costs less to run day-to-day.