I was under the impression that an Evo-X was a pretty raw car more suited to the track than daily driving. Perhaps I am mistaken? I also really like hatches. The MazdaSPEED3 is pretty hot as is the WRX. I'm a little gun shy though, afraid that they would be of similar livability, though with better visibility.
Our other vehicle is an 09 Jeep Wrangler and I find it to actually be far quieter inside than the Z, which surprised me. The Jeep is a hardtop though and they've made some pretty nice improvements tightening then up. It's a stick too and I find that while not nearly as responsive, its stupid easy to shift. The Z is a bit more finicky. With the Z I find it hard to get a very smooth shift sometimes, the clutch feels a bit springy on the release.