My order really only has a few entries:
1) performance (acceleration + handling)
2) One pedal driving (I surprised myself with the order of this one)
3) Comfortable yet compact interior
4) Price - purchase and running costs
the rest are just nice to haves
Wading into the FWD/RWD chat - I have been lucky to own many FWD and RWD cars, including mid engined RWD. I have also raced minis (the old kind) and karts. My choice of cars, at least for road use, is FWD. The reason is that they give the best compromise between safety and performance for a reasonably powerful car.
FWD cars use the same tyres to propel and steer the car. You have a "force circle" - of about 1G. You can't ask the tyres to turn and accelerate more than that. There is a different technique to racing FWD cars, but it isn't slower (for the same power/weight). When you push too hard, FWD cars lose traction and don't steer as much (understeer). To counter, you can turn more which scrubs speed and turns more. This is by far the safest loss of traction. The SE doesn't really have enough power to get torque steer to write home about, and there is negligible weight transfer. We accelerate pretty much at the limit of power/weight.
RWD cars can indeed accelerate faster, as weight transfer means more power can be transferred. The big problem is that this lightens the steering meaning you lose steering control (think of the wheel standing trucks above). Another thing is that when turning hard there is less weight over the back wheels and they can slip (oversteer). This looks cool on top gear, but in reality it is slower and more dangerous. Even F1 drivers who boot it before the the car weight moves rearward can lose traction and spin. Yes it is fun, but not on a road.
Mid engine - most think this the perfect combination, and to some degrees it is. The problem mid engine cars have is two fold. They have less weight over the front, so tend to lose the front steering, especially in the wet (I have experience with this
). Secondly, yes they hang on like banshees round a corner......until they dont. You are then in an expensive pendulum. I have also experienced this.
A good driver, with the correct technique for their type of car, will be just as effective as the others. The reason I choose FWD is that when you cross the line, it is easier to get back. Mid engine (think X1/9 to 911 to lambo) cars work wonders, then traction breaks and they spin. RWD lets you be a hero and fang the back out, until you get it wrong, and you guessed it, you spin. FWD cars gently understeer (unless you let off the accelerator, then you......spin/flip or both). If you go too fast you can miss a corner, but in most cases, you steer into the corner, which slows you down and you make it around.
