I don't think CR is biased. I just think that they try to compare items to some baseline. Reliabilty is reliability, so there isn't too much intuitive debate there with Lex/Toy/Honda/Acura being at the top of the heap. Ford recently topped Toy and others in an initial quality survey - so maybe the Volvo has really improved and is more reliable now?

I don't think i-drive is difficult, but it is not as easy to use than the Lex/Acura set-ups, so in 'relative' terms the i-drive and shifter (i've never used the new shifter so I don't know for sure), would be considered difficult.

I don't think that the X is a 'bad' ride. I just think it was made for a more select group of buyers than the CR baseline is geared towards. The X is more about handlings, and driving dynamics and not about the quiet 'luxury' ride that CR is using to judge. If someone wanted a plush soft ride, I would point them towards the Lex, however if someone wanted a fun more 'sporty' ride then I'd def say the X hands down.

Maybe if CR had a review to compare all 'performance' S U/A V's to each other, then it would appear better against that benchmark set and the expectations of how a performance SAV is suppose to ride. But comparing it to the soft, plush, quiet, non-agressive (maybe even boaring) ride of 'luxury' SAV's just isn't apples to apples.