2016 Audi TT Roadster Pros vs Cons. Should You Buy?

The Audi TT is positioned as the gateway into Volkswagen Group’s various high-performance cars like its S or RS siblings or Porsche cousins. The 2016 Audi TT Roadster features a new design and incremental improvements that make it a little faster, a little lighter and a little more fun. Together, these improvements make for a luxurious and well-designed sports car.

What’s New for 2016
The 2016 Audi TT Roadster has been majorly redesigned from the previous year’s model both inside and outside, but it still delivers the same driving feel. The exterior was slightly altered to bring the car more in line with the rest of the Audi lineup. On the inside, the infotainment and instrumentation have been combined into one large LCD screen.
 

Top 10 Reasons to Buy a 2016 Audi TT Roadster – The Pros

Powerful Four Cylinder Engine

A turbocharged 2.0-liter engine powers the 2016 Audi TT Roadster. On a standard Audi TT, it produces 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while on the more powerful TTS trim level the engine is tuned up to produce 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. At just 3000 pounds, the car is light enough to feel fast when you push down on the gas pedal.

Smooth-shifting Transmission

The 2016 Audi TT Roadster is equipped with a six-speed automated manual gearbox. Unlike conventional automatic transmissions, it does not employ a torque converter; instead, it functions like a manual transmission but with the shifting done by the car’s computer. This gives the transmission a smooth and responsive feel that combines the performance characteristics of a manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic.

Quattro All-Wheel Drive System

All 2016 Audi TT Roadster models come with Audi’s award-winning Quattro all-wheel drive system standard. The car’s computer automatically shifts power between the front and rear wheels to maximize traction and performance depending both on the road conditions as well as your driving style. This gives the TT stand-out performance and improved safety over other small roadsters.

Variable Electric Steering

The weighting of the steering is critical to capturing the true excitement of the open road, and the 2016 Audi TT Roadster uses an innovative system to deliver just that. The electric steering changes its weight and responsiveness depending on how fast the car is going and how quickly it is turning. The result is a very connected and responsive steering feel that makes the car both agile and easy to control.

Magnetic Suspension

Continuing the theme of combining convenience and driving experience is TT’s magnetic suspension system. Standard on the sportier TTS models, it is tighter than the standard suspension, but it also delivers a more comfortable ride as well. That is not to disparage the standard suspension – it is also more than up to the task of providing an impressive drive.

Audi Drive Select

The philosophy of combining performance and driving comfort elements that permeate the 2016 Audi TT Roadster is epitomized in the Audi Drive Select system. Audi Drive Select lets drivers pick between three different driving dynamics settings: Dynamic, Auto, and Comfort. The first delivers more aggressive throttle and transmission response while toning down the amount of assist from the stability controls. Comfort does the opposite, focusing on a smoother and quieter ride while Auto falls somewhere in the middle.

Audi Virtual Cockpit

For the 2016 Audi TT Roadster, Audi combined the infotainment system with the instrument cluster to create an all-in-one heads-up display right in front of the driver’s eyes. The 12.3-inch full-color display has all the information you need about the car in one easily-accessible place. It is operated through steering wheel controls or a touch-sensitive pad in the center console.

Luxurious Interior

While the spotlight is on performance with the Audi TT, it does not skimp on luxury amenities either. As can be expected from an Audi, the interior materials are high quality and well-fitted whether you opt for the cloth, suede or Nappa leather upholstery. The rest of the interior also clearly indicates the car’s luxury status through soft-touch materials and subtle metallic accents.

Cutting-edge Active Safety Features

Roadsters are meant to be driven aggressively, so it is good that the 2016 Audi TT Roadster comes with a wide range of modern safety features to make it safer. The Audi Side Assist makes lane changes safer by warning the driver of vehicles hidden in the car’s blind spot and the Active Lane Assist system warns drivers who start to drift out of their lane and even performs minor corrections to keep the car on course. Other safety features include secondary collision brake assist, traction and stability control and Quattro all-wheel drive.

Advanced Infotainment Options

The 2016 Audi TT adds new twists to traditional infotainment options for added convenience and efficiency. For example, the Audi Connect system not only adds a wireless internet connection to the car but it also enhances the car’s navigation system with Google Earth and Google Street View information. Similarly, social media applications are integrated into the infotainment so that you can get live Facebook or Twitter updates on the go. Putting a finishing touch on the in-car entertainment is the high-quality Band and Olufsen audio system.  

Reasons Not to Buy a 2016 Audi TT Roadster – The Cons

No Six-Cylinder Option

The four-cylinder engines offered on the TT are powerful enough to provide plenty of excitement, but many of the cars with which the TT Roadster competes offer V6 or V8 options that outclass it completely. It makes up for the lack of power by being lighter and agiler. Despite that, customers looking for plenty of horsepower may want to go with a V6 or V8 luxury roadster instead.

Limited Cabin Storage

The Audi TT is a very small car, as becomes very evident when the question of cabin storage comes up. It does come with a relatively spacious trunk, but there is little room for things you want to keep on hand. The Coupe model does have small rear seats that can be used as storage, but those are no available on the Roadster.

No Passenger Infotainment Access

The Audi Virtual Cockpit makes it easy for the driver to access and control the infotainment system, but the passenger is completely locked out of the controls. The screen’s position behind the steering wheel means that it is difficult for the person in the passenger seat to see what is on the infotainment displays. This may not be a problem for those who mostly drive alone, but others may find it very troublesome.

How It Stacks up to the Competition

The 2016 Audi TT Roadster competes with other convertibles like the Porsche Boxster and the Mazda Miata. The Porsche Boxster is more powerful and better equipped than the Audi, but it is larger in size and is significantly more expensive. The Mazda Miata is very agile and is considerably cheaper than the TT, but it is underpowered compared to the Audi and lacks luxury features.

Conclusion

The 2016 Audi TT is a very versatile luxury roadster, which makes it an excellent choice for those who are looking for more than just performance numbers from their convertibles. It is compact and agile but still manages to feel comfortable and luxurious inside. Its extensive suite of infotainment options, luxury accents, and safety features give the car excellent value and position it as the perfect half-way point between cheap thrill cars and full-on luxury race cars.