What car says, "I'm a successful real estate agent, but not so successful you resent having to pay me"?
40-something woman, not a car person, leaving a twenty-three year career as a humanities professor to become a real estate agent. I'll need a car, and I want to send the right message: I'm successful enough to be trustworthy, but not so rich you feel like I'm fleecing you. (I'm not.) I'm thinking a small sedan: fun to drive, good gas mileage. Like less than a BMW 3-series but more than a Civic. I plan to drive it for a few years but don't need to keep it forever, and I'll probably put fewer than 8K mi on it per year. Budget of around $20K, the lower the better (humanities professor = no money).
I've been thinking Audi A3-- there seems to be a shocking number of 2019s-2022s with low miles in my price range. They're cute and sporty but not overly flashy or young-looking. But then I saw a 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia for $18K (45K mi) and it looks pretty fun and now I don't know what to do.
So pretend you're looking for a house and you meet your new realtor when she pulls up outside the house she's showing you, driving a ______________.
(Editing to add a bit more pertinent information: I'm 5'10", so pretty tall for a lady. We also own a big family SUV I can use if I need to schlep clients around.)