There's a bazillion and one ways to lower the car. Most work pretty well.

As for wheels, whether or not 17s look good is a subjective judgement of aesthetics. I think they don't look good, and the lower the car is the worse they look.

Aside from that the tires are more expensive, thinner, and the wheels are more expensive to keep equivalently low weight to a 16". It's a small car, 16" wheels look just fine.