Audi TT 2007 Review

Driving Audi's TT exudes style, luxury and performance, in a cute, elegant, little package. We first met the TT in Melbourne on its Australian launch at the end of 2006 and it was one memorable rendezvous, stretching her legs on Phillip Island Racetrack.

Here we saw she could handle her own at speeds of up to 200km/h.

But this time, the base model TT got to spend some time in our garage and prove she's more than just a sporty car. She's one that can handle busy Sydney roads as well.

Equipped with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo engine, the entry level TT is priced at $68,900. Ours came with extra touches such as fine Nappa leather upholstery for $800, storage package, $400, and Audi's magnetic ride for an extra $3000.

The turbo TT has much to offer and is reasonably priced for its segment.

From the word go, the turbo TT responds. You ask it a question with the accelerator and it answers with an impressive growl.

Constantly working hard, the turbo dazzles you with its charm even at cruising. It won't stop there, digging deeper when you reach higher up the tacho. Its 280Nm of torque comes on as low as 1800rpm, remaining strong through to 5000rpm. In terms of power, there's 147kW at 5100rpm to 6000rpm. The front-wheel-drive TT races 0-100km per hour in 6.6 seconds, in the six-speed manual guise.

Now that's not going to break any records, but it will give you an enjoyable ride, accentuated by her low sportscar dynamics.

The ride is bumpy and gets too firm at lower revs, more so when you or your passenger find that sport suspension button near the gearstick. It makes sure you feel every pot hole in the road, yet it ensures better handling around corners, providing greater control and minimising body motion.

Once your foot's on the throttle and you give it decent oomph, the TT excels.

She's economical to run with fuel consumption figures of 7.8-litres per 100km on our test.

It comes with impractical rear seats, unless you only intend to transport children under 10. A trip into the city with an adult seated in the back provided comic relief for those in the front, but not so much for the unfortunate soul testing out her contortionist-like moves.

With a hunched back and crooked neck, it was an uncomfortable ride.

In terms of design, the TT has the stunning looks from when it first came onto the market in 1998. But other brands seem to have caught up with the futuristic-like appeal of the Alfa Brera, Nissan 350Z and other offerings from the likes of BMW and Mercedes.

The TT possesses typical Audi character and class but with some enhanced styling changes, including a longer, wider body. The roof has been repositioned further to the rear. Because of lighter aluminium technology called the Audi Space Frame, the TT is lighter than its predecessor.

A small spoiler that is activated when reaching 120km/h automatically or by the touch of a button, adds to the sporty appeal and enhances performance by increasing negative lift at the rear wheels.

The design, influenced by the Bauhaus style of the 1920s, is sexy with its glamorous appearance, eight years after we first saw it.

While the inside may be uncomfortable for the back passenger, those in the front will enjoy comfort, luxury and sophistication. The circle theme of the brand is accentuated on the air vents, air conditioning and radio knobs, and the speedo and tacho. Silver trim adds a contrast on the black console, as you slide into the side-hugging leather seats.

With a high window line starting above your shoulder, low ceiling, snug environment and a racing steering wheel with a flat bottom, like that in the RS4, there's no doubt you'll feel low and sporty in the TT.

But there are some things that could be improved, such as a spare tyre as standard. Instead it gets a tyre mobility system, an aerosol can of goo that repairs any damage. And it doesn't have a great deal of boot space, although, as one passenger said: "At least it had more space than the back seat."

Caution is needed in car parks, with typical coupe long doors. And when in underground car parks with low roofs, be extra careful when opening the boot.