I'm talking about a car that is like, a normal car. Not a sports car, not a classic car, I'm talking about a regular, practical, modern car for just driving around anywhere.
I would, personally, get myself a 2020-2022 Nissan Versa. It's one of the few sedans on Brazil that has a 1.6 liter engine, and while the fact it has a CVT is kind of crummy I just really like how it looks and all the bells and whistles it comes with. And since I'm in Brazil, we get a dark blue version that looks amazing!
CVT was invented for Formula 1 racing, literally the pinnacle of auto racing and extreme performance...
It's was banned because it was too efficient. It allowed the engine to operate at peak efficiency at any rpm and any speed. If it wasn't outlawed it would have been the end of shifting and manual transmissions at the highest level of racing
The problem average people have with it, is they first experienced it in the Prius where it was programmed to maximize fuel efficiency no matter what.
So don't write a car off just because it has a CVT, lots of performance cars have them. And it should be relatively easy to get the programming changed to make it feel sportier or be more fuel efficient. Lots just have a button these days that do it on the fly.
F1 cars aren't exactly the paragon of long term reliability and ease of maintenance though. Most people need a vehicle to metaphorically finish a marathon, not get first place in a single sprint.