In my opinion the SVX handle better than most 4wd cars around.
I can really provoke it with high speed turns and what ever I throw at it, it seem's to take.
Regarding top-speeds, I have measured it with my GPS,
at serveral occasions, I have easily reached 255km/h, and then the speedo reads 260km/h (full scale is 260km/h)
(the third gear takes me to about 225km/h)
The car handles like a god in those speeds, and on Monday, when I was on my way to my work (400km!! single way!! .. and.. I JUST LOVE IT!!) I came to a close combat with a Porsche 911 ... he slipstreamed me for about 50km, averaging about 170km/h, and then, on a looong straight, the devil ran into me and I floored it ... and left him in the dust ... seeing a little bit over 260km/h! (all times high!)
Now, don't think that I always drive so fast, but every now and then I can't resist, and it is sooo fun to wipe-off certain jerks!
I don't know if european models handle differently than US models, but my car, for example never understeers and it is
VERY firm in the shocks and rollbars.
As the HP regards, I have (back at -91) heard that the Japanese version had 250HP, and that it was taken down to 230HP on export models.
This is in fact true on other Subarus, like the early Legacy Turbos and modern Impreza Turbos, they have 220 & 235 HP's in Japan!