I'm always chiming in on these dog-hauler threads
If my female Beauceron didn't travel in a crate I'd be shopping for a used Audi S6 wagon. If I only had one dog (that didn't travel in a crate) I'd get a used S4 wagon. My favorite dog-car of all time was my VW Quantum Synchro wagon and the S4s are sorta fast, modern versions of that.
If I were to trade the DenaliXL for something smaller I'd get a TrailBlazer SS, but I have a good local Chevy dealer that I can trust for the maintenance. That might be more of a truck than you need though.
Seems to me that lots of small/medium SUVs don't really have much, if any, more dog-hauling room than station wagons. Our friend's Cayenne is a good example.
That Volvo wagon might be worth a serious look.
A pal of mine has a Magnum, and it doesn't have *nearly* the interior room I'd want for hauling dogs (not such great outward visability either). Seems big when I'm looking at it but small (on both good and bad ways) from inside.
Regulars here know I have, uh...issues with Subies based on the two I've owned, but others seem to like 'em and they're probably better now than they were when I had mine.