I travel a lot for work and my favorite rental is a loaded Titanium Edge.  One of the things that got me looking a the Edge for my own daily driver is how quiet it was...  It was that or a Taurus and I like sitting higher, so Edge.    To your questions:  1) Yes.  I put it up there with an Audi A6 I used to have.  I'd rate it 8+ (I'd think a 10 would be a Tesla with zero engine noise). 
2) Sport for me.  It's all about that more aggressive stance, non-chrome look, black wheels and molded tail pipes!  LOVE!!! 
3) Back wheels I think means 21" wheels on the Sport.