guess you expected some feedback...
I should think that most XC owners are more concerned about arriving safely at their destinations and have wisely made conscious decisions to protect themselves from thoughtless thrill seekers carelessly driving whilst trying to see how fast they can go without upsetting their passengers.
There is no comparison between the XC and the Suby other than a financial one. Most importantly there are no comparisons between the benchmarks and innovations in safety between Volvo and any other car company. I would expect a high production car to outsell one that isn't 10:1 in a year as well. And frankly I hope they do, I wouldn't want Volvo to become another car company of that class. The company was founded with a dedication to protecting it's car's occupants and has successfully done so for many years. Persons holding these ideals important don't realistically place prices on them. Frivolous things like secondary sunroofs and in-dash multi changers mean nothing when broadsided by an Expedition.
I can't imagine there is any comparison the quality of materials in these two motorcars....Never-the-less, I do hope you enjoy your Suby, and I too wish you safe driving.
I considered this also, but ...
'05 Outbacks are in short supply in my area, so they would be very close to the price of the '04 XC70 with discounts (our fully equipped '04 XC70 with hitch was $36K US 2 months ago). I like the 2.5 5 cyl. idle and low speed feel better than the Sub. 4 cyl 2.5 models ('04's) I've driven, and the Volvo has better low end torque (at 1500 rpm) compared to the '05 OB turbo, even though the Sub. gets more peak torque higher up.
The major reason we decided against waiting to test the '05 OB is that it is a NEW design. We decided we would not consider it because of teething problems that most new designs have. Our 2000 V70XC gave us excellent service with no mechanical problems (after several years of development by Volvo). My wife's son bought the car and it is going strong.
It would be interesting to see a comparison test done between the '05 XC70 and '05 OB.
Cheers,
Dave