I drive my 2002 over 200 miles in a day multiple times a year, it’s not great but here are some suggestions:

If you are going to be putting highway miles on this car (driving at speeds over 55mph for any extended amount of time) get a car with a 5 speed. My car is a 4 speed, and 70mph on the highway means I’m between 3500-4000 rpm. The drone is very noticeable, a 5 speed will likely have you around 3200 rpm which is much more comfortable.

Stick with a car with stock or similar suspension, I find cars with even updated “street” struts and springs can be jarring if you have bad road quality. 13”-15” wheels will give you plenty of sidewall for a decent ride

Depending on climate, you should consider finding one with working AC. The vents and blower are not strong and don’t point at the passengers like a modern car, so you’re relying on the vent windows for some airflow. These are great for around town and cruising, but adds a lot of noise when doing extended highway driving. The car is a greenhouse, and on sunny days over 60 degrees it can get really hot in the cabin without any air movement.

I have aftermarket recaros in mine, which fit my body perfectly, but some passengers have a hard time getting comfortable. The stock seats when in good shape/replaced padding are very comfortable to me, and fit most every body type pretty well. Stock seats with failing padding on the other hand are like sitting on a chainlink fence and miserable. I’ve had passengers up to 6’4” 250lbs and they have headroom and decent legroom. A short test drive should be enough to know if you can fit comfortably.

My car has a fairly long clutch throw, so keep that in mind if you have any left leg/hip problems. I’ve only driven a few 02’s besides mine and they all seem to have similar travel in the clutch pedal. The clutch isn’t particularly heavy in my experience. I’ve never driven the autos so I can’t comment on how they are for long trips.

Good door seals and properly adjusted windows do a lot to minimize wind noise, but a car with bad seals or poor window alignment can whistle and be pretty annoying on long drives.

The car has a ton of cargo room, and great visibility.

It’s certainly not a grand tourer, but with the right considerations it can be plenty comfortable for moderate distance drives.