Audi TT Car Review

Good: Beautiful shape, absolutely first rate handling, excellent brakes, wonderful interior appointments, easy to park and manoeuvre, excellent gas mileage

Needs Improvement: Very low door opening make entry difficult, backseats are just too small, visibility limited to sides, slow acceleration until turbo comes alive, high trunk opening.

Cartoonish in appearance, frugal in daily driving, artistic inside, and downright dynamic everywhere else, the Audi TT is the kind of car that is as fun to drive as to salivate over your driveway.

Nicely priced, this all-wheel drive couple has exceptional agility, seating for two adults and two small fry, and 225 turbocharged horsepower.

It also comes as a convertible, which we recommend if you are into tanning, but not if you are into performance because the coupe is faster, handles better, and has a stiffer chassis.

Mom’s view: The Audi TT is one of the most distinctive cars on the road. Its silhouette captures the imagination of children and the driving qualities quickly capture the admiration of any driver with an ounce of disrespect for the law in his or her right foot. If you don’t find yourself smiling when you look at this little water bug of a car, you need to readjust your pacemaker.

Video clip of Audi TT road test

Safety features are extensive and deservedly so for such a small vehicle. They include ABS brakes, traction control, running lights, front and side air bags, head protection air bags, and both front and rear head restraints with pre-tensioners and force limiters on the seatbelts There is no denying this is one cute fellow. Unfortunately, it does take getting used to large SUVs and large pick-up drivers thinking they can bump you off the road. Luckily, the TT is offers great manoeuvrability and gives you a wonderful sense of serenity despite its size limitations.

Inside the aluminium and leather, pieces are stunning. The placement of the windshield regulator buttons is wonderful, and the steering wheel is very well placed and adjustable in elevation. You also get cold air conditioning, cruise/speed control, rear defroster, keyless entry system, and are test car also had the optional and lovely xenon lights. The hatch is easy to open and the gas cap is large and placed on top of the rear fender making refuelling effortless. However, remember to read the owner’s manual before you need gas, because the cap release is located behind a sliding cover under the stereo.

I did not like the high trunk opening that made it very difficult to load heavy items. Despite the wide door opening, the low seats make it most undignified for any skirt wearer to get in or out of this Audi giving rise to my suspicion that a male design team was in charge.

Once inside, you don’t feel like you are riding in a low-slung car. In fact, the ride is very nice except on ragged roads and freeways that have been repaired by the lowest bidder.

Overall, this car only held my interest in its artistic execution and attention to interior details. From the aluminium-drilled pedals to the wonderfully easy and attractive steering wheel, this is study or combining a retro look with that of the future and the results are appealing. Otherwise, it is basically a fun car for people who are far more supple and who seldom buy food for a large family or hunt down garage sale bargains.

Dad’s view: Drive this car. Don’t be frightened by its playful appearance, this is a full on sports car and quite capable of giving any car in the world a challenge. The Quattro is splendid. In fact, I could not even get the tires to squeal regardless of how hard I pressed this Audi into a turn. Moreover, all this fun did not detract from The Car Family getting over 26 mpg on premium fuel.

The 225-horsepower four cylinder Audi TT coupe come standard with a six speed manual transmission. It shifts well and the clutch is better than the BMW, but downshifting needs to be practiced because of it is easy to miss the notches. You also have to wait until the 3000 rpm mark to get the engine to respond in a positive fashion, especially on a hot day.

It really does not have a competitor. The only thing close is the cheaper Subaru WRX that offers more room, a similar amount of horsepower, and all wheel drive. However, the Audi is much more stable and offers a less peaky engine for the additional funds. The interior of the Audi is far superior, too, with leather seats, well done layout, and first-rate details.

A small spoiler has been affixed to the rear hatch to keep the TT grounded after Audi found that the TT was lifting at speeds in excess of double the legal speed limit. The spoiler is very well done and does not interfere with the smooth shape of the vehicle.

Handling and braking are superb. The Audi can be driven deep into corners and it never quivers. It is a lot of fun, a whole lot of fun. In fact, it rivals a BMW M for making driving a joy, except it is not nearly as expensive.

Audi also offers a 4-year/50,000-mile limited warranty and no-charge scheduled maintenance, a 12-year limited warranty against corrosion perforation and 24-hour Roadside Assistance for 4 years.

Working and attending college teenage boy: The stereo reception was pathetic. Not that I listen much to AM or FM, but this is one Bose system that needs a better antenna. The next item to burn is the backseat. If you are over four feet tall, you are going to have to consider sitting sideways because there just isn’t any room. Audi even put on a sticker warning owners to watch out for the heads of rear seat inhabitants when closing the hatch. It is that tight. The rear windows don’t roll down either. Claustrophobia is only a short ride away in this back seat. There are a lot of rad things about the Audi TT, too. It has great looks and draws the eyes every time. Every jealous Mitsubishi Eclipse driver wants to race not knowing that this is a much more civilized ride. My roommate has an Eclipse and after spending time in both cars there is no contest when it comes to riding or driving. The Audi is also much more appealing with an interior that needs to be touched. Very tactile.

Would I want to own this car, you ask? Yes, I reply, because the TT defies logic, is a player, and refuses to be classified. In other words, my own personal traits, according to my ex-girlfriend.

Female graduate student’s view: Okay, you get cruise/speed control, power door locks, power mirrors and windows and Bose AM/FM stereo in this squat, aluminium accented Audi. However, what you don’t get is some practical virtues such as cupholders that are not under your elbow or easy to use seat adjustments. I found the front seats supportive, but the circular controls to adjust them were impossible for me to turn. The adjustments for the air-conditioning and heating were okay, but could be made so much easier to use.

Don’t get me wrong, the Audi is as cute as a car can be and it rides well. I enjoyed the easy to use shift and clutch, and loved the way it could be parked in the smallest of spots easily. However, you better be careful backing up because the large C pillars block a lot of potential insurance claims.

In the game of life the Audi TT coupe is your classic fellow with a Napoleonic complex fellow. It is a small car with dreams of conquest wrapped in its small frame. Its all there, too, the drive, the look, and the determination. Now if Audi could just make it a little more user friendly it would look perfect in my Christmas stocking.

Family conference: A lot of dependable fun and certainly a car that defies description, the Audi TT is a must drive experience for those who love the idea of driving and appreciate both the art and energy this car offers. Its not for everyone, but is deserves consideration in both design and execution.

Written by The Car Family