I have an Octavia VRs and was also looking at a Leon.
The Octavia is noticeably bigger, especially the boot despite being based on the MQB chassis. Personally I thought the VRs felt a bit nicer bit nicer inside. A Golf is a step up from both.
My VRs is fine to drive. The ride is a tad jiggly on bad surfaces. It’s a front wheel drive hatch with a tractor engine from VAG so it’s never going to set your pants on fire. It is great for swallowing bikes though; two DH Bikes with front wheels off and loads of kit just get swallowed. I can easily have my little boy in his car sea in the back, get two bikes with from wheels off and his balance bike in.
It’s been a very easy car to live with and will be hard to replace when I goes back in 18 months.