(Ex-Crosstrek) WRX Owner with Regrets (Seeking Advice)

*Let me first say that, yes, I am right in the middle of my midlife crisis as a 39 y/o guy.

In July 2023 I took delivery of a black 2024 Sport. I wanted white, and the wife convinced me to get black which was an absolutely terrible idea with no garage and lots of tree cover (birds) at our house at the time. It was my 1st Subaru and I was initially excited. I’ve had a lot of classic cars/trucks, so I was loving all the modern stuff. That’s where it ended. I couldn’t keep the paint the way I wanted to (I’m a marine detailer sometimes), it was dreadfully slow, the seats triggered my ongoing sciatica, but it was sensible and practical.

By nature I’m a somewhat theatrical and eccentric, and I felt like this car just made me… fit in. I traded it in early 2024 and I got a white 2023 WRX @ 0%. WRX is fun, easy to keep clean, but a pain in the ass to get in/out of and we never use it as a family (we live 50 miles from real civilization and when we go into town we use the wife’s VW Atlas).

Short story long, I’m considering a ‘25 Crosstrek Wilderness. I miss the ride height and automatic transmission. My only issue is the sciatica, and the fear of ridicule for getting another Crosstrek.

What’s everyone’s take? Do it, or get a mid 50s cruiser to satiate my level of theatric?