One thing the demo will give you however, that no one here can, is a feel for the UI changes in the X series.   Specific features aside, how you get there can make a big difference.   I personally like SONAR X* and even more so where I see it heading, since I found X2 to be a more evolved version of X1.   And I expect X3 to be the same.   But only you can make that decision. 
 

So the answers are, so far:

1. Yes (although nobody's mentioned how, yet)
2. Yes.
3. Probably not.
4. Maybe.
5. Maybe.
6. Yes (although I've no details on this yet).

Anyone able to elaborate?

Stability is hard to predict...too many dependencies. Depends on your computer, memory, operating system, video card, sound card, antivirus, etc. I've deleted most of the freebie VSTs I had downloaded and that helped. I believe if you manage your computer well, its very stable, but if your computer is like the wild west, you'll likely have problems. 

In X2a when I Alt+Shift+Drag my cursor turns into scissors and cuts the clip the length I drag. Not moving the audio.

Double post.

Grem
In X2a when I Alt+Shift+Drag my cursor turns into scissors and cuts the clip the length I drag. Not moving the audio.

It only works on plain wave files, not loops. What you are describing happens to groove clips and imported rx2 files.

daveny5
Stability is hard to predict...too many dependencies. Depends on your computer, memory, operating system, video card, sound card, antivirus, etc. I've deleted most of the freebie VSTs I had downloaded and that helped. I believe if you manage your computer well, its very stable, but if your computer is like the wild west, you'll likely have problems. 

And as the flaws the OP describes are IMO not SONAR 8.5 bugs (crashing by exiting/opening templates etc) per se, and I think it's been more like a concensus that 8.5 has been the most solid SONAR version for years (ever?)
I wouldn't bet a penny for increased stability with 8.5 vs. X2 (in the same machine), even though the X-line has been fairly well ironed already, according to what I've read here.

daveny5
Stability is hard to predict...too many dependencies. Depends on your computer, memory, operating system, video card, sound card, antivirus, etc. I've deleted most of the freebie VSTs I had downloaded and that helped. I believe if you manage your computer well, its very stable, but if your computer is like the wild west, you'll likely have problems.

All those things will be the same if I upgrade, so I assume stability will not improve!
 
It's certainly possible that external plugins can cause crashes, but it is also possible to prevent plugins from crashing the host app, which Sonar doesn't do a good job of.
 
Obviously people can blame things on the system, but of all the software I use, music or otherwise, Sonar is by far the least reliable. I've just put up with it because it has the features I need and is cheaper than Cubase.

From the looks of some of the answers you have recived, it sounds like there are a number of things you still have not discovered in 8.5 (this is normal for any program).  I discover all the time there are many features i have not discovered because either a) it is not pushed heavily as a feature by the manufacturer or b) the exact process is hard to describe to even ask the question of another. 

The only one of the questions I asked that already applies to 8.5 is the ability to move audio within a clip, as far as I can tell? It's sadly not useful to me on its own as I need the cut with crossfades ability as well, and I don't think that is possible.