When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Scout 320 LXF 2013 and the Scout 345 XSF 2012 are deep 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 — Scout 320 LXF 2013 at 32,3 ft versus Scout 345 XSF 2012 at 34,9 ft. At 71 lbs and 108 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.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 700 hp for the Scout 320 LXF 2013 and 700 hp for the Scout 345 XSF 2012. 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 Scout 320 LXF 2013 carries 262 gallons versus 33 gallons in the Scout 345 XSF 2012. 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 Scout 345 XSF 2012 is rated for 10 passengers, while the Scout 320 LXF 2013 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Scout 345 XSF 2012 could be the deciding factor.