2016 Audi TTS review – Roadshow

The Good Excellent looks, a zippy turbocharged engine and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit technology make the TTS stand out in a crowd.

The Bad Enthusiasts may mourn the lack of a manual. Some folks might find the ride a little harsh, especially in Dynamic mode.

The Bottom Line The 2016 Audi TTS is a sweet little sports coupe that should have you searching for the long way home.

Amid the packs of SUVs and crossovers jamming the roads, the 2016 Audi TTS comes as a breath of fresh air, a lithe little coupe offering a ridiculous amount of fun when pushed to the limit, all wrapped up in a polished package. This more potent version of Audi’s new TT model comes with more power, but still no manual transmission.

When I first got in the TTS, I turned every mode and feature to its sportiest setting. The four different driving modes let me customize levels for the engine and transmission, suspension, steering, all-wheel-drive and the exhaust note. I quickly learned that the suspension in Dynamic setting leads to a harsh and uncomfortable ride. Even after switching it to Comfort, the TTS is jarring over city pavement.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

Audi has been plagued in the past by numb and light steering, and it seems it has fixed at least half that problem. The weight and ratio are both satisfying, especially in dynamic mode, but the numbness is still there. It’s just tough to tell how much grip the Pirelli tires have when slinging the TTS through the corners.

And slinging this car is a joy. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine puts out 292 horsepower, pulling the car neatly through the corners and turn exits. And Audi’s claimed 4.6 seconds to 60 mph acceleration can be put down to the TTS’ 280 pound-feet of torque.

As Audi doesn’t offer a manual transmission for the TTS, I had to make due with the steering-wheel mounted paddles to shift its six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car shifted on its own just fine in everyday driving scenarios, but it upshifted too quickly and downshifted a bit too late for my taste when pushed to the limit, even when in Dynamic mode. The paddle shifters let me keep the revs up and have more control over my corner exit speeds.

My TTS test car came with Audi’s well-known Quattro all-wheel drive system. Having power go to all four wheels made the handling feel neutral in the turns and kept the rear from kicking out during my testing.

Clean and refined cabin

Audi painstakingly culled the cabin of most buttons, resulting in a sleek and modern cockpit. The HVAC controls, incorporated into the vents themselves, leave only a single row of buttons on the center stack for drive mode, traction control, spoiler deploy, parking sensors and hazards.

Audi

Audi locates all other controls on the TTS’ Virtual Cockpit, a 12.3-inch screen in place of a gauge cluster. With navigation and infotainment features on the Virtual Cockpit instead of a center-mounted screen, as in most other cars, it was easier to keep my eyes on the road. Multiple view options include larger or smaller gauges with or without the navigation map, but I often found myself driving with just a large tachometer front and center.

Unfortunately I found Audi’s MMI system unintuitive. The buttons to control the many menus can be found on the steering wheel, center console or accessible by the center controller knob, and it can be tough to remember which button does what.