AUDI TT REVIEW

List price from £29,770 Lease price from £360 The verdict 9

The latest Audi TT is one of the most satisfying sports cars on sale

Ever since the first TT went on sale in 1999, Audi’s coupé has been hugely popular with buyers. That’s particularly the case in the UK, where Audi sells more TTs than in any other country.

The third-generation model uses a familiar formula of stylish looks combined with a range of powerful yet frugal petrol and diesel engines. There's also the option of Quattro four-wheel drive, while as standard you get one of the best interiors of any car, regardless of price.

Space

Good-sized boot, but rear seats are tiny

Two adults will fit comfortably in the front of the TT, with the slightly domed roof providing a good amount of headroom, plus there are several useful cubby holes.

You get rear seats, too, but they are only really suitable for children, and even then only if those in the front have their seats quite far forwards.

The boot is a generous size for a sports car, plus you can fold the rear seat backs flat to extend the load space.

Comfort

Smooth ride, but can be noisy

The TT has a surprisingly compliant ride for a sports car, particularly if you stick with the 17-inch wheels and avoid the S-line sports suspension.

The driving position is also excellent, with enough adjustment to get you low down in the car, legs stretched out in front of you.

Whether you choose a petrol or diesel model, engine noise is well contained, particularly once they are up to temperature. Wind noise is also minimal, even at a 70mph cruise, but on poorly surfaced roads tyre noise can become irritating.

Dashboard layout

Original and beautifully finished

Audi went back to the drawing board for the TT’s dashboard design and came up with ways to make it as intuitive as possible. This has resulted in a couple of delightful touches, such as the heater controls being moved on to the vents themselves (although this feature isn't standard).

Audi has also done away with a central display screen, instead replacing the traditional speedometer and rev counter with a 12.3-inch ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital display for audio and satnav functions. You control these via either buttons on the steering wheel or a rotary knob located behind the gear-lever. It’s a novel alternative to the norm that looks stylish and works brilliantly, although your passenger might not agree.

Materials, fit and finish are all superb, showing up cars that cost twice the price.

Easy to drive

Light controls combine with good visibility

Considering its sporty styling and cosy interior, visibility out of the TT is excellent, making it easy to change lanes or park.

In addition, the controls are light and responsive, so the TT is effortless to drive, whether you opt for the manual gearbox or six-speed automatic. And there's plenty of overtaking punch, no matter which engine you choose.

Fun to drive

Doesn’t disappoint

The Audi TT comes with a system called Drive Select, which via a button on the dash lets you add extra weight to the steering and make the throttle pedal more responsive for a sportier driving experience. In all modes, though, the car turns into corners keenly and grips extremely well.

Acceleration in also brisk; even the entry-level 2.0 TDI Ultra diesel will accelerate from 0-60mph in 7 seconds, revs keenly and sounds quite sporty.

The 2.0-litre TFSI petrol model with 227bhp is properly fast, covering the 0-60mph sprint in just 6.0 seconds, or 5.3 seconds if you have the added traction of Quattro all-wheel drive. However, unless you live in an area of the country that regularly get snow, the standard front-wheel-drive configuration is perfectly acceptable.

Reliability

Warranty could be better

The latest Audi TT is too new to have been included in any independent reliability studies, but the previous version was below average in this respect, finishing 87th out of 109 cars in the 2014 JD Power customer satisfaction survey.

Audi’s warranty lasts for three years or 60,000 miles, whereas Mercedes and BMW offer three years, unlimited-mileage cover as standard.

Fuel economy

Remarkable for such a sporty car

Opt for the TT diesel and you’ll have a relatively high performance coupé that can also return official average fuel economy of 67.3mpg in EU tests. Petrol models manage up to 40mpg on the official test cycle, so even if you factor in a small drop for real-world driving, the TT is seriously efficient for this type of car.

Needless to say, if you regularly make use of the performance, the economy will suffer accordingly, but the beauty of the TT is that it can also be driven in a more economical fashion and still feel like a pretty special way to travel.

Affordability

Not cheap, but you get a lot for your money

The best value TTs are arguably those lower down in the range, which still offer strong performance and that stylish design without getting too close to the kind of prices Porsche charges for its superb Boxster and Cayman.

Servicing, insurance and tax costs are also reasonable (the diesel model emits just 110g/km of CO2, meaning road tax is free for the first year). And the TT’s desirability means it is predicted to retain more of its value than any of its rivals when time comes to sell.

Safety

A strong body combines with the latest safety systems

The Audi TT is yet to be tested by crash safety organisation Euro NCAP, but its body is both light and extremely strong, front and side airbags come as standard, and the car can be specified with many of the latest driver assist safety systems. These include a blind spot monitor that helps you change lanes safely on the motorway, plus lane guidance to stop you unintentionally wandering between lanes.

The optional Matrix LED headlights are another useful safety feature for night driving, using sensors and an inbuilt camera to monitor traffic and adapt the lighting pattern accordingly so that as much of it as possible can remain on full beam without dazzling other road users.

Standard spec

Looks good on paper, but you still need to spend extra

The entry-level Sport spec features 18-inch alloy wheels, the Audi Virtual Cockpit driver display, a USB socket to connect your MP3 player, DAB digital radio, air-conditioning and half-leather sports seats.

Upgrade to S-line and the wheels grow to 19-inches, plus there’s the option of lowered sports suspension and more aggressive body styling.

However, there are some items you’d be wise to add as options, including metallic paint and the Comfort and Sound package, which bundles parking sensors and a more powerful stereo with those brilliantly intuitive heater controls on the air vents.