Nah, fwd/awd cars usually don't have wheel bearing problems like we used to see on rwd cars. Main problem for rwd cars was open bearings (on front wheels) - they needed periodic maintenance. Awd/fwd bearings are sealed (o.k.. some older fwd have open bearings on rear - always exceptions) and have eliminated the maintenece portion of the formula. Generally whenever periodic maintenance is eliminated the part lasts longer.
I would hazard to guess the SVX's problem lies in the offset/width of the wheel. The configuration loads the bearing too much for long life. There's some simple enginering reasons why they did it that way and some simple engineering could have changed it, but I'm sure the accounting office got in the way...
Beav