Why not consider a FWD wagon? V70 or 855 with a good set of snows. They hold their own in bad weather (as long as you have winter tires on) and lack all the AWD problems. They are cheaper to run, lighter and faster than AWD. If you are considering another RWD Volvo, then AWD is not an issue for you, so avoid it if you can. More trouble than it's worth. Think how many times per year you REALLY need it. FWD with winter tires is plenty good most of the time as is RWD with winter tires (I have both). If you are happy with your 740 but want the comfort and additional safety features of the newer models, go for the V70 or 855 and buy a set of winter tires. I never really liked the Volvo AWD that much (especially compared to Subie or Audi) when I drove them. Who wants to throw away three good tires if one gets a blow-out? Well, if you own a AWD Volvo (excluding the latest models), you will have to do just that or risk damage to the transfer gears.

Good luck!
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Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 - hers,