The thickness of the D2 doors was always what made it mega wide to park for me - the exterior mirrors don't stick out much from the outside of the body if you look down the side of the car. Our S5 (which is wider than the A/S4) would fit in the garage with ease with the mirrors folded in, and the fun and games I had getting the S8 in are well documented! If it 'feels' too big for your wife, then it probably is. If you're both just going off the numbers I'd not worry about it if she's happy with driving it and the interior space.
If the width is a sticking point then try the Octavia - it's closer to A3/Golf width but without the loss of rear legroom or a big boot. It's a great family car and I would've bought one if the Golf hadn't come up. They have the benefit of being popular with private owners so tend to be better specced once you've swerved the ex-lease ones.
The post 2013 A/S3 are good cars - basically a Golf with quattro, but without the theft risk of a Golf R. The Sportback has significantly more headroom than the 3 door hatch, but could no way be described as an estate - it's a 5 door Golf hatch. The Golf is at least as practical and in estate form a lot more practical than the A/S3.
As for car dealer's descriptions - they're all pretty much universally as bad as each other. If you're not buying brand new you're taking pot luck on condition. We got lucky with our privately owned Golf GTI at a year old - it's rare to find anything that hasn't been car washed by cretins in supermarket car parks or had bird poo left on it for weeks.....you get lucky, or you don't....
Skoda in 'primer' but with leather and memory seats as a minimum
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...01805246832897
White and decent spec
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...01806047147972
Kermit green (looks great) and decent spec - newest shape. Think it gets ACC as standard?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...01805016099146
Big benefit as a long term ownership proposition is how new a car you get for the money
Private sale Golf R? Dull colour though. Having had a look I think it's only the R that comes with the option of the 2.0T engine
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...01803114475798