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Update -- During a work trip near a dealer that happened to have an SVR, I stopped in and was offered a test drive. Who am I to refuse? The following are impressions from that brief drive (which did not include any real turns, so cannot evaluate handling):
(1) Gobs of power, but that already is clear. No lag.
(2) Exhaust sound aggressive and fun. Toggling the exhaust button does change the volume somewhat, but not dramatically. I would not put the sound on par with a specifically chosen after-market exhaust (when the owner can choose his preferred tone from various manufacturers), but it is far preferable to a regular factory exhaust. I think I may like the sound of the GLC63 with the performance exhaust a little better, but it is a close call.
(3) Firm and seemingly very comfortable front seats, easily adjustable to a comfortable position. Steering wheel's electric adjust also allows driver to place it as wanted. Seat cooling works well.
(4) Rear seat space more than adequate and significantly more than the competition (MB GLC, BMW X3/4M, Macan). I am 6'2", adjusted the driver seat to my normal driving position and then sat behind it. There was still noticeable space between my knees and the driver seat back. Back seat is somewhat upright, but should be a comfortable place for two passengers, and fine for three on a short trip. Rear seats fold down easily and mostly flat. Noticeably more spacious than the X3/X4.
(5) Infotainment display is large, clear and responds quickly. The scuttlebutt is that it will be updated with dual touch screens, but what is there now works very well and looks good.
(6) I would prefer a heavier steering feel. (I am used to BMW.)
(7) Visibility not the best with a somewhat high beltline, but I am sure that also was a factor of driving an unfamiliar $90,000 car not belonging to me in an unfamiliar area.
(8) Center arm rest is comfortable, but the storage compartment under it is very small.
(9) The roads were smooth, but I could tell that the ride was supple and, as the early reviewers indicated, seems to strike the right balance between handling and comfort. (This car had the 22" wheels.)
(10) I compared the upgraded sound system with another car with the standard system, and the $450 upgrade seems worth it.
(11) Transmission finds gears quickly. I sampled manual shifts with the paddles and the shifts were quick and downshifts skipping two or three gears were executed without a complaint. This is no SMG or DSG, but I foresee no reason for complaints here.
(12) The entire interior is executed very well. The front seats are beautiful. The dash flows nicely and the controls seem intuitive and easy to operate. I prefer this over the GLC's stuck-on ipad-like display (with which I am well familiar since it is on my wife's MB CLA45, and which will be replaced in the 2021 GLC). The X4M's dash is more modern than the GLC's, but I am less a fan of the trapezoidal shapes there. The SVR's configurable instruments look nice, although the animated tach needle seemed a little slow and doesn't work as well as an analog one. The headliner feels luxurious. The pano roof is huge and has a separate control for the mostly black-out screen.
In sum, I like it. Hope to be able to drive a X4M (or X3M) at some point soon to compare. I want to like the BMW. I expect it may feel more taut. I doubt it will feel (or be) faster. I do like the look of the SVR more than either the X3 or X4, and for me I think the SVR may strike the better balance with respect to size for every day use and long trips. Jury is still out.
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