Audi TT Roadster (2015 – 2023) Review

The Audi TT Roadster isn’t quite as exciting to drive as the more expensive Porsche Boxster and it can get a bit jittery on poor roads, but it is still a tremendously impressive car. It is solidly made, good to drive and features plenty of neat, high-tech features. For those seeking a premium convertible it ticks all the right boxes. 

Open-top motoring is part of the Audi TT’s DNA. The original 1998 car appeared as a concept in both coupe and roadster forms before production started, so a soft-top variant of the third generation model was something of an inevitability. No doubt it will be as popular as its predecessors.

And it deserves to be popular. The latest TT Roadster is every bit as good to drive as the coupe model, with masses of grip and impressive body control. It also shares its fantastic cabin with the coupe, complete with the high-tech virtual cockpit instrument binnacle. This is a large digital display incorporating navigation, speedo, rev counter and connectivity.

The party-piece of the Audi TT Roadster is, of course, the folding fabric roof. It can be operated at speeds up to 30mph and takes 10 seconds. Audi elected not to install a multi-piece metal roof in order to keep the proportions correct and the weight down – which means less to go wrong, but poorer security when parked up.

Refinement with the roof down is good even at high speeds, with little in the way of buffeting thanks in part to an optional retractable wind break that keeps turbulence from forming behind the seats. For those cool but dry days buyers can specify a pack that includes heated seats and ventilation that blows warm air on the your neck.

The folding roof does mean there are no rear seats in the Audi TT Roadster, but the rear seats in the coupe are so small you can barely use them anyway. There is also an impact on the boot, which at 280 litres is okay for shopping or a weekend away, but is too shallow for anything particularly bulky.

The engine range has changed from the initial launch. Audi's dropped the 184PS 2.0-litre TDI, but apart from the excellent economy, it's no bad thing. With the roof down it lacks the aural drama of the petrol models. Speaking of which, there are two 2.0-litre petrol engines to choose from - a 197PS and our favourite, the 245PS. 

The placement of the infotainment screen means the rest of the cabin is uncluttered and classily laid out. The switches in the centre of the turbine-style air vents are used to set the climate control which keeps the rest of the centre dash clear and neat. 

The folding fabric roof can be operated when moving at speeds up to 30mph and takes 10 seconds to extend or retract, so you ought not to get caught out in a rain shower. There is an optional pack that includes an electronically controlled windbreak to keep cabin noise down at speed, along with heated seats and a neck warmer for cold days.

The fitment of the soft top means there are no rear seats in the Roadster, but they were so small in the coupe it isn’t a huge loss. The boot is less practical, however. It has a decent volume of 280 litres with the roof up or down, but it is quite shallow, so bulky items won’t fit properly.

Audi's got it spot on with the quality of the TT Roadster's interior. It looks slick and uncluttered, while it feels well put together as well. The materials used are nice and tactile, with no skimping on quality, including real aluminium in the centre console and door handles. You'll have to dig a little deeper for a Porsche Boxster if you want to find something with a nicer interior. 

From the driver’s seat the cabin of the TT Roadster is exactly the same as that of the coupe – which is a very good thing. Unlike a lot of rivals that rely on two large displays, the dash of the Audi TT Roadster just has a single screen. Known as Audi Virtual Cockpit, it's a 12.3-inch display replaces traditional dials and incorporates the rev counter, speedometer, navigation, audio display, trip computer and connectivity into one clear, crisp, colour display.

It works really well and it doesn't take too long to get used to. There is a large control dial mounted behind the gear selector with a touch sensitive pad for inputting letters, plus there are controls on the steering wheel for changing the display when on the move. You can even minimise the rev counter and speedo, filling the screen with a large, clear map. As well as this, there's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. However, you'll need to splash out £1495 on the Comfort and Sound Pack to get the Bang & Olufsen stereo and a rear camera, as well as front and rear parking sensors.  

Prices for the Audi TT Roadster start at £40,050 OTR. That gets you the entry-level S line model with the 197PS 2.0-litre petrol engine and S Tronic auto transmission. If you want the more powerful 245PS engine, you'll pay almost an extra £5000 for the privilege. The Black Edition is only about £1500 more than the S line car, while the Final Edition is an extra £4000 on the Black Edition. 

That compares pretty well to the entry-level 200PS BMW Z4 in M Sport spec, which will set you back just over £44,000. The Porsche Boxster meanwhile starts at a little over £54,000.  

However, there are a number of desirable 'Packs' that buyers will want that will soon push the price up. 

Convertibles with fabric roofs are more of a risk of break-ins, so insurance premiums reflect this. The entry-level Audi TT Roadster in S line trim starts in group 41, while the Black Edition car with the more power 245PS engine is only one insurance group up in group 42. 

You don't buy a sports convertible for its fuel economy, but the TT Roadster isn't too bad. The lower-powered 2.0-litre petrol engine delivers around 40mpg combined, while the more powerful 245PS delivers up to 36mpg. 

With prices starting over £40,000 new, buyers will be stung by an extra £390/year in premium car tax for five years (from the second time the car's taxed). That's transferred to the new owner if it's sold within that period as well. 

The TT Roadster gets a Drive Mode Selector, which allows the driver to set up the steering weight, throttle response and, in the S Tronic, the shifting pattern to suit different situations. 

There are five driving modes - Comfort for town driving, dynamic for a twisting route, an efficiency mode for saving fuel on a long journey, an automatic mode that adapts to the situation plus a customisable ‘Individual’ mode. This allows the driver to tune various options to suit personal preferences.

Find a twisting road and the TT Roadster can be a lot of fun. Performance is good and there is plenty of grip, but broken British road surfaces upset the overly firm suspension, which can sometimes make the car jittery or even uncomfortable over partiuclarly large potholes and bumps

In fact the firm suspension doesn't do much for your confidence when pressing on at pace. In fact, though the Audi TT Roadster is certainly fun, it would be a stretch to call it a genuine sports car – it lacks the nimbleness, agiity and composure of the admittedly more expensive Porsche Boxster. 

Nonetheless it is very good fun to drive on the right road. But it is also easy to live with in town thanks to the selectable driving modes and steering that can change its weighting – it’s light when parking or in town and heavier when driving hard. For an everyday car that is fun when you want it to be there is plenty to like about the TT Roadster.

In the past, Audi offered a number of different engines with the TT Roadster and this included a 2.0-litre TDI diesel. Only available with a six-speed manual and front wheel drive and – as you would expect – it was the most economical option available and one to look out for if you're buying used. Official economy is 65.7mpg and emissions are 114g/km, so tax is cheap. Performance is still impressive though, especially when on the move thanks to a hefty 380Nm of torque. That said, while the diesel really suits the coupe, it's not really a happy marriage with the Roadster. With the roof down it just doesn't sound very good. 

The diesel engine is no longer available to order new, so that just leaves the choice of two 2.0-litre petrol engines. There's a 197PS version (badged 40 TFSI) that's front-wheel drive and a more powerful 245PS with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive (badged 45 TFSI). Both use a seven-speed S Tronic automatic transmission - the manual gearbox has been dropped from the range, which is a shame as you'll get a slick and precise gear change if you find a used example. 

That said, the combination of S Tronic transmission and four-wheel drive on the 45 TFSI model really helps the TT Roadster get all its power down, improving traction when cornering or when accelerating hard – plus there is a wonderful pop from the exhaust on upshifts.

The Audi TT Roadster comes with four airbags, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitors, cruise control and a ISOFIX fastening point in the passenger seat to fix a child seat. If you're placing a rear-facing child seat on the passenger seat there's an airbag deactivation switch. 

The TT Roadster has never been crash tested by Euro NCAP, but the coupe version of the car received four stars (out of a possible five) back in 2015. The good news is that is scored well for adult and child protection, but was let down by a lack of safety assistance kit as standard, including low-speed automatic braking system. 

Convertibles by their very nature are pretty exposed, so in a serious accident the Audi TT Roadster has both a reinforced windscreen frame and a pair of roll-over hoops. Should you be in an accident that sees you roll over, these two parts of the car are designed to hold its entire weight if you land upside down. 

The entry-level Sport trim is no longer available on the Audi TT Roadster, with the S line trim now the starting point in the range. This includes 19-inch five arm design alloy wheels, Audi's virtual cockpit, light and rain sensors, sports seats finished in black leather, S line badges, LED headlights, LED indicator lights and S line bumpers. 

Following this is the Audi TT Roadster Black Edition with 20-inch 10 spoke alloy wheels, black styling pack, wind deflector, black door mirrors, fixed rear spoiler (though theres the option to spec a retractable one if you prefer) and black chrome tail pipes. Perhaps a little frustratingly though, Audi has a long list of additional 'packs' that you can add to your TT Roadster, so if you want things climate control, navigation, and a reversing camera, you'll have to pay extra for these. 

The Audi TT Roadster Final Edition is a £4000 premium over the Black Edition. This comes with black Audi rings, black rear spoiler, black rollover bars and a black wind diffuser. There are also some matt grey 20-inch alloy wheels with red brake callipers, while inside you'll find some red stitching, an Alcantara steering wheel and the pricey Technology Pack included as standard.