Will make you a sweet deal on my wife's used Nissan Leaf. Your wife will stand out in the crowd for all the wrong reasons.
a. Looking for something that stands out from the crowd, unique in a parking lot. = Check! It's hideous.
b. Price point is around $30K - $35K. = Check!
c. Must be 2012 or newer and less than 40K miles on it. = Check!
d. Needs to be moderately reliable as this will be a daily driver. = Triple Check! Not a single repair in 40,000 miles.
e. Prefer manual or DCT, but would consider an automatic if it was the right car. = Check. it's a single speed auto, but refer to your point about being "the right car". This is TOTALLY the right car. Trust me.
f. Maint costs or upkeep costs are not really an issue, within reason. = Check! New set of tires at 30k and wirer blades. That's the only maintenance we've had rto do.
g. Would prefer at least a minimal backseat to use in a pinch, but not required. = Check! Even has a seat heater for the back seats.
h. Must be fun to drive and enjoyable. = Check! Compared with walking, it's waaaay more fun.
Shall we make shipping arrangements now?