Went to the Honda Dealer in Reno today and actually got to touch and sit in both the 520 and the 700 and have decided on the 520.
I KNOW, I know, all the 700 owners will come up with 101 reasons to go with the 700. Number one-oh-one: (EPS), I am old and would need power steering if I had the bigger 700 and if I was going to do a lot of off-roading. Because I am old the smaller 520 will work for me, I will not be feeding cows or horses or moving anything more than a 20lb (maybe 50lb) bag of cat food. I will be riding on groomed trails (Forest Service Roads).
I have 100 more counter arguments that fit me just like you have arguments that fit you.
The 520 is replacing both a golf cart and a Arctic Cat 650, I use the golf cart for picking up the mail and running back and forth between the different buildings on the property and the Arctic Cat for plowing the snow off the driveway and riding the Forest Service Roads. I think the 520 will replace both handily (yes, that is how you spell it).
The Reno dealer said that the sticker on the left hand bottom of the frame the dump bed by the engine. For a a UTV to be legal in California the sticker must say both "Legal in all 50 States" and a line underneath that "and the state of California" if it just has the 50 states line it won't be eligible for registration in California.