With Audi maintaining a superb reputation for interior quality, changes to the revamped TT are, again, pretty minimal, which means very high quality materials, and excellent fit and finish. Sports seats are standard, with all models getting part or full-leather upholstery, and they’re nicely supportive while being comfortable for longer journeys.
All cars come with a 12.3-inch display in front of the driver, rather than traditional instruments or a central screen. This displays both driving information and infotainment, which is controlled either from the wheel or by a dial and buttons next to the gearstick. It’s certainly cool to look at, and works well once you get to know it, but be prepared to take a bit of time to figure out how to navigate your way around the interface. The roof is raised and lowered using a switch between the seats.
Unlike the
TT Coupe, the Roadster is a strict two-seater, with the coupe’s rear seats making way for the folding roof storage. So if you’ve got more than one friend to carry around, the Roadster isn’t for you. The folded away roof also slightly reduces the amount of boot space available, but it’s only slightly smaller than the Coupe and therefore a pretty decent size compared to rivals. Because there are no rear seats, you can’t fold them down for extra space, so what’s there is your lot. That’s true of other two-seat convertibles too, but it’s worth knowing if you might need to transport larger items.
Rear visibility with the roof up isn’t brilliant, but again that’s typical of soft-top cars. There’s a cup holder in the centre and another one under the armrest, as well as shallow door pockets and a cubbyhole in front of the gearstick. There’s also a lockable storage space between the seats.
The TT isn’t just about cute looks. It also has proper dynamic ability, with engineering that’s unchanged in the revamped version. With strong grip, taut body control and fast, predictable reactions from the steering, gearshift and throttle, the TT feels excitingly nimble in a set of bends. And that’s the front-wheel-drive cars. Some versions are available with four-wheel drive (and a twin-clutch gearbox), giving you even more traction out of bends. But to be honest, they’re no more enjoyable to drive, and we’d save the extra cash they cost unless you really need the extra grip.
All the conventional TTs also deliver a ride that’s impressively slick and smooth, and the lowered sports suspension that’s standard on S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung models manages to increase the stiffness and cornering ability while stopping short of being crashy over rough surfaces. Taking the roof away doesn’t noticeably affect the quality of handling. You’d probably lose a bit of time around a racetrack due to a small decrease in torsional stiffness and extra weight, compared to the coupe. But that’s offset by the extra drama of the wind in your hair and the noise from the exhaust.