Call me stupid, but I actually like the toughness of a Viper Mk IV.
Starting with the game in spring of 2015 (wish I would have known about the Kickstarter in 2014 here in the States), I skipped the Viper altogether. I went with a Hauler - Cobra - T6 - Asp. It was awhile later, when I needed to do some runs with 32t+, that I didn't want to de-kit my Asp, that I got a Viper Mk IV. Loved it!
If I could go back in time, I would have gotten a Viper Mk IV and done more missions, than gone to a T6 for the added cargo space.
But I'm also someone who mined -- yes mined -- in a Vulture. Only 1 Large Beam, since the Mining Laser took the other hardpoint, and I only had 6 bins, but that was enough. I loved it when other ships f'd with me in RESes. "BeeeEEEEEEEEAAAAAMMMM ... pow!"