How a car "feels" is usually different than how it performs.

Lots of folks recommending big power, however power is very fleeting. You get used to it, want more, and are not really satisfied. This is even more so with 2-ton sedans. Another thing is that many cars today are so well engineered and smooth that you don't feel like you're going very quick until you look down at the speed-o and pucker a bit if you see a cop. To me, that isn't very fun. Helpful when passing trucks or idiots who cruise along like they have club foot, but I wouldn't say fun or exciting.

Older cars and those that are not pigs tend to have a more "raw" feel to them. You may like that, you may not. Since you're looking 2011+ and something with seating for at least 4, your options are quite limited.

...

If it were me, I'd keep the Accord you have now and drive it into the ground. Get a 2nd car as a "toy" in lieu of a car payment. An E36 M3, for toys under $10k, really can't be beat. It's smooth enough to tolerate a long road trip, has seating for 4, parts are cheap, and they really beg you to drive like an asshole. Tough part will be finding an example that wasn't "modded" by a kid and also has a good service history. Despite the badge on the hood, they're really simple cars to work on and basic hand tools is all you need.

I love my E36. I've had it for ~4 years or so and besides larger cams and having the head worked over, it's pretty much stock. Handles wonderfully, makes a great noise, and is very livable. If you dig the "I'm an angry German box" looks, you'll find these cars rather charming.

G37 has some balls and will hit mid 20s on the Highway.  
I plan to replace my Maxima with one soon.

A lot of truth to this post.

My 95 is slower than my 05 GT by just a tick.

Both are tame pussy cats at anything below 80.   But the occasions you bump the 95 well into 4th gear it will let you know through wind noise, road  noise, and the feeling of the speed you are going is entirely more tactile and pleasurable.     The 05 needs to be about 120+ before you get the same sensations.

Add louder than shit exhaust with lumpy cam and track suspension on the 95 and it is just fun.  I would drive it every day but then I would get in trouble.  Truth is that in the 1/4 mile it gets its ass handed to it by everything newer than 2010.   That will change soon but it is due to growing used to the baseline and wanting more, to the tune of 330-350wrhp and hopefully 6500rpm before valve float.

But those sensations are all a part of why I am die hard against the miata.   Aside from top down wind in hair it has nothing I am looking for and I am not a convertible fan.

If I were gonna get a tiny little car I would try for a Porsche 914 but that isnt what this thread is about.

http://www.flyinmiata.com/

Love the newer Chargers, if I were to get a V8 commuter it would be an SRT Charger hands down and I am a huge Mustang fan.

The Chargers are just so damn comfortable and will haul ass for a stock heavy ass car.

How about a WRX STI?

Mazda 6 Skyactiv... Sporty but with tremendous gas mileage.

Did you go test drive any of these yet OP?

2015 VW Golf R

Yeah no.

In fact talking to a guy with another 95 Cobra that has boosted 383 in it.   May wind up with two 95 Cobras within the next two weeks.

This would be a fun ride. A buddy of mine has a brand-new GTI, and if it weren't for being FWD, I'd have considered it as a good DD.

Stroked 351?

Took a look at the new mustang GT's at the dealer after hours. Body style is nice. No way I'd buy fresh off the lot considering the mileage depreciation I would inflict upon it.

Plan on taking my time and test driving a few models to see what I like.

Yup.   It isnt a Cobra R but pretty damn close to it.   Sweety will move with proper heads/intake/cam while under pressure.

My current 95 Cobra is gearing up to be a twisties back roads/road course car.   351 based car would be a nasty street/strip car.

I am all nostalgic about 95 Cobras as they were the car I wanted most when I graduated highschool in 95.

Well, I went with a 2010 Audi S4 (6spd manual) about 6 months ago myself.  Little higher mileage at 60k, no warranty...  So far I really like it.  They're pretty bulletproof other than a thermostat that likes to go bad it seems.

Style is great, very understated but mean, imo.  Interior is very nice, very comfy.  Handling is solid for a sedan, the awd rocks imo.  I am coming from a 02 Corvette Z06 that I had for the last 5 years as my daily, with several rwd performance cars before that, and this all-weather-performance has a shit ton going for it.  Very pleased with that aspect.

Pretty sure you'd find the S4 would would dust a srt8 in the real world with a tune, especially pre-392 srts.  The 3.0 tfsi Audis are generally accepted to be very underrated, and they respond extremely well to mods.  Mine went from 265 wheel hp on a conservative Mustang dyno with just a cold air intake, to 382 hp at the wheels with a ecm tune and smaller supercharger pulley, which is what they call "Stage 2" mods.  That runs between $1200-$1800 depending on vendor, sales, etc.  That is every bit of 430-450 hp at the crank, in an awd car that has traction everywhere.

Gas mileage I'm getting about 18.5 mpg in my mostly city driving route.  That is vs 15.5-16 in the corvette on the same regular route.  I can get 25+ highway, but it's not geared high enough for more impressive mileage.  I was running 1200 rpm less at a given speed in 6th gear in the Vette.  Not sure why Audi didn't make 6th a little more of an overdrive...  the 7spd dual clutch tranny may do better.  As far a fun driving auto, I don't think you can dismiss how much better the dual-clutch auto would be over a slush box auto like the Charger or 300 would have.

Anyway, that got long in a hurry, but I'd take a serious look at the S4.  It can do it all...

I looked at the 2015 WRX (pretty much have to get 2015+, and non STi for mpg improvements by my thinking, why go 4cyl if you're going to get pretty crappy mpg like the last gen models...) But the looks just haven't grown on me, and the Subaru dealers here weren't allowing test drives at the time. (???)  That pushed me away.

How much was it??

$28k, Top spec "Prestige" model, very nice condition.  Weren't many to choose from sub-30k that I was finding near me.

Cool thanks. Always liked the way the Audis looked.

I really like the Audi as well. I need a new car this Summer and liked the S4 I drove. I like the BMW 3 series as well but the turbo Audi I found more fun. I just wish I could get that performance and price and sit higher up like a truck.

Thanks for the real world input.

Haven't gotten to test drive anything in the last 2 weeks. The weather in central Michigan has not been sweet lately. Dealer across the street from the store has an SRT8 300 and an srt8 challenger. Don't want to stroke the salespeople too much, but hey people do it to me all the time

A couple years old Lexus IS 350 F Sport or GS 350 F Sport.  A bit of sport, a bit of comfort/luxury, and a whole lot of reliability.  GS will definitely have more leg room than the IS's.  My current 2nd Gen IS has about as much leg room when my seat is where it needs to be, that they could have just made the damn car a coupe.
 

CTS-V

/thread

98% of the people on this board don't have the skill to drive a fast car really fast.

OP, a WRX is what you seek. The BRZ is supposed to be fun to drive too, but it's RWD.

I was in damn near the same boat as the OP.  I was in a bad car wreck last year, and the person who hit me had a crappy insurance company (no names just don't believe in good hands).

I bought a commuter car because of my 90 mile round trip every day.  I bought a little Honda CR-Z.  For commuting in the city, the car is fine.  For climbing up hills and dealing with snow, not so much.

I was seriously looking at an Impreze WRX.  But looking at the cost of gas, high cost of parts and short warranty I decided against it.  I wanted something that was fun and got decent, around 30mpg, gas mileage and had all wheel drive.

Low and behold, my local dealership had gotten a 2014 Cadillac ATS 4 with the 2.0 Turbo and 6 speed.  It isn't fast, but fairly quick and it handles so nice.  Bought it yesterday.

This is not the lot I bought the car from, since I forgot to take pics.  Same exact car though.

I'd be driving something comfortable if I had that long of a commute.   A sofa on wheels.

Toyota Avalon would be my first choice.  A Toyota Highlander or Lexus RX350 if the weather gets routinely shitty during the winter.

You say this, but then use a disparaging method to say "...but it's RWD."   A skilled driver would not downplay the effectiveness of a good RWD, because there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. It's an incredibly competent drive setup, oftentimes a superior drive setup, that offers a multitude of advantages over FWD and AWD as well.

I'm curious what your driving pedigree is? Are you a professional, or a HPDE, or an autocrosser, or a strip guy?

The Taurus SHO is one fast mofo. Very cool sleeper in my opinion.

Funny that your post was the last one. Updated on original post.  

Think I will wait for the factory warranty to be over, then look into a tuning package from Livernois.  Need to read the owners manual to find out what all the shit inside does.