2008 Audi TT 2.0 Coupe
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Complaints: Typical sports coupe raps: Ingress and egress can be difficult for some bodies; rear passenger space is minimal and uncomfortable.
Head-turning quotient:"Gorgeous!"
Ride, acceleration and handling: Fantastic on open, curvaceous, unencumbered roads, when those roads can be found. Driving the TT under those circumstances is akin to spending a day at a motorized Disneyland. Good ride and handling in the dismal swamp of daily commuting.
Body style/layout: The Audi TT is a front-engine, compact, luxury coupe (two doors, 2+2 seating configuration). It is available with front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, and can also be bought as a convertible (roadster).
Engines/transmissions: There are two engines -- a two-liter, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder engine in the front-wheel-drive test car that develops 200 horsepower at 5,100 rpm and 207 foot-pounds of torque at 1,800 rpm. That engine is mated to a six-speed transmission that can be shifted automatically or manually. A 3.3-liter, 250-horsepower V-6 is installed in the all-wheel-drive Audi TT 3.2 Quattro.
Capacities: There is comfortable seating up front for two. Two smaller people can be squeezed into the rear seats for short trips. Luggage capacity is 13.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 23 cubic feet with those seats folded. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons of required premium unleaded gasoline.
Mileage: We averaged 22 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
Safety: Antilock brakes, side air bags, electronic stability and traction control are standard.
Price: Base price on the 2008 Audi TT 2.0 coupe is $34,800. Dealer's invoice price on that model is $32,365. Price as tested is $45,175, including $9,600 in options (Homelink security system, special alloy wheels, special interior leather; onboard navigation system, which is not recommended by this column; bi-xenon headlamps, premium audio system including satellite radio, and other goodies) and a $775 destination charge. Dealer's price as tested is $42,067. Prices sourced from Audi, http://www.edmunds.com, http://www.kbb.com and http://www.cars.com, an affiliate of The Washington Post.
Purse-strings note: We don't like Audi's less-than-intuitive onboard navigation system. We recommend buying a portable.
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