As I mentioned in the first-dirve Alltrack thread - I took a spin in a non AWD VW wagon to to get my impression .. and felt the only significant difference (to me) compared to the V60 T5 was was that the VW ran out of breath way quicker for highway passing. So you and I are pretty much on the same page there.
In terms of size / capacity etc .. you said the V60 is cramped. Well - after sitting in both, I find them pretty much the same. I don't think the back-seat legroom is any better in the VW than the Volvo. And if you are not piling up cargo past the top of the seats .. not that much different there either
As for price .. the buyout on the V60 (after 2 years) was *less* than it was going to cost for a VW Comfortline with the sunroof-blind spot package (+ PDI) And this doesn't count that the Volvo has Xenon headlights (and I've already paid for winter-wheels . .but that wouldn't factor into the decision of someone starting from scratch). So - thanks to the heavy depreciation of a Volvo, you could probably get a 2-year old one at a price similar to a new VW... and the Volvo drives just as nice as the VW + more power. I admit I that I have the "old-tech" engine/platform and that doesn't bother me a bit.
As to the Subaru 3.6. I tested that as well. Pulls much nicer than the VW but otherwise is a totally different driving experience. It feels nothing like your GT. You won't be taking on/off ramps at 2x speed. I test-drove a used 2008 GT before taking the lease on the Volvo and that was a fun car (I was scared off by a less-than-stellar CarProof report).
But .. yeah .. I don't know why I stick with wagons either when a Honda Fit would do me 95% of the time. Even better .. a car-sharing service would do me 95% of the time.
Thanks for the insight here. I should elaborate: I do love the V60 - but used AWD models are still pricier than i'd like (understandable given how briefly the V60 has been on the market), and for the equivalent $ I could get some seriously high performance in a sedan like an S4 or even an S60 R-design. Also, given the V60's footpring, the cargo space just isn't as flexible as it ought to be, IMO, especially considering I would also buy the spare tire kit, which would further diminish cargo space.
That said, the V60's front seats are incredibly comfortable, and the engines do put out considerably more power than the VW, and the exterior styling is still gorgeous. So for those reasons alone, I still may come around to the V60. And I agree, there's nothing inherently wrong with "old tech" necessarily, especially if we're talking about the tried-and-true turbo'd inline-6
I have driven a V60 T6 AWD and was really impressed; I suppose I should test drive a T5 AWD (5-cyl) and see if the power works for me, too.
Re: the Subaru, good to know re: the Outback - i guess I'll take a look at one when I can, and keep my expectations in check