Introduction

Few cars can match the all-round appeal of the Audi TT as a sporty coupe. Lighter, faster and more economical than ever before, the third-generation TT coupe builds on the success of the previous models with a new chassis, updated engines and a radical 'virtual' cabin.

The exterior of the Audi is undeniably TT and carries the familiar coupe lines, with a sculpted bonnet, rounded wheelarches and a sloping rear end. However, the third-generation model does get some styling tweaks, inspired by the R8, with larger side air intakes, razor sharp headlights and a new six corner grille. 

The third-generation TT coupe also gets a fresh new cabin, which includes Audi's innovative virtual cockpit. The 'virtual' system replaces the traditional instrument cluster, behind the steering wheel, with a 12.3-inch high-resolution LCD screen that lets the driver choose from a number of display configurations.

The interior also has a number of nice touches, such as two-tone colour styling and turbine style air vents, which feature integrated control and display for the heating, air con and heated seats. This means the cabin is a pleasant and comfortable place to be, with a supportive set of sport seats and plenty of room. But, like the old TT, the rear seats are tiny and not much use for adults. 

As well as a revised platform, Audi has updated the engines with a range of four-cylinder engines, which consist of two petrols and one diesel. The 2.0 TDI comes as a front-wheel drive, but returns impressive economy with Audi claiming 67.3mpg. 

The 2.0-litre petrol range starts with the 230PS unit, linked to front-wheel drive. The engine is also available with quattro four-wheel drive. Like the diesel, the front-wheel drive TT uses a six-speed manual transmission, while the petrol quattro has a six-speed S tronic automatic. There's also a performance focused TTS which uses the uprated 2.0-litre petrol with 310PS.

The TT feels a little sharper than its predecessor, with improved steering and power delivery. In fact, in our view, the Audi TT is one of the best sports coupes on the market. Admittedly, it’s more expensive, but there are big improvements in standard equipment and we think it easily justifies the extra cost.

Audi TT 2.0 TFSI quattro Long Term Test