Ended up with a 2015 Regal 2.0T. Great commuter car, and plenty of pickup. Aside from handling, the Regal blows the V6 Camaro away in every measurable category. Buick wasn't even on my radar (nor was upgrading vehicles this soon). The ~$6,000 in savings from the deal ate most of the gap too. Got $17k on the trade, with one accident (hit a deer/$3800 in cosmetic repairs). Test drive sealed the deal. The reviews were positive, which got me to go to the dealership in the first place.
This forum has been a lot of fun and I'll be checking back often, if anything to watch the mayhem when the Gen6 arrives. lol