Hi Brian,

We're not sure which way to advise you here as you seem to want something interesting - and possibly Italian - on one side, but then you talk a lot about specification on the other. For example, the Passat Estate is a lovely car, comfortable and high specification, but it's not going to grab attention like your Lancia/Chrysler will.

I would suggest stay away from diesel. Your commute now isn't all that long and it sounds like you aim to shorten it, so the economy advantage of a diesel would be cancelled out by likely higher maintenance costs in the long run.

The Passat's 1.4 TSI engine has plenty of go and would be a good commuting car. The Giulietta is cooler, for sure, but it won't be as comfortable on the road at all. The RX 450h is smooth and should be trouble-free, though it'll feel like a tank after your car...

Careful not to "stretch" to a particular model as that probably means you're compromising elsewhere in terms of specification or condition or service history. 

I'd suggest you make a list of your priorities first, then evaluate each car you look at against that list.

And everyone is different. I, for example, would take the 4 Series Gran Coupe from your list of cars above for its mix of style, quality, driving experience and economy. 

The Subaru XV might suit your needs?