When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Malibu LXi 2009 and the Malibu Sportster 2005 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 — 400 hp for the Malibu LXi 2009 and 400 hp for the Malibu Sportster 2005. 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 — 41 gal and 38 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Malibu LXi 2009 is rated for 9 passengers, while the Malibu Sportster 2005 caps at 6. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Malibu LXi 2009 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Malibu LXi 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 9 passengers and at 2,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Malibu Sportster 2005 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 6 that costs less to run day-to-day.