Audi TT review

The Audi TT is a small sports car which is stylish to look at, fun to drive and very easy to live with. It isn’t quite as sporty to drive as the likes of the brawnier BMW 2 Series, but it comes with a fabulous interior and looks sportier than ever thanks to a selection of subtle mid-life tweaks.

Take the front and rear bumpers for example – especially in S-Line cars. These come with contrasting air intakes and a ground-hugging splitter, just like on the faster TTS model. The side skirts also have angular bulges jutting out behind the doors like chiselled cheekbones and you can get your TT in a range of bright colours ranging from a tasteful blue to a particularly in-your-face orange.

Climb inside, and the latest Audi TT doesn’t look all that different from the car it replaces. Thankfully, that’s no bad thing. The TT’s cabin is one of the most instantly recognisable of any small sports car thanks to its neat trio of air vents, uncluttered design and huge digital driver’s display which you get as standard. It’s certainly more memorable than the BMW 2 Series’ rather mundane interior.

Sadly, the compact Audi TT is nowhere near as spacious inside as the boxier BMW. Sure, there’s plenty of space for adults to get comfy in the front but the back seats are more of a token gesture than a genuinely usable proposition. It’s the same story with the Audi’s boot. It’s smaller than the BMW’s but at least there’s still space for a few small suitcases and a couple of soft bags.

If the Audi TT isn’t quite practical enough, just fold the back seats down and treat it as a tiny two-seater with a giant boot. Problem solved.

Chances are you won’t be using your Audi TT to carry great big loads or lots of passengers around. More likely you’ll be taking the long way home from a big lunch on a quiet Sunday afternoon. In this respect, the Audi TT does very well indeed.

Its small size and light weight mean it feels very nimble in tight country lanes, yet it still has enough poke from its 2-litre petrol engine to put a smile on your face when you press the accelerator – especially the more potent 245hp models.

Sure, even these aren’t as fast as the range-topping BMW 2 Series with its more powerful six-cylinder engine, but – unlike the BMW – you can get the Audi TT with four-wheel drive which gives you a little extra confidence on unfamiliar roads and in slippery conditions. It’s even reasonably quiet at speed so it’s pretty relaxing to drive for long periods. Especially if you pick a model with an automatic gearbox.

This changes gear smoothly at speed and responds very quickly to the paddles on the steering wheel. It can be a little jerky around town and the Audi TT’s low-slung body means squeezing through a tight width-restrictor isn’t as easy as in the more upright BMW. But, you can get it with a self-parking system to minimise the risk of low-speed bumps and scrapes and its light controls mean it feels much like a hum-drum hatchback when you’re stuck in traffic on the morning commute.

In fact, this is what makes the Audi TT such a great all-rounder. It’s huge fun to storm along on a quiet backroad, yet drives just like an Audi A3 when you don’t fancy letting your hair down and just want to head home.