I'm 186cm and find a Robin200/120 has plenty of space! You're right about the rudder though - interesting when I check out an instructor.
Some colleagues of mine are looking at buying a shared a/c, to use themselves and lease to a club. Originally assuming they would get a PA-28, they realised that for the same money as to buy a basic used Warrior they could put a deposit on a 4-seat Diamond TDi. Assuming about 350 hours per year use (modest for a club aircraft) the fuel savings would pay the finance costs. So I would say a new composite aircraft is possible.