Okay gang - I'm a newbie here, but couldn't resist posting a note to get some of you purists thinking. Here's the reality -- as a V70 owner I love my wagon and despise the idea of trading it in for something bigger. But speaking on behalf of moms (who are too busy and too tired in general to spend any time reading much less posting notes) 7 seats is becoming mandatory. So why not get the rear seat installed -- a great idea! But kids between 60 & 80 pounds are the only ones who can sit in the "way back". So if your kids are anywhere else on the scale, you've got only 3 seats. (Kids can't sit in the front seat if less than 12.) So if you have 2 or 3 kids of your own, you can pretty much forget carpooling or taking friends anywhere (especially given that the law (here in California) is they must be in carseats to 60 pounds -- 3 carseats across the back of the V70 is really tight). Hence the (God forbid) minivan...or the SUV. Frankly, as difficult as it may be for many of you to swallow the idea, I'm thrilled that I can have my Volvo & my 7 (real) seats too. Given the options, wouldn't you be?