OP - I agree on a lot of your points, although I wouldn't go as far as your final conclusion.
The main thing I agree on is that driving in traffic (or anywhere less than 4/10 or 5/10 of the cars potential) is no fun at all. Especially with a manual, this car does NOT want to cruise at low speeds. My perception is that the car is only comfortable under moderate-to-heavy acceleration or cruising at highway speeds. I would blame this on a lack of sophistication in the drivetrain (for example, the clutch feel/sound at low speeds, the engine's general hatred of being below 2000 rpms, touchy brake pedal, quiet exhaust etc).
Having said that, the fact that the car feels so comfortable being pushed hard makes me think that the engineers accomplished their primary goal, and that the lacking sophistication is what accounts for the price difference between this car and a BMW/Porsche/etc.
There are, however, some really good "driving qualities" about this car. The chassis is solid. The suspension feels solid with minimal body roll (compared to a normal car). The steering wheel is responsive, precise, pleasantly heavy (all subjective), and is geared so that you don't have to turn the wheel much to make the tires turn a particular amount. The torque curve is nice and flat above 3k rpms. Getting into the car feels like buckling into a fighter plane or something - nice supportive seat, enclosed space, controls all facing the diver, big tachometer in your face.
There are also some good mods that make the car feel more alive. A stainless steel clutch cable, lighter clutch helper spring, and a more appropriate exhaust go a long way in that department. Overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives for me.
I have to say, though, that over time the positive qualities start to seem "normal" and the negative qualities start to seem more negative. The solution is to drive another car for a day and get a reality check. I have a 2001 maxima that accomplishes that for me, and if that wasn't enough I borrowed a friend's old Ford Ranger for a couple days to move some stuff. Now THAT was a reality check.
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