[Germanauto]

I really like the Golf from the options you're considering.

Anyhow, I second the guy earlier regarding the Giulia. Of course i'm also biased, but if you're willing to stretch your budget a few grand it's a really great car for the price. The Giorgio chassis is world-class, steering is the quickest of any sedan in the world (to my knowledge) with proper road surface feedback, interior is nice enough in the 2020+ models, and the styling attracts a lot of attention. Only downside is going to be the lack of power compared to some of the other cars you're looking at. 0-60 in mid 5s for the RWD version, so quick but not overtly fast.

Alfa of Van Nuys cut me a really good deal last year after some back-and-forth over several weeks. On a relatively well-equipped car, my final MSRP after discount was only $43k! Also got a couple grand in manufacturer rebates on top of that.