At 34’2” overall, the 342 is big enough to give you a smooth ride even at high speed. And when we say “high” we mean it…our out-of-the-box 342 hit a top-end speed of just over 70 mph which is plenty to rearrange everybody’s hairdo. Her traditional deep-V bottom tracks straight and true with no tendency to chine walk, and Baja continues to make its case against step bottoms by proving it with the sure-footed carving and handling of the 342. And thanks to the fuel economy of the Merc 502 EFI sterndrives, the 342 can run for nearly 400 miles at 42mph on a single stop at the fuel dock. Down below she has adult-size luxury accommodations for two, or four in a pinch. But the cabin—with its full galley and enclosed head—is also a pretty nice place to hang out while waiting for the rainstorm to pass by. All in all, the 342 represents a way to get into performance boating at a price point that won’t sink your boating budget.

• Top speed for the Baja 342 is 70.1 mph (112.8 kph), burning 66.4 gallons per hour (gph) or 251.32 liters per hour (lph).


• Best cruise for the Baja 342 is 31.4 mph (50.5 kph), and the boat gets 1.99 miles per gallon (mpg) or 0.85 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 368 miles (592.24 kilometers).


• Tested power is 2 x 415-hp MerCruiser 502 MPI (Bravo I).