Flagship: Malibu Wakesetter 22 MXZ

Malibu’s Wakesetter 22 MXZ quickly became the stuff of legend for its wake prowess and progressive look. This boat ushered the wide-bow design into the Malibu family, and the public welcomed it with open arms. The two most notable features on the 22 MXZ are without a doubt the bow and the wake. Starting inside, the bow is massive, deep and wide, with plenty of luxury features: Traction covers areas where people will step when they’re boarding, and they’ll want to camp out up there because it’s fully equipped with cupholders, speakers, lighting and contoured seating. The wake is stellar because it’s a Malibu, and the company cares about making near-perfect ramps on every boat. The 22 MXZ also happens to hit a perfect size range that works well for producing reliable wakes. At just under 22 feet, this hull can sink into the water to produce enough mass for a very respectable wake, but more importantly, it’s not fickle or touchy, so you can just fill it and ride. For surfing, the 22 MXZ can be listed or it can be ordered with Surf Gate, which means you can keep the weight centered and make a wave on either side. Everything is controlled from the helm inside the boat. The new dash strikes a balance between tech, aesthetics and ease of use that’s rarely seen. The 12-inch center screen gives you everything you need to drive the boat and control primary functions, while the auxiliary screen houses deeper functionality that lets you really make the boat your own.

Dig This: The new dash features the same screens Mercedes uses, but what really impressed us were some of the in-depth functions like throttle sensitivity, auto-volume response and a new docking mode that governs the throttle’s throw so new drivers won’t slam into the dock. Little features like these are what make a Malibu great. Oh, and the wake – that’s fairly important too.

Stat: The 22 MXZ was the most successful new launch in Malibu history. While some now-popular models took a year or two to catch on, the 22 MXZ absolutely killed it in the fist year and has been going strong ever since. People were ready for a wide-bow option in the Malibu line.