Audi TT Roadster Review 2024

Audi TT Roadster At A Glance

4/5
Honest John Overall Rating
Not quite as engaging to drive as some pricer rivals, but thanks to the great build quality, welcoming interior and decent handling, the Audi TT Roadster is a brilliant convertible.

+Impressive levels of grip. Good to drive. Quality cabin with excellent 'Virtual Cockpit' as standard.

-Still not a sports car. Jittery ride over broken British backroads. Reports of water ingress problems caused by the fabric roof.

New prices start from £35,410
Insurance Groups are between 34–43
On average it achieves 81% of the official MPG figure

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. 

Ask Honest John

I bought a used TT that turned out to have a water leak - is the dealer liable?

"I purchased a 2016 Audi TT Roadster from large dealer group in July 2019 - the garage was taken over by another firm three weeks later. In November I heard a sloshing sound behind the passenger seat so I booked it in. The dealer informed me I had a water leak which had got into the amplifier so I would have to pay for a new amplifier and the hours worked on the car. I thought this should have been covered by my warranty or the fact I had only had the car under six months. I was informed this was not the case, I phoned Audi, the dealers and Trading Standards all to no avail. In the end, I had to wait three weeks for the amplifier to arrive it was then fitted. I collected the car Friday before last and the dealer did give me half the cost of the amplifier off the bill, although I still ended up paying £1500. When I purchased the car in July we had great weather and the car is garaged so did not go out in the rain much but of course, eventually, it was left in the rain for a few hours. The car was an Audi approved used vehicle but I doubt they tested in for a leak, so one would assume it had the leak when I purchased it. My whole problem was no one is prepared to accept responsibility because the garage changed hands after I brought the car."
I think you have a case for a small claim because the fault that led to the water ingress must have been present before you bought the car and the dealer is liable for any fault that could have been present or developing before date of sale for six months from date of sale and much longer than that if it is proven that the car was always faulty. See: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/ In fact, this is quite a common fault with this generation of Audi TT Roadster.
Answered by Honest John

Warning: Audi warranty is not fit for purpose

"I purchased a new Audi TT Roadster (2015 model) in May 2015. A fault developed in July 2016 where the MMI sound interface stopped working and returned to the authorised dealer for repair. After a week I was told Audi would not honour the warranty claim due to "external influences" being 'leaves/grit/dirt' getting into the compartment that cannot be visibly seen/easily accessed leading to flooding by rainwater from the roof damaging the electronic units. I was faced with a bill of over £2,000! The car is regularly used and well maintained so beware this is an Audi issue and not a customer maintenance one. The dealership have moved to reduce my payable to £150 but that still leaves me legally accepting this as a repair claim rather than warranty. After asking what will happen if it occurs in the future I was told it likely would and I would have to bring the car in every two months for checks to reduce the risk - this isn't a hypercar! I have also been told the roof needs to be in a state of transition (half-up) in order to access the compartment to clear debris - it doesn't state this in the owner's manual. As I see it, and am proving, this is a breach of the Sale of Goods Act 1989 where the buyer must be "in an informed position" when at the point of purchase. No one would buy a convertible that is subject to leaves falling on the car in non-visible/accessible places resulting in flood damage and large personal costs. Pretty sure everyone should be made aware. "
If you go here: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/audi/tt-roadster-2015/?section=good/ you will find numerous other reports of this, now including yours.
Answered by Honest John

Which TT Roadster should I buy?

"I am looking at changing my current TT Coupe for a TT Roadster but I am getting conflicting views on the real MPG. Have you any figures on what I would expect to get on a 2.0 TFSI, a 2.0 TFSI quattro and a TTS quattro? I would be happy with about 30/32mpg. "
Only three submissions on the 2014 TT here and all for the 2.0 TDI coupe. Nothing for the roadster. If people don't submit their real mpgs, we can't run them. Much more on the previous model TT: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/audi/tt-coupe-2006 That averaged the national average of 85%, which makes the NEDC figures 17.7% optimistic.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Audi TT Roadster cost?