I've been working on a similar problem lately. A 1/2 year old Focus ST seems to meet your parameters. It might shade a bit more towards "compact" than you are looking for, but I'd be surprised if it didn't feel like a substantial step up in room/comfort and fun factor over the current ride. (I've yet to drive one with the Recaro's, but they seem to draw rave reviews if they fit you) My only beefs with it are rear visibility, weight and that its the "holy #$*&#, I'm doing 93mph" kind of fast, not the giggling all the way to 65 kind of fast.
KyAllroad wrote:
https://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/6146630284.html
I like the idea of the Taurus SHO, Ford seems to get a lot of stuff right these days.
I approve of this message.. 
kazoospec wrote:
I've been working on a similar problem lately. A 1/2 year old Focus ST seems to meet your parameters. It might shade a bit more towards "compact" than you are looking for, but I'd be surprised if it didn't feel like a substantial step up in room/comfort and fun factor over the current ride. (I've yet to drive one with the Recaro's, but they seem to draw rave reviews if they fit you) My only beefs with it are rear visibility, weight and that its the "holy #$*&#, I'm doing 93mph" kind of fast, not the giggling all the way to 65 kind of fast.
We have a 2012 Focus, a 1989 C2500 and soon will have a 1990 Miata. The Cruze interior and stereo are far better than the Focus. We are keeping the Ford because it's got 40k on it and the Chevy has 120k even though I've found the Focus goes through the consumables at a markedly higher clip than the Cruze. Brakes and tires by 35k on the Focus and the Cruze went 110k on pads and 79k on OE tires!
I don't mind a base V6 but I think that I have earned the "Q car" at 47 years old, wether it's a SHO or a 6.4L Charger
QuasiMofo wrote:
kazoospec wrote:
I've been working on a similar problem lately. A 1/2 year old Focus ST seems to meet your parameters. It might shade a bit more towards "compact" than you are looking for, but I'd be surprised if it didn't feel like a substantial step up in room/comfort and fun factor over the current ride. (I've yet to drive one with the Recaro's, but they seem to draw rave reviews if they fit you) My only beefs with it are rear visibility, weight and that its the "holy #$*&#, I'm doing 93mph" kind of fast, not the giggling all the way to 65 kind of fast.
We have a 2012 Focus, a 1989 C2500 and soon will have a 1990 Miata. The Cruze interior and stereo are far better than the Focus. We are keeping the Ford because it's got 40k on it and the Chevy has 120k even though I've found the Focus goes through the consumables at a markedly higher clip than the Cruze. Brakes and tires by 35k on the Focus and the Cruze went 110k on pads and 79k on OE tires!
I don't mind a base V6 but I think that I have earned the "Q car" at 47 years old, wether it's a SHO or a 6.4L Charger
True enough. For reference, I'm coming from a 94 Miata and 97 Saturn winterbeater, so the Focus feels positively lux and enormous.
This all started while the Cruze was getting repaired after the high speed Bambi punting experience, our rental always a 2016 Nissan Altima. We were amazed that we could get 32 40lb bags of mulch in that car with the rear seat down...
2017 Toyota Yaris SE & pocket the extra $5-6k
QuasiMofo wrote:
patgizz wrote:
1 year old Charger?
Actually on the radar! We had a rental V6 base car that left me unimpressed but it was mid to high mileage Enterprise car so I'm going to have to drive an appropriately equipped V8 car 
The dealer we got ours from had a new RT with fancy bits for 26k a few days later(probably would have bought that instead)
