When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Malibu Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V 2010 and the Malibu Wakesetter VLX 2011 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?
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 505 hp, the Malibu Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V 2010 has a 95-hp advantage over the Malibu Wakesetter VLX 2011's 410-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Malibu Wakesetter VLX 2011 carries 48 gallons versus 37 gallons in the Malibu Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V 2010. 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 Malibu Wakesetter VLX 2011 is rated for 14 passengers, while the Malibu Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V 2010 caps at 8. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Malibu Wakesetter VLX 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Malibu Wakesetter VLX 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 14 passengers and at 21,5 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Malibu Corvette Limited Edition Sport-V 2010 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 8 that costs less to run day-to-day.