I drove a 2004 Honda Accord, and was impressed by how much power it had for a 4. I was also impressed by how stable it was at high speeds, compared to my Corolla. I was bothered by the grabby brakes, though. It was hard to come to a smooth stop. Also the I found the seat backs (in the front seats) to be uncomfortable.
Yep, you’ll just have to drive it. Your wife will probably care less about power than you do.