I'm sure that when all cars have electric handbrakes having an armrest in a small car will be okay, it was okay (for me) in my old 2000MY B5 Passat with its normal handbrake, but in my wife's Polo SEL with its normal handbrake even I have been beaten by it. My usual car is an Audi S4 but it has an electric handbrake so the armrest does not block access to the switch.
Turbo lag, coming from a normally aspirated small car (2003MY 9N Polo 1.4), this is my first experience of a turbo charged car and these modern engines seem to be set up to behave like diesels so you can easily get the impression that it is "ready to give some" - but you have let the revs drop too low - really just a re-learning curve I suppose.
Good points these.