[EireOna]

Yes, avoid 18" wheel models if you have issues with potholes. SE and XP models have 17" with thicker, more forgiving rubber and occasionally 16". I have a car with 17" and live in rural Ireland, I find the 17s can cope with the potholes quite well, yet it still handles really well for a subcompact SUV.
FR might even have firmer suspension. Again, SE and XP would be softer.
XP or Xperience = lots of toys
SE and SE+ = fewer toys.
Just watch the specs though, they can change at the drop of a hat and within the same year too. You can find the same variant over two 2022 cars, one will have fog lights, the other might not, and so-on.

Have a search on the forum, there's a chap on here swapped his 18s for 17s and confirmed a considerable change. Also, don't forget cheaper rubber can be noisier and road surface makes a difference too.

As for the TSi 1.0 engine, its a cracking little motor, but it requires proper servicing with the correct oil (5W30 for older 95 and 115 motors and 0W30 for the newer 110bhp engine). Any ticking noises and you would be right to walk away, it should be nigh on inaudible in the cabin and very smooth listening from the outside. Cars serviced on the cheap and using the wrong oil will suffer. Ideally, FSH at a SEAT dealer would be the perfect car to buy, even if its a bit more for a bit less.

Facelift models are known to have better sound deadening and have less wind-noise due to the design of the front bumper, also the interiors of the facelift are less prone to rattly plastic trim.

I must admit to having a small rattle from the tailgate, only audible when sitting in the back seat. But as thats a rarity, I've not bothered with it!

(I have a 2023 Facelift SE+, 12k km)

 

[EireOna]

Thanks for the info... What about real world mpg.?

A lot depends on your driving style and type, but I'm getting almost 40mpg using my car for many short journeys and the occasional long run. Basically its a town car! I have a 6-speed box though as I couldn't get on with the DSG.
I understand the DSG is pretty good on fuel, losing probably only 1-2 mpg, but Auto Express reckon its a bit juicier:
".....the 108bhp variant returns 53.3mpg in six-speed manual form and 47.9mpg when paired with the seven-speed DSG auto gearbox"
So they reckon a little over 10% difference, so that would equate to a circa 4mpg difference (36mpg) if I owned a DSG.

 

[EireOna]

Remember, I do short journeys mostly (5km or so), the engine barely warms up sometimes, especially in winter.
More sensible journeys I get into the mid 50s in line with the Auto Express figures, but 40 is the average the app says for my particular car since I bought it last November which will include a period where the engine was tight, and renowned to drink more for the first few thousand miles. You wanted real world figures, that's my real world figure, to date.
The Golf will be better on fuel as its a physically smaller car with a better drag coefficient, but it feels cramped compared to the Arona which feels heaps bigger.