Watersports families have traditionally faced a difficult choice. A boat designed to create flat, soft wakes for slalom skiing usually cannot produce the size and shape serious wakeboarders and wakesurfers want. A dedicated wake boat, meanwhile, often creates too much displacement to satisfy an experienced skier.

The completely redesigned 2027 Malibu Wakesetter 20 VTX solves that fundamental problem.

With its agile handling and skiing-focused T-Cut Diamond Hull, the 20 VTX delivers the soft, low-profile wakes preferred by slalom skiers. When it is time to wakeboard or wakesurf, Malibu’s patented Surf Gate and Power Wedge III technologies transform the boat into an elite-level wake and wave producer.

For families who do not want to build their entire day around a single watersport, the new 20 VTX may be the most versatile boat on the market.

Completely Redesigned for 2027

The 2027 Malibu 20 VTX has been redesigned from the hull up, with a new hull, a more spacious interior and several practical improvements throughout the boat.

At 20 feet 5 inches, the new VTX is five inches longer than the previous model. It retains a compact footprint while creating noticeably more space inside, particularly in the wider and longer bow. Two adults can now sit comfortably in the forward seating area, making the boat feel larger than its overall length suggests.

The redesigned interior accommodates up to 11 people and introduces useful features seen aboard Malibu’s other recently redesigned models. These include an integrated garbage can in the bow walk-through and a new transom layout that improves how passengers move through the boat.

A New Transom Walk-Through

One of the most noticeable changes for 2027 is the new fibreglass transom walk-through.

Passengers can move from the swim platform into the cockpit without repeatedly stepping across the upholstery. This helps keep the interior cleaner while reducing long-term wear on the rear cushions.

An optional filler cushion allows owners to convert the space into a full transom sun pad when desired. It provides the convenience of a dedicated walk-through without sacrificing the lounging space families want while anchored or relaxing at the dock.

It is a relatively simple change, but one that should make a meaningful difference during everyday use.

Serious Slalom Performance from a V-Drive

The 2027 Malibu 20 VTX is the only AWSA-certified V-drive boat on the market. Its certification from the American Water Ski Association confirms what separates the VTX from a conventional wake boat: it is genuinely designed to accommodate serious slalom skiing.

Its standard T-Cut Diamond Hull is engineered to help the boat rise higher out of the water at skiing speeds, reducing displacement and creating a smaller, softer wake. The redesigned hull’s additional length and improved weight distribution make its skiing performance noticeably better than that of the previous VTX.

The 20 VTX is also the only boat in Malibu’s lineup equipped with a tow pylon positioned in the centre of the cockpit. This places the tow point closer to the boat’s centre of gravity, similar to the positioning found aboard a competition direct-drive ski boat.

When an advanced skier makes an aggressive cut outside the wake, a conventional rear-mounted tow point can allow that lateral force to pull the boat off its intended line. The VTX’s centrally located pylon helps the boat remain more balanced and consistent, improving both tracking and wake quality.

For families especially focused on skiing, the available ski tower provides additional rope clearance. Its design allows a skier to make an extremely wide cut—approaching 180 degrees behind the boat—without the rope interfering with the tower.

At appropriate skiing speeds, the Power Wedge III lift setting can also help raise the stern and further reduce the size of the wake.

Elite Wakesurfing and Wakeboarding Performance

The VTX may be designed to ski, but it is not limited to skiing.

Its Quad Hard Tank ballast system uses four integrated tanks: one in the bow, one in the centre and two in the rear. Together with Power Wedge III, the system provides up to 3,269 pounds of maximum ballast and simulated displacement.

Power Wedge III is mounted beneath the transom and can generate approximately 1,000 to 1,500 pounds of downforce, depending on its position. Instead of requiring additional physical ballast to increase displacement, the wedge allows the driver to quickly adjust the height and shape of the wake or surf wave.

Its lift setting has the opposite effect, helping raise the stern with the equivalent effect of removing approximately 500 pounds from the back of the boat. This can improve acceleration and help reduce the wake when setting the boat up for slalom skiing.

Malibu’s patented Surf Gate technology allows the driver to create a surf wave on either side without having to move passengers or unevenly distribute ballast. Surf Gate works with the ballast system and Power Wedge III to produce a customizable wave with the size, length and steepness required for different riding styles.

When equipped with Surf Gate, the VTX also includes Malibu’s Surf Band. Worn by the rider, the Surf Band allows the surfer to adjust the boat’s speed, change the Power Wedge position and switch the surf wave from one side to the other—all without returning to the boat.

The result is wakeboarding and wakesurfing performance that would be difficult to expect from such a compact boat.

A Redesigned Malibu Command Center

The 2027 VTX introduces Malibu’s newly redesigned Command Center, featuring a sleek, automotive-inspired touchscreen at the helm.

The system brings the boat’s major settings together in an intuitive interface, allowing the driver to manage speed, ballast, Power Wedge III, Surf Gate and rider presets. A secondary passenger-side display provides convenient access to lighting, entertainment and other onboard comfort features.

This makes switching between sports significantly easier. Rather than manually reconfiguring the boat each time the next rider chooses a different activity, the driver can quickly transition from a slalom setup to a wakeboarding wake or wakesurfing wave.

Malibu Monsoon Power

The 2027 Malibu 20 VTX comes standard with the 5.3-litre Malibu Monsoon M5Di engine. Owners can upgrade to the 6.2-litre M6Di for additional power and torque.

For most VTX owners, however, the M5Di should be an excellent match for the size, weight and intended uses of the boat. The M6Di remains available for customers who want maximum power, but it is not necessary to unlock the VTX’s core skiing, wakeboarding and wakesurfing capabilities.

A tandem-axle Malibu trailer is also included as standard equipment, making the compact VTX a practical option for families who frequently trailer between lakes.

Available Tower Configurations

Owners can configure the 20 VTX with either Malibu’s regular Ascend tower or the skiing-focused tower.

The Ascend tower is the natural choice for families who prioritize wakeboarding, wakesurfing and conventional day-to-day use. The ski tower is designed for owners who want maximum rope clearance for aggressive slalom skiing.

This choice allows customers to tailor the boat toward their preferred sport without giving up the VTX’s underlying crossover capabilities.

2027 Malibu 20 VTX Specifications

Who Is the Malibu 20 VTX Designed For?

The 20 VTX is best suited to a family whose time on the water is not defined by only one activity.

It can satisfy an experienced slalom skier looking for a competitive-quality pull while still producing the wakes and waves needed for high-level wakeboarding and wakesurfing. Less experienced riders can also benefit from easily adjustable settings that allow the boat’s performance to progress alongside their abilities.

Its compact dimensions make it especially appealing to boaters with smaller lakes, limited dock space or boathouse restrictions. It is also easier to store and trailer than the larger boats in Malibu’s Wakesetter lineup.

The VTX is not simply a large wake boat scaled down to 20 feet. Its hull, tow point, weight distribution and available tower configurations have been purposefully designed around true multisport performance.

One Boat Without the Usual Compromise

Most crossover boats can technically pull a skier, wakeboarder or surfer. The distinction is how well they perform each job.

The redesigned 2027 Malibu Wakesetter 20 VTX combines a substantially improved slalom wake with industry-leading wake-enhancing technology, a more spacious interior and one of the most practical layouts the model has offered.

For watersports families who want competitive skiing performance without giving up serious wakesurfing or wakeboarding capabilities, the 20 VTX offers something genuinely uncommon: one compact boat that does all three at a remarkably high level.

To learn more about the new 2027 Malibu Wakesetter 20 VTX, request pricing or arrange a viewing, contact Town & Country Marine or visit our Lakefield showroom.