Audi TT Coupe

Our verdict

The Audi TT Coupe takes over where the old one left off. There’s a reason for the TT’s apparent ubiquity; it’s a genuinely great car.

Comfort

Mass-market appeal here – even though it looks like a taut Coupe, the TT is superbly comfy. The vision isn’t brilliant, but engines are quiet on a cruise and this isn’t a twitchy car. 

Performance

Two engines to choose from at the moment; the 2.0-litre TFSI from the Golf GTI and a 3.2-litre V6. The 197bhp turbo four is the punchier unit and has little or no turbo lag – it feels more sporty, gets to 62mph in 6.6 seconds and tops out at 149mph. The V6 is lazier, has 247bhp and weighs more – meaning 0-62mph in a similar 5.9 seconds and a limited 155mph top speed. Great noise though. 

Cool

Impossible to be properly cool when there’s just so many of these things out there. 

Quality

TTs are strong. Mass production doesn’t hurt these Audis. 

Handling

The front-drive versions handle exceptionally well, with the two-litre four-pots feeling like an even more sorted Golf GTI. The Quattro cars are grippy, but not as much fun – they’re much heavier and tend toward understeer. Forthcoming ‘S’ with S3 engine should make the point in spectacular fashion. 

Practicality

Not bad for a small coupe. The boot is reasonable and space inside is pretty comfortable for tall people. Quite hard to park because the car slopes away at the ends, but it’s not a huge deal. 

Running costs

The good thing about the TT is that it’s an eminently reasonable thing to run; the 2.0-litre will give around 35mpg (and it will) which means a low(ish) tax rate of 23 percent. The V6 hits the maximum 35 percent, gives 27.2mpg and isn’t really worth the extra unless you can’t live without multi-cylinder baritone.