I took the back wheel off to compare the feeling of the Alivio hub with my new XTRs.
The way I repacked it felt a lot smoother than the stock XTR job so I ordered a canister of
https://www.super-lube.com/silicone-lubricating-grease-with-syncolon-ptfe to replace the grease with.
I guess Shimano opted for a heavier grease because it's a MTB. I can feel it going up hill, even though my 970 is several pounds lighter than the diamondback I used to ride, it feels less responsive going uphill.