When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Ranger Z120 2011 and the Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013 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?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Ranger Z120 2011 at 20,4 ft versus Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013 at 19,5 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Ranger Z120 2011 tips the scales at 1 735 lbs — 110 lbs more than the Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013 at 1 625 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 200 hp for the Ranger Z120 2011 and 200 hp for the Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013. 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. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Ranger Z120 2011 carries 24 gallons versus 2 gallons in the Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013. 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 Ranger Z120 2011 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Ranger Z120 2011 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Ranger Z120 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 20,4 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Ranger Z519 Comanche 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.