Around the time you're ready to buy (as new models do become available over time, etc. etc.), I'd recommend going to a Carmax and trying whatever otherwise meets your criteria (gas mileage, type, etc.) and seeing what works (warn the salesperson there what you are trying to figure out, and go at a slowish time if you can). Carmax is like the Megamall of used cars and you can find pretty much anything mainstream and reasonably modern there.
I drive an '09 Vibe and my DH (6', 210#) fits in it (OK, not great) as a passenger but can barely drive it at all. He has weirdly long femurs (yes, really, like if we are sitting him, me, some other random 6' guy on a 3-seat airplane row, DH's knees are invariably crammed tight, tight, tight against the seat in front of him whereas the other guy has plenty of knee room) and can hardly get his legs in place/move them to press the pedals (+ my Vibe is stick, so there's more pedal-pushing to be done). It's ridiculous. We known someone who has an '09 Matrix, supposedly the same car, and he fits in there much better (Vibes and Matrices aren't really the same car; they do have the same engine. And older Vibes are roomier than my '09 is -- year matters.). So I'm not much help but I empathize with the basic problem, and you just have to shop for what works for you (I am still yelling at my DH for not saying "no" to the Vibe purchase as we keep cars forever, but oh well).